2 clients. 2 websites. Same City. Both bankruptcy attorneys. How to make sure Google doesn't penalize...

[BBuck]

Hi Moz'ers! I am creating 2 new websites for 2 different bankruptcy attorneys in the same city. I plan to use different templates BUT from the same template provider. I plan to host with the same hosting company (unless someone here advises me not to). The content will be custom, but similar, as they both practice bankruptcy law. They have different addresses, as they are different law firms.

My concern is that Google will penalize for duplicate content because they both practice the same area of law, in the same city, hosting the same, template maker the same, and both won't rank. What should I do to make sure that doesn't happen? Will it be enough that they have different business names, address, and phone numbers?

Thanks for any help!!

[MonicaOConnor]

If you were planning to use these sites as linking sources for each other, then you would definitely want different hosts for their sites. It will increase the value of the links.

The most important thing is giving them each quality, unique content. If the content is considered duplicate by Google only one of the sites will rank. It is really the only thing that can separate two sites that are so similar, aside from diverse link profiles.

[MiriamEllis]

Good morning, BBuck!

Good questions, and as others have stated, the template and host really shouldn't be a concern. Just be sure you're not interlinking the sites in some unnatural way or duplicating content, image files, etc. Be sure you're keeping the citation building for each client in two completely separate 'baskets' (e.g. don't accidentally mix up details if you are building citations for both clients at once) and be sure you're writing unique descriptions on the citations. I would be very surprised if Google cared about the template or the host. You should be good to go, provided you treat each project as a separate effort in terms of content development and marketing. Hope this helps!

[MoosaHemani]

I dint see any problem with that! Using the same hosting company and a template hoster didn’t make much of the difference on rankings. Only thing you should make sure is that the content for both website shouldn’t be that much similar that I come under the thin content area.

Hope this helps!

[BBuck]

No ethical issue. The first referred me to the second. I'm helping them both compete against the 15 other firms in the area. They both are fully aware that they both are working with me. The second actually referred me to a THIRD, but he won't be ready for several months. SO, I need to figure out how to juggle the 2, and if I can't do the 3rd (google penalty), then I will decline.

Just want to know what I need to do to make Google see that these are all separate firms, and not one firm gaming the system.

Thanks for your reply!  Anyone else want to chime in?

Cheers! Have a great weekend! (i'm obviously working ;-(

[The_Sage]

Putting aside the ethical issues of having two clients in direct competition, Google cares far less about the template you use and more about the content and service that you provide. Both will be indexed. Don't duplicate anything that isn't technical in nature. There are hundreds of blogs that share the same templates, hosting platforms, etc. If one gets deindexed, talk to Google directly.