Same server for different client sites?

[Go-Auction]

Hi everyone - I have a question about whether it's OK for us to host several of our client's websites on the same dedicated web server, without this causing problems in SEO. I know the issues with duplicate content etc., but for background - we provide website services to a particular sector (antiques/auctions). All our clients are distinct, and have written their own copy etc., but because they're all in the same sector, their websites will - largely - talk about the same types of things - so the content is not duplicated, but it's similar in topic, I guess. Does anyone feel it would cause a problem if we were to put several (say about of our client's websites on the same dedicated web server, or would we be better spreading the sites over different shared servers? Come to think about it, if we are spreading those same 8 sites across 4 virtual servers - but all hosted by the same company - presumably Google would know that too?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this!

Nikki

[Go-Auction]

Thinking about this further, Wix, for example - would have multiple sites on one server. The same underlying code runs a wix website, but the content is different. This is kind of like the scenario we have, although obviously we're not as big as Wix and we'll have fewer sites on the same server. But that's the scenario - same underlying CRM that clients use to 'build' their site, so in that sense some of the code/framework is the same, but each client adding their own content. There is no way around that the code is the same, but the content is different - so that should be OK - right?!

[EGOL]

I think that this is usually fine.

My only concern would be that common page.  I would put enough work into it to make sure that it does not have same structure, same code, same anything.  Just to be safe.

[Go-Auction]

Hi Paul - thanks for your thoughts. Good point about each site being hosted in a separate account.

[Go-Auction]

Hi EGOL, thanks for your answer - much appreciated. There is absolutely no linking between the sites and the sites do have their own substantive content - although certain pages exist on both sites. e.g. clients have a 'listing' of the items for sale, and so both of the sites would feature this page (and the structure of the page would be the same), but obviously different items would be offered for sale.Do you think that sounds OK?

[ThompsonPaul]

Agree with EGOL - very common procedure.

The one functional consideration you must take into account though is that each site should be hosted in a separate account on the server so malware or hacks from one cannot contaminate the others. That's also best if individual clients will need hosting access to their own sites - otherwise, it can be difficult to keep clients away from the back-end of each others' sites.

Paul

[EGOL]

If these sites all have unique, substantive content and are not incestuously interlinking, then it is fine to host them on the same dedicated server.