Re-directing Multiple Sites to a Single Location

[maxcarnage]

Hello Mozzers!

So, I have a client whom has purchased a number of different domains that they want to re-direct to their main website. Their thinking is: that by doing as much, they will increase their opportunities to rank for related KW terms. To the best of my recollection, that is not the case, especially if they are not posting any content on those other domains, but simply redirecting the page to their "main site".

I am very concerned, however, that by doing as much they run the risk of receiving a penalty from the Google Search team. I am a little hazy on this issue, as it's been some time, but to the best of my recollection doesn't this constitute "spammy behavior".

Again, since it's been so long since I've had a client try to implement a strategy like this, I'm a little unfamiliar with how it may play out in the current landscape, so I'm eager to hear all of your opinions on the utility of such a strategy and whether or not it will spell doom for my client. I'm anxious to hear what you think, thanks for reading!

[GlobeRunner]

that by doing as much, they will increase their opportunities to rank for related KW terms

This is, in fact, a misconception and a false assumption. Simply redirecting domain names will not increase rankings. In fact, if you redirect too many domain names it could hurt rankings and give the main site a penalty (we've seen it happen before).

What I do recommend, however, is that you do your due diligence on all of the domain names that you're redirecting, as you could be redirecting a domain that has a penalty or low quality backlinks.

[RobertFisher]

Hello J.P.

This is a common misconception and I still am surprised when I see people doing this. There is no point in buying a bunch of domain names and redirecting them to your site if there is no content for the domain you are redirecting from. So, if you are a plumber and you are in Fresno with FresnoPlumber.info as your site, buying and redirecting best fresno plumbers, super fresno plumbers, naked fresno plumbers won't be of any benefit. 
Conversely, I doubt you would ever receive a penalty for that either.

Now, if we use the same example, I am not against having fresnoplumbers.com, .net, .org, etc. redirect but that is more to keep those domains with the client. They could also own them and do nothing with them. I would not buy up all the .biz, etc. sites but some of the more generic TLDs might make sense. But only where they really match the current domain.

Hope that helps.

Robert