2 Domains, 1 Brand - Content Marketing Strategy Question

[Crichardson1990]

I have a customer that has two separate locations for the same business on two different URLs (both connected via Landing Page). I cannot change this. They are in the powersports industry (snowmobiles, ATVs, motorcycles, dirt bikes, etc). The locations are about 10 miles from one another, essentially sell the same brands & products (there are 1 or 2 exceptions), have the same target audience (local & from out-of-state), and have the same goals. They currently rank #1 and #2 for their industry in their area.

They now want a content marketing strategy. I face limitations with the CMS (no blog abilities and technical issues that are out of my control), and content marketing can really only consist of custom graphics & custom page creation. Typically, custom pages are utilized by creating Brand Pages describing the major brands to built out authority in those categories, and then try to branch out from there to create individual product-category pages with more unique content to answer more of a question based on the intent.

I am very concerned about creating content that will be too similar between the two locations and will thus compete with the other location, so I am thinking I should devise a completely different strategy for 1 location over the other. Is that a good idea? I think with the smaller location, I choose the typical route of creating brand pages, product pages, etc, and then with the bigger location, try to focus on unique content such as buyer's guide, local SEO ideas about the area, FAQs, testimonials, etc.

Thoughts/ideas?

[donsilvernail]

Start a blog on a subdomain of the main domain. It is hard to do content marketing without a blogging infrastructure. You could easily install WordPress on a subdomain and brand it like the business.

If you a curating content for both locations the key is to not duplicate the content exactly. So if your are creating a post as to what ATV is best. Make sure the title and the content are different between each site. The concept can still be the same.

Split the testimonials by business location. They are technically 2 different stores anyway. As long as you are not copying word for word you should be fine!

[EGOL]

The client knows that you don't go snowmobiling in your swimsuit and you don't ride a dirt bike in your underwear and no helmet or gloves.  The client will advise people to buy the right gear and know that all of this gear has a cost.

I face limitations with the CMS (no blog abilities and technical issues that are out of my control)

I'd tell him that I need the proper equipment.  He is asking you to run the cross country dirt bike race butt naked and no helmet.

Tell him that.