Multiple Domain Names - All Successful - Combine them?

Hello people.

Here's my problem. I run a fish charter business down south of Cancun. I am not a professional SEO by any stretch. I have learned what I could and applied it as best I could.

I started my website, let's call it "apples1". I have worked on it for two or three years. My main key word group is "Playa del Carmen Fishing Charter". I have successfully worked my way up to #4 or 5 in Google Search Results.

About a year ago, I learned about using key words in domain names. I did a search and found that "PlayadelCarmenFishingCharter" was available. I registered it and the hyphenated version.

I pointed the hyphenated version toward the regular version with a 301 redirect.

Now my second website has reached number three on the Google Search Results.

So, I have a PR1 site come up as number 3 on the search results and I have the original which is now PR2 has moved up to number five.

So, I have two web domains in the top five. One number 3 and one number 5. This is 40% of the first five. That's pretty cool. But I'd rather have number one!!

Number 1 is my chief competitor and and he's been around a long time.

What is my best strategy from this point. Should I combine the sites. Redirect one to the other? Which one to which one? Why?

Should I leave them alone and be happy?

Any advice would sure be appreciated.

Oh yeah, thanks to the "whoever" for this great site!

I

keep them, but get them to number 1 and 2

well the search for that keyword is only around 75/month. So i dont really know why you want it. If you have been working for your first website for 3 years and your new redirected EMD got better ranking, you were doing something wrong my man.

Maybe you will be getting traffic for other long tails but for this one you should be ranking without any problem. Either of your websites maybe ranking 1st. Check your onsite seo and content; make sure its all done right.

If i were you i would create a different website for the EMD with similar content, different layout and design and slight different metas and keywords, but with the same main keyword you are trying to rank for. And work on both, with that competition you may easily be 1st and 2nd!

Cheerz

mak111 said:

keep them, but get them to number 1 and 2

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Yes. Number one and two will be very difficult.

Ya gotta help me out. I'm sorry but I'm not familar with EMD's and "Long Tails". Can someone help me out?

I figured the double whammy on the domain name that matches the key words was a no brainer for high ranking.

Actually I just redid both of these sites. They are much much nicer/better than they were before.

Hey guys! Don't give up on me!

skripel said:

well the search for that keyword is only around 75/month. So i dont really know why you want it. If you have been working for your first website for 3 years and your new redirected EMD got better ranking, you were doing something wrong my man.

Maybe you will be getting traffic for other long tails but for this one you should be ranking without any problem. Either of your websites maybe ranking 1st. Check your onsite seo and content; make sure its all done right.

If i were you i would create a different website for the EMD with similar content, different layout and design and slight different metas and keywords, but with the same main keyword you are trying to rank for. And work on both, with that competition you may easily be 1st and 2nd!

Cheerz

Click to expand...

I found definitions for EMD's and Long Tails. Sorry for the ignorance.

In any case. Thanks for the input. In my own defence, I didn't know what SEO even was particularly until about six months ago. I went from number 11 with my "long tail" to number 3 as of today. My EMD is now number 4.

The good thing about the EMD is that it encompasses other key words as well. Almost any search for fishing in playa del carmen will have me in top ten.

My competitor, number 1, is pretty strong. Been around longer. I think it may be hard to knock him off.

Number 2 is TripAdvisor. They are a pretty big kid on the block.

Anyway, thanks for the tips!

I'd be open to more info.