Chat Session 

Conducted for Students of the
Academy of Web Specialists 

Led by Dean Markham

Academy of Web Specialists

Take search engine marketing training!

Wed Jan 22 18:09:54 2003 bam2122 I am just interested in learning some new thoughts and ideas on mini sites
Wed Jan 22 18:11:50 2003 frisco I have a number of affiliate sites, so wonder if mini sites can help promote those by utilizing other KWs
Wed Jan 22 18:12:01 2003 dean markham keywords
Wed Jan 22 18:12:06 2003 labelsexpress do you know of any 
ebooks that go into specific details about minisite strategies? Not 
just theorie but specific step by step detail?
Wed Jan 22 18:12:06 2003 frisco yes
Wed Jan 22 18:12:48 2003 dean markham sure, you can do a 
couple of things.  But additional domain names with your keywords in it.
Wed Jan 22 18:13:29 2003 dean markham you can build longer 
information pages and focus them on a single keyword
Wed Jan 22 18:13:54 2003 dean markham build a mini site to focus on a specific product
Wed Jan 22 18:14:19 2003 burgwald when you do this do you need to place them on different servers or can you use the same on
Wed Jan 22 18:14:31 2003 burgwald one
Wed Jan 22 18:14:32 2003 dean markham labelsexpress - not 
off hand for that topic specifically
Wed Jan 22 18:15:14 2003 dean markham Michael Campbell has talked about them quite a lot, review the chat transcripts from past chats
Wed Jan 22 18:15:34 2003 dean markham burgwald, you can do 
either, I purchases a lifetime hosting account.
Wed Jan 22 18:15:46 2003 dean markham I host all of my sites from the same account
Wed Jan 22 18:15:53 2003 burgwald where how much
Wed Jan 22 18:16:07 2003 dean markham some say you have 
each site on a seperate IP address,
Wed Jan 22 18:16:55 2003 frisco that's really hard if you have 20-30 sites
Wed Jan 22 18:17:32 2003 webman it's even harder if you 
have 50 sites like one of my clients does
Wed Jan 22 18:17:42 2003 webman or rather has
Wed Jan 22 18:17:57 2003 frisco yow!
Wed Jan 22 18:18:15 2003 tabby602 if I understand this 
correctly, it is a good idea to have a large site and link it with some 
small sites you own.  however, I have heard that you are penalized for 
linking to your own sites. Is that true?
Wed Jan 22 18:18:41 2003 tabby602 this assumes they are similar subjects
Wed Jan 22 18:18:48 2003 dean markham yeah, that will get kinda expensive
Wed Jan 22 18:19:04 2003 webman The hard part for me is 
that he has 50 sites that are basically identical. How do I optimize 50 
sites with different looks but identical content without competing against myself?
Wed Jan 22 18:19:13 2003 dean markham just a sec
Wed Jan 22 18:19:36 2003 webman no prob
Wed Jan 22 18:20:53 2003 dean markham Tabby, first Unless an editor from the SE index does a whois on your domain and then does it again on domain and 
actually find that you have more than one site and are linking to yourself
Wed Jan 22 18:21:50 2003 dean markham Unless you are 
actively spamming and causing a red flag for your domain I wouldn't worry
Wed Jan 22 18:22:09 2003 tabby602 thanks, it puts me at ease :-)
Wed Jan 22 18:23:15 2003 dean markham webman, ultimately 
you are competing against yourself.  But who care, whether you get a 
top listing for site 1 or you get a top listing for site 50 you still 
get the top listing not to mention the other 49 sites and the listings 
that they get
Wed Jan 22 18:23:49 2003 burgwald again where can you buy 
lifetime hosting
Wed Jan 22 18:24:08 2003 dean markham burg, goto 
www.superior-webhosting-services.com
Wed Jan 22 18:24:26 2003 dean markham brb
Wed Jan 22 18:24:41 2003 dean markham take 2 minutes 
stretch break
Wed Jan 22 18:24:43 2003 webman I agree, but if I occupy 
the top 20 spots under "mortgages" isn't someone going to get 
suspicious?
Wed Jan 22 18:24:46 2003 frisco also http://mister.net/
Wed Jan 22 18:26:51 2003 dean markham your competition 
might
Wed Jan 22 18:27:20 2003 dean markham they may also take 
the time and do a whois on everysite in the top 20 to see what they can 
come up with.
