Absorbing Smaller Site

[GregW]

I have two sites on the same topic of Poker; 1 bigger one and 1 smaller one.

The big site ranks well for a number of terms, whereas the smaller site ranks okay for the keywords it is going after but receives far less traffic. The small site doesn't really make any money, but the content is still pretty good.

I was thinking about having the big site absorb this smaller site by having it as a sub-section of the big site, 301ing the urls of the smaller site to the bigger one. Would this be a good or bad idea?

Both sites have content on the same topic, and the reason that I made the smaller site was to try something different with an alternative writing style. I was going to make a few of these smaller sites, but I have since changed my mind and decided to focus on the bigger sites.

Do you think that there would be any problems to having a big site absorb a smaller one?

[Spry]

with proper 301's I think this would be fine. full disclosure, I haven't tested this myself

[Ozpoker]

I've done it - worked well - in fact gave me the two link subcategory in the serps

[Ridge]

I think you'll be fine doing this and will be very happy you did. Extra traffic, extra exposure, new visitors to your bigger site, win win IMO

[Ridge]

Bump!

I'm about to do something similar to what TPB is asking, and my first thought was to take all the content off and 301 the whole site, but now I'm thinking I should 301 each page to the new page.

what do you guys think? Am I over thinking this?

[GregW]

I know it was my question (so obviously no pro at doing this), but when I get around to doing this I will be 301ing each individual page to the new page. If there are links pointing to inner pages, I want them to continue to point to the correct pages, and it just seems to make sense to guide google to exactly the right pages at their new homes.

[MPC]

I think page for page when you can match, and page to homepage when there's no other fit. More work, but better targetting.

[CasinoMack]

Do 301 per url. Definitely more work, but worth it. I'm doing it now actually with another site.

[OPC]

Bump!

I'm about to do something similar to what TPB is asking, and my first thought was to take all the content off and 301 the whole site, but now I'm thinking I should 301 each page to the new page.

what do you guys think? Am I over thinking this?

Do each individually... paraphrasing Google, 301s pass "credibility." That being said, you want to 301 each page individually to their counterpart.