Subdomains not an option, but....

[Atlantean]

I am stuck.

What I have is one domain, which is essentially myrealname.com.

What I want is to develop several separate affiliate sites in separate folders on this domain. For example myrealname.com/affiliate-store-one and myrealname.com/affiliate-store-two, etc.

My problem is, based on what I know about SEO, it would be best to obtain a separate domain name for each program. But at this point it is not possible for me to buy domains and hosting for all the programs and ideas I have. So, I must house these programs each in its own folder. Essentially what I am describing is putting an entire website (or page(s) depending on how I decide to implement a particlular program) in a folder under the myrealname.com domain. Question: How will search engines react to a site with a homepage that has links to folders, each containing a different site and subject?

And what of the homepage? How would I accomplish a myrealname.com/index.html? How would I be able to focus it for SEO? Call it a "online mall", or "online department store", etc. and then optimize it thusly? Should I make it a sitemap with links to the subfolders? How would you guys handle such a scenario? Is it even a good idea?

[my2cents]

domains are really inexpensive less the $8 per year.. all serious Affiliate Marketers have a stable of domain names I have around 200

hosting is cheap... companies like Hostgator will let you host as many domain as you what in a reseller account with prices starting at $10 bucks per month..

so for less then $200 you can be on your way... dont get insnared in the white noise of you new this tool to be successful or that tool is a must....

the only tools you need are..

1>online access
2> A PAID hosting account
3> a domain name
4> a libraray card...

thats it!

bare min...

but if you can add to it you get profitable faster..

if you have a computer of your own and theusually trapping that go with it... desk, chair (a really good comforable office type chair is a must)

then if you can budget $200 for the year to fund your business (yes it is a business) you'll be on your way...

for training.. you need to read and study the post here and at the other affiliate marketing forums.. do a search...

Ask question... the best advice you'll ever get is...

DO NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL, IT'S ALREADY BEEN PERFECTED!

then if you're a good student you can ask to be mentored by me!

I'm not a guru... not a over nite online gazillionaire...

I'm just some guy who has spent his whole life (40 years 10 years online) swimming up stream doing what he luvs... regardless what others thought....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++

Hey, Linda.. not to change the subject.. but I'v decided to let it all hang out on my blog... the good, bag and ugly and the everything in between...
in simple baby steps.. and it's all your fault...

you should have never encouraged to enter the blogosphere....

I'm going to be different, over the top.. "unpolitcally correct" and I'm going to have FUN!

[Linda Buquet]

Atlantean a couple idea for you.

1st what you describe is not TOO bad. Look at many malls, this is sort of what they do. They have different folders with different product categories. With some it's almost like separate sites.

But if you want to make separate sites here is the CHEAP and easy way.

Yahoo domains are only 2.99 right now I think. Then get a reseller hosting account here. http://www.thrillhost.com/ I have one for all my little domains I am gradually trying to build sites for. You can host unlimited domains for 11.95 a month. Can't beat it and GREAT host!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You GO Joe! I knew once I lit a fire under you, you would take off like a rocket.
Even serious blogging can be FUN! That's why sometimes I add Friday Funnies with Internet marketing jokes and spoofs - even though mine is a biz blog.

[Atlantean]

I take the first bit of your reply is advocating separate domains, rather than the separate folder approach I asked about. Question answered.

You lost me on the second part of your reply. It seems to presume that I am a complete newbie. I'm not. I have been designing and developing websites for six years. I've done extensive research on web and web marketing, search engines, SEO and SEM, and Merchant Affiliate Programs that focus less on hype and feeding on impulse and more on their ability to fulfil a specific, recurring need.

Despite this, I have never had an affiliate website until a few days ago. Suffice it to say that my technical abilities as a webmaster/designer have finally caught up with my ability to implement a program or project.

I can now code my own sites, integrate PHP with MySQL, research and obtain content, design my own graphics and handle any other aspect of my own custom-designed website package with static and database features. A "website-in-a-box". When learning that side of web dev became tedious, I would take a break from it to learn the "other side" of the process: marketing. So far, I have six years with more days logged at my datacenter (which has a desk and chair) than actually earning a salary. Hence the need to budget until my efforts begin to pay off.

My main concern was what to do with the TLD index page on a site that's full of folders of differing subject matter. How do I SEO a homepage that promotes several programs? Am I wording the question wrong?

Finally, congratulations on the blog, my2cents! I agree: Always be "unpolitically correct"! And always have fun!

[Atlantean]

Atlantean a couple idea for you.

Actually, I wasn't so much worried about the hosting as I was the domain registration, with respect to the query. Fact is, I have a very generous friend who uses a reseller account to host his and his friends' sites. I still have to pay for registering domains, and perhaps it's not entirely impossible, just seems so considering how many programs I belong to, as well as other ideas which require unique TLDs. Your earlier advice does not rule out the structure I've described with using a different folder on one TLD for different stores.

I am still concerned about how best to implement the homepage, as a content page or sitemap page or mall front page, with respect to SEO.

[my2cents]

I wasnt implying you were a complete newbie... sorry about that

I was writing for all the onlookers trying to decide... do i leap or do I stay all comfy in my cacoon...

As the other point about domains... pick and choose groups of programs to integrate together..

If i was doing it over.. i wouldnt have 100 websites... I could the the same thing done with 25 or 3o... and fewer sites are much easier to manage...

my network is so large I can barely keep track of things.. some sites I havnt been to in 12 months... I guess the bottom line I am wasting resources.. time,money, losing sleep..

Many other will tell you to build a lot of mini sites.. I did that.. I find medium sites sites are best 3500-5000 pages.. with 30% content 70% products this works best or me.. although in case would i go lower then 50-50... just enough spider food for google and yahoo but not so much I cant keep it up todate

I guess what i am saying is you need 250,000-300,000 pages.. so this is wherethe 30-70 rule comes into play... 70% dynamic.. 30% static.. this way you spend most of your time with the static stuff.. which brings the eyeball to your site, so you can liberate the CC from their pocket...

I have had sites that were mostly content.. they never made a cent... too many tire kickers... and freebie whores...


JOe

[Atlantean]

Originally Posted by my2cents

I guess what i am saying is you need 250,000-300,000 pages.. so this is wherethe 30-70 rule comes into play... 70% dynamic.. 30% static.. this way you spend most of your time with the static stuff.. which brings the eyeball to your site, so you can liberate the CC from their pocket...

That's a lot of pages.

Does that figure apply to just one site, or across several sites?

If it is one site, how do you possibly create that many pages? I am developing a site in a specific product category which has several hundred products. My intention is to create a page (dynamically) for each product and then, once that is complete, concentrate on spider food. I want to create sites for 10 products following this plan. Together, all 10 sites, even with a couple containing a few thousand products, would not come close to that number of pages.

Also, datafeeds are few and far between. (Some are now accessible on LinkShare through a premium service that cost's like $250 if your site doesn't meet the specifications to be accepted without fees.) So, you have a merchant that offers graphic, individual product and textual links on LinkShare. But you don't want to market their products with any of the provided methods. My preference is to build a website dedicated to the topic and populated with said products. But the merchant doesn't offer a raw datafeed that I can plug into my database.

My question is, what do I do? Go to every product page on the merchant's site and start copying and pasting and "Save Picture As" and "View Source"?