Wed Jan 22 18:28:06 2003 dean markham so then make sure 
that you don't own every single slot
Wed Jan 22 18:28:20 2003 dean markham if you own 10 out of 
20, not to bad,
Wed Jan 22 18:28:39 2003 webman that's OK, my client says 
he can privatize the whois so that nobody can see that info.
Wed Jan 22 18:29:08 2003 dean markham really, how?
Wed Jan 22 18:29:16 2003 dean markham I'm sure we would 
like to know
Wed Jan 22 18:29:49 2003 webman If you register with 
godaddy.com, for a nominal fee, you can hide your whois info.
Wed Jan 22 18:30:41 2003 labelsexpress if you whois info 
is hidden would you risk yahoo probably not list you in their 
directory?
Wed Jan 22 18:30:43 2003 dean markham really, is this 
guaranteed?
Wed Jan 22 18:31:02 2003 dean markham hard telling.  I 
have't heard of being able to do this
Wed Jan 22 18:31:29 2003 dean markham Frisco
Wed Jan 22 18:31:35 2003 frisco how is a mini-site 
different from a doorway domain?
Wed Jan 22 18:31:59 2003 webman a mini-site is multiple 
pages, a doorway domain is one page
Wed Jan 22 18:32:00 2003 dean markham tell what are you 
refering to as a doorway domain?
Wed Jan 22 18:32:29 2003 frisco my client has stompersboots.com...
Wed Jan 22 18:32:51 2003 frisco and has a couple of other 
domains like engineerboots.com. I tell him to
Wed Jan 22 18:33:03 2003 dean markham ok
Wed Jan 22 18:33:04 2003 frisco use the 2nd domain as an 
information/doorway domain
Wed Jan 22 18:33:10 2003 dean markham ok
Wed Jan 22 18:33:25 2003 dean markham how many pages on the 2nd domain?
Wed Jan 22 18:33:42 2003 frisco none right now - he had his host do a pointer to main domain
Wed Jan 22 18:33:52 2003 dean markham ok, that will get you banned
Wed Jan 22 18:33:53 2003 frisco which is silly, I think
Wed Jan 22 18:34:00 2003 dean markham better be careful
Wed Jan 22 18:34:00 2003 frisco right!
Wed Jan 22 18:34:16 2003 dean markham listen, lets not over complicate this
Wed Jan 22 18:34:47 2003 dean markham a minisite, doorway site doorway domain whatever, pretty much referes to the same thing
Wed Jan 22 18:35:02 2003 dean markham you can make it as easy or as dificult as you wish
Wed Jan 22 18:35:07 2003 dean markham you have your mainsite.com
Wed Jan 22 18:35:39 2003 webman redirecting a second domain to your main site will get you banned?!
Wed Jan 22 18:35:43 2003 dean markham you buy a domain 
name called minisite1.com, minisite2.com and minisite3.com
Wed Jan 22 18:35:56 2003 dean markham pointer domain will 
yes
Wed Jan 22 18:36:05 2003 dean markham talking experience here  :-)
Wed Jan 22 18:36:41 2003 dean markham minisite1.com is 
about blue widgets.  Now you can focus on blue widgets only and make 
this site a small site.
Wed Jan 22 18:36:46 2003 webman banned from which engine?
Wed Jan 22 18:37:11 2003 dean markham a couple pages. you 
have the home page, a page or two about the product an order page and a 
contact page
Wed Jan 22 18:37:25 2003 dean markham Altavista about 3 years ago
Wed Jan 22 18:37:32 2003 webman thanks
Wed Jan 22 18:37:47 2003 dean markham now build 
minisite2.com and minisite3.com the same way
Wed Jan 22 18:38:04 2003 dean markham #2 is about red 
widgets and #3 is about green widgets
Wed Jan 22 18:38:25 2003 dean markham mainsite.com is 
about widgets in general, all colors etc
Wed Jan 22 18:38:40 2003 dean markham minisite1 (blue 
widgets) links to main site
Wed Jan 22 18:39:11 2003 dean markham make the minisites 
more relevent and use your keywords in your link text and link 
specifically to the colored sites
Wed Jan 22 18:39:37 2003 dean markham I.E.  you have a 
link that says blue widgets green widges red widgets
Wed Jan 22 18:40:05 2003 dean markham blue widgets links 
to the minisite3.com because it is about green widgets
Wed Jan 22 18:40:13 2003 dean markham ooppss
Wed Jan 22 18:40:28 2003 dean markham blue widgets links 
to minisite1.com
Wed Jan 22 18:40:46 2003 dean markham green widgets links 
to minisite3.com and so on...
