Masking websites?

[Dazeal]

I think that is what it is called, please correct me if I am wrong.

I own kirklands.biz and chicfloral.com they are the exact same website, two different IP adresses. I pay $10 each on each site.

Is it called masking if I host one site $10 a month and have the other point to that IP address too? And if so, will my SE rank be judged on it? I want to save the $10 a month.

 

[BOSS]

Yup tis masking....

Not sure on the SE results...but as I understand it it is better to have one site, and direct the other URL's to the one, rather than 2 with duplicate content...

 

[CHR]

Brandon,

Since the sites are exact mirrors, the search engines will filter one of them out for a specific search - but they pick which one, not you, as long as both can be spidered.

My Google Toolbar says Chicfloral.com has a PR2 and MSN shows 14 backlinks.

Kirklands.biz has a PR3 and shows 27 backlinks so it's the stronger of the two URLs.

If you decide to redirect Chicfloral to Kirklands, be sure to contact the sites linking to Chic and ask they change the URL.

BTW, I love your About Us page.

Couple other suggestions... I can't find your shop address(es) or local phone number(s) on the site. The home page and Contact Us pages - in text, not on an image - would be good spots. I'd also suggest you add some alt text to that lovely photograph on the home page.

 

[Dazeal]

Thanks for the info.

Yeah alt text and e-commerce are on my to do lists Thanks.

Kathy, if I have a hotel that has linked chicfloral, and I am going to use the kirklands.biz as my ip page, why would I need to have that hotel change their link to kirklands.biz? The bride will still get to the right ip. OR is it the link read by the spider on that hotel site that is so important for my rankings? I think I answered my own question.

Last question. Epicflowers is finally down and it's Alexia rank is awesome. What if pointed my local business to that URL? Do spiders index IPs or the actual URL?

I need to do something with Epicflowers, I hate that it is just sitting there.

 

[CHR]

is it the link read by the spider on that hotel site that is so important for my rankings?

That's it. Links are votes. You want as many votes as possible pointing to the resolving domain.

Epicflowers is finally down and it's Alexia rank is awesome. What if pointed my local business to that URL?

To keep Epic from appearing completely dead, you can mask it to Kirkland's for the time being. I would not redirect your local users to Epic and create yet a third site with the same content. IMO, when you want to untangle the mess and split the domains again, you'll create yet more confusion for the SE's.

The SE's know when they're being redirected so don't expect those Epic's Alexa rankings to hold if you do point the URL to Kirkland's.

I suggest you put a 'coming soon page' on Epic with a "For Fresh Flowers in Ashland, Medford, etc...click here" and create a link to Kirklands.

 

[Dazeal]

TY Cathy

 

[bloomz]

According to definitions I understand, it is not masking, rather simple dns pointing. My hosting company allows as many as you want all pointed to the same web space free.
Masking is a whole different animal.
Call me sometime if you want to know where and when and how.

 

[CHR]

Masking is a whole different animal.

Sorry not to have explained better.

Masked forwarding is when you to conceal the web address of your destination site. The original URL is displayed in the address box. There are a few ways this can be handled.

Standard forwarding auto-redirects visitors to a different URL and it is displayed when their browsers reach the destination site.

I'd take JB up on his offer.

 

[bloomz]

http://www.flowersoregon.com/

shows in the address bar - simple dns pointing - costs me nothing.

If you make your links relative vs absolute - your whole site will stay at that domain.

Mine are absolute because of the shopping cart licensing. I only pay for one cart license.

 

[Dazeal]

Jonathon, that is the info I needed. I'll give you a call on Monday, thanks.