Should You Try to Dominate SEO Rankings by Using Multiple Domains?  

Have you ever wondered if it is better to rank higher in a single position frequently, or to try and own more of the overall SERP SEO rankings real estate and rank more consistently? There is no right or wrong answer as it can depend on the situation of your business and your resources. If you are considering trying to run multiple sites and rank multiple domains, here are the important questions you need to ask yourself.

What Is Better? Multiple Results for a Keyword or Better Overall Global Rankings?

The question comes down to this: Do you want two out of the top three search results for a single keyword to belong to you or would you rather have many global ranking keywords continue to move up and rank higher? By global rankings, we mean all the potential keywords that your sites can rank for and larger sets of keyword groups that send traffic and visitors.

While your first thought may be that the less advantageous position is for just a few keywords to dominate multiple positions and that the better option is moving up in global rankings with more search query opportunities, it depends on your situation.

For example, say you own an incredibly successful real estate company that is ranking well for several keywords and you were bought out by another successful real estate organization. If both sites ranked for similar terms it would probably be best to combine via 301 redirects to boost the opportunity to rank really high in results versus having multiple results that are more spread out in overall ranking scores.

Do Multiple Sites Cannibalize Link Equity?

This can be a concern that comes to mind for many people considering running multiple domains and they wonder if they will be able to generate enough domain authority and link equity to sustain and rank each website. Anyone familiar with SEO knows that link and authority building to boost rank is one of the more difficult parts of the SEO formula. If you do not yet have a site that has enough link equity, it is probably better to combine the efforts of your multiple domains versus trying to individually build equity for each one.

Buy an Existing Ranking Domain or Use Your Own?

If you are looking to have multiple domains rank for a single keyword, should you use your own domain or buy one that is already ranking? Buying a new domain and building from scratch allows you to manage the reputation of the site and control which precious keywords you want to specifically target. On the other hand, if you buy a competitor’s site that is already ranking, you will gain some sort of equity and ranking ability, although it may be ranking for less valuable keywords than you are trying to target.

What Is More Cost Effective? A Multi-Domain Strategy or Boosting Your Primary Sites Marketing?

There is some truth that without enough budget and resources running multiple domains may spread yourself too thin versus if you were putting all of your time, money and energy into your primary domain. But, if you are in a position where you enjoy risk, already have your main site ranking well, with high authority and you are a link building pro, multiple domains can be worth the chance and if successful, can skyrocket your monthly traffic and conversion rates. It is important to remember that in the SEO world, high rankings does not always mean high revenue. You need brand familiarity and building new domains means starting from scratch on essentially building a second, third or fourth brand. Ask yourself if by doing this, will you dilute your current brand or sacrifice your brand equity. If you think it’s a possibility, you may want to reconsider or hold off on launching a multiple domain strategy until you have the necessary resources, budget and time in place to properly execute and manage.

Think of it this way, if you intend on owning and running multiple domains, you will basically need to double your SEO work. In the world of rankings, there is no shortcuts or magic buttons to instantly get favorable results, or build authority. If you are ready for a significant challenge and willing to put in the work, a multiple domain initiative could help boost your visibility and be successful in the long run.

Have you ever considered trying to rank multiple domains? What made you decide whether or not to try this strategy? Let us know! To learn more about what you can do to get the most out of your SEO, get a free SEO analysis.