Wed Jan 22 18:40:57 2003 dean markham everyone follow me?
Wed Jan 22 18:41:10 2003 bond4870 {enters}
Wed Jan 22 18:41:12 2003 dean markham tabby?
Wed Jan 22 18:41:25 2003 tabby602 should you link in both 
directions or main site to ministes only or mini sites to main site 
only or link all sites to all sites
Wed Jan 22 18:42:01 2003 tabby602 I guess it's all sites 
to all sites, isn't it
Wed Jan 22 18:42:03 2003 dean markham link to everything 
else, but be sure to use the same keywords in your link text when 
linking to another site site.]
Wed Jan 22 18:42:26 2003 tabby602 thank you
Wed Jan 22 18:42:31 2003 dean markham read my previous 
example on the widgets sites
Wed Jan 22 18:42:33 2003 webman OK, after some research I 
have a URL for you about the whois thing.
Wed Jan 22 18:42:40 2003 dean markham ok
Wed Jan 22 18:43:07 2003 webman <a 
href=http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/popup/whoisexample.aspx?isc=&se=%2B&
from_app=&pl_id=1&mscssid=>whois info</a>
Wed Jan 22 18:44:09 2003 dean markham I can't click on 
that link
Wed Jan 22 18:44:12 2003 webman I'm guessing though that 
you'd have to do that only after submitting to Yahoo
Wed Jan 22 18:44:27 2003 webman here's the url itself: 
http://www.domainsbyproxy.com/popup/whoisexample.aspx?isc=&se=%2B&from_
app=&pl_id=1&mscssid=
Wed Jan 22 18:44:46 2003 dean markham can't cut and paste 
in this darn char room
Wed Jan 22 18:44:57 2003 dean markham send it to me in a 
private message
Wed Jan 22 18:45:48 2003 dean markham where were we?
Wed Jan 22 18:46:17 2003 dean markham wont let me cut and 
paste there either
Wed Jan 22 18:46:28 2003 dean markham email 
DeanMarkham
Wed Jan 22 18:46:44 2003 dean markham any questions?
Wed Jan 22 18:47:47 2003 dean markham Hello ? Anyone have 
any questions or input?
Wed Jan 22 18:48:54 2003 dean markham webman
Wed Jan 22 18:48:56 2003 dean markham you ?
Wed Jan 22 18:49:23 2003 webman If you have 50 sites 
linking to each other and to the main site, each link will be just 
about worthless as far as PR is concerned, won't it?
Wed Jan 22 18:49:34 2003 dean markham why?
Wed Jan 22 18:49:55 2003 webman I thought the more links 
there are, there less PR each page gets
Wed Jan 22 18:50:49 2003 dean markham I would want to 
research that more.  However, useing PR is only one piece of the pie
Wed Jan 22 18:51:02 2003 dean markham there are many other 
engines and lot of traffic
Wed Jan 22 18:52:32 2003 dean markham page rank is 
determined from other sites linking to yours correct
Wed Jan 22 18:53:37 2003 dean markham if you have multiple 
sites linking to multiple sites all sites being similar wouldn't that 
raise your page rank then?
Wed Jan 22 18:54:11 2003 webman I would hope so
Wed Jan 22 18:54:38 2003 webman that's the corollary of 
the question.
Wed Jan 22 18:54:51 2003 dean markham it's based on the 
link reputation.  Which is why minisites are so valuable,  you control 
all of the links coming in to your main site, all links going out of 
your main site to the minisites, all the lins form the minisites to the 
minisites
Wed Jan 22 18:54:53 2003 webman to use a mathematical term ;-)
Wed Jan 22 18:55:16 2003 dean markham well we are only 
allowed to use english here
Wed Jan 22 18:55:21 2003 dean markham :-)
Wed Jan 22 18:56:09 2003 webman how long do you think it 
will take for Yahoo to incorporate inktomi results?
