Same keywords for multiple sites - bad idea?

[Olov]

Hi guys,

I would appreciate some feedback on my situation. I have two websites about animals, lets say.

Both of them are on the same VPS IP and on the same Google webmaster and analytic account.

Both have articles that attack the same keyword, example "best dog food" and "best cat collars". Both sites were hit by medic update, but not completely ruined. They still bring in some money.

I want to make a third site that will be better executed and more specific in the niche. Lets say it will be only about animal foods. It will also go for keywords like "best dog food", like the other two sites.

I am thinking about starting this site on a different VPS IP and on my second Google webmaster/analytic account. I will log in to all accounts with my normal private ip adress and computer. So no proxys involved or anything.

What do you think about this? Bad idea?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mj22]

make it look like a completely separate entity (hosting, layout, ect) from the other sites and dont leave the same seo footprint as the others and you should be fine. In smaller markets that i want to control the top 3 or top 5 of serp i do the same thing with no issues.

 

[Ryuzaki]

How many shared servers out there have 5-10 sites on it in the same niches or verticals going after the same keywords? Tons. Google doesn't care.

I wouldn't go as far as to put them all in the same Webmaster Tools account, but I wouldn't go as far as to hide my IP address when logging in.

There are zero rules that Google has ever mentioned that say you can't have more than one site or that you can't target the same niche. Many businesses buy up competitors and are de facto doing what you say. It's fine.

The real issue is if you start doing really heinous stuff with PBNs and other tactics. Google will go look for all of your sites. They don't always find them all if you don't make it easy for them. Just don't give them that reason and you'll be fine.

With all that being said, I'd probably put them on different server IP's though. I'd rather not leave a footprint that can be misconstrued, even if I'm doing nothing wrong.