Are 12 Web Sites Better Than 1?

Should you have two Web sites? Three?  Twelve?
Remodelers constantly tell me “Hey, I bought a new domain!”  And with that goes the typical story that they are going to build a second Web site to seize on important new keywords and dominate their market!
Well let me offer a little reality on this strategy.  Finding a great domain name is terrific, and I’m happy for anyone who scores that coveted domain.  Securing, for example,  “SeattleWindows.com” is a great coup for a windows dealer in the Seattle area.
Theoretically, a dozen domains on the same theme could be a terrific asset for that same remodeler.  Now, here’s the BUT:
BUT, it’s a lot of work to actually establish a new Web site on that that domain. And it’s even more work (and time) to get the search engines to rank that new Web site and send it lots of traffic – which was really the point of acquiring that great domain name in the first place.
What does this work entail? Web design, writing original content, securing images, setting up hosting, getting your Web forms working, applying an email address to the Web forms. And that’s just for starters.
Then, you need to acquire the dozens (or hundreds) of backlinks that the search engines look for before ranking your Web site at the level you expect.  This is a tedious process can take years to complete. Yes… you read that right – YEARS!
As a remodeler, you need to ask yourself:  do you have the time, expertise and budget to do all of this properly? Because if you don’t, this process can quickly become a major drain on your time and resources.  And by making such a significant commitment to organic search rankings, you’ll be ultimately at the mercy of Google’s ever-changing ranking algorithm.
So, I’m not saying don’t buy that great domain name.  If you have the right team, enough resources and a lot of patience, you can make that strategy work over time.
But I am warning you that there’s a lot more to building out a domain than just purchasing the name itself.
And now, for a little comic relief, check out the World’s Top Twenty Most Expensive Domain Names.