Wed Jan 22 18:56:38 2003 dean markham so then in theory, 
If I have 10 minisites all about a single related topic and all linking 
to my main site which is about the same similar topic
Wed Jan 22 18:57:05 2003 dean markham my main site reputation should be quite high
Wed Jan 22 18:57:28 2003 webman I would assume so
Wed Jan 22 18:58:51 2003 dean markham frisco
Wed Jan 22 18:58:52 2003 frisco re: private domain 
registration. this is according to godaddy FAQ...
Wed Jan 22 18:58:56 2003 frisco Private domain registrations can only be purchased through Go Daddy software and through no other registrar. The private domain registration process is brand new and so unique it is supported by two patent applications.
Wed Jan 22 18:59:08 2003 frisco if that helps...
Wed Jan 22 18:59:17 2003 dean markham wow
Wed Jan 22 18:59:21 2003 dean markham need stuff
Wed Jan 22 18:59:27 2003 dean markham godaddy.com
Wed Jan 22 18:59:50 2003 frisco correct - I went and 
looked it up - nice to know, huh? thanks webman!!
Wed Jan 22 19:01:09 2003 dean markham great
Wed Jan 22 19:01:20 2003 dean markham any other questions
Wed Jan 22 19:02:12 2003 burgwald great session
Wed Jan 22 19:02:27 2003 webman you're welcome
Wed Jan 22 19:03:32 2003 frisco thanks a lot, dean
Wed Jan 22 19:03:36 2003 dean markham does anyone have any last questions
Wed Jan 22 19:03:48 2003 dean markham your very welcome
Wed Jan 22 19:04:02 2003 bam2122 yes, thank you :-)
Wed Jan 22 19:04:15 2003 claycotton who has a transcript 
they ccan mail to me?
Wed Jan 22 19:04:33 2003 dean markham it should be posted 
on the academy's website
Wed Jan 22 19:04:51 2003 claycotton should be...
Wed Jan 22 19:05:25 2003 dean markham it should be, yes.
Wed Jan 22 19:05:30 2003 dean markham Have they not been?
Wed Jan 22 19:05:31 2003 bam2122 I have one Clay, I will email it to you
Wed Jan 22 19:05:37 2003 frisco webman ... I wonder how private registration might affect paid inclusion
Wed Jan 22 19:05:49 2003 claycotton dean - I love ur 
stuff, and can't wait for this to be posted - thot someone would have saved it
Wed Jan 22 19:05:54 2003 frisco you still have to put your own name/credit card for that
Wed Jan 22 19:05:56 2003 dean markham why, do they say 
they need to know who the owner of the domain is?
Wed Jan 22 19:06:00 2003 burgwald claycotton what is you email
Wed Jan 22 19:06:08 2003 frisco no - come to think of it
Wed Jan 22 19:06:15 2003 claycotton smile
Wed Jan 22 19:06:15 2003 webman I'm more concerned about 
having Yahoo list my URL as DomainsByProxy!!!
Wed Jan 22 19:06:24 2003 dean markham sorry
Wed Jan 22 19:06:39 2003 dean markham and thank you for 
the compliment, your input in greatly appreciated
Wed Jan 22 19:06:53 2003 claycotton thx burgwald
Wed Jan 22 19:07:28 2003 frisco I gather that domain is 
still domain.com, only that whois is DomainsbyProxy.  this will take some study.
Wed Jan 22 19:07:48 2003 webman dean, they need to know 
the owner so that if they get a report that someone is using a hidden 
domain for spamming, they know who the guilty party is.
Wed Jan 22 19:15:48 2003 dean markham beginning of last 
year one of my previous student wrote to me and offered me an 
oppertunity to contribute to a book
Wed Jan 22 19:16:15 2003 dean markham we just got a 
copies, you can check it out at www.websurfer-netcafe.com
Wed Jan 22 19:17:11 2003 dean markham quite a feeling a 
accomplishment being able to contribute like that
Wed Jan 22 19:17:59 2003 dean markham In bring step by 
step from a real life website start to current status at time of writing
Wed Jan 22 19:18:27 2003 dean markham how they developed a 
website selling ties and in the three years it now sells 200K / year
Wed Jan 22 19:19:27 2003 dean markham they go right trough it how they chose every step what steps to make and when, while encompasing SEO strategies learned from my workshop that the co-author took.