In daily web management, enhancing traffic and conversions is an ongoing challenge. When addressing these challenges, have you ever felt that relying solely on the main site might be insufficient? This is because there are inevitably certain target demographics that the main site alone cannot reach. This is where “satellite sites” come into play.

In this article, we start with the basics of what a satellite site is, and we’ll cover its purpose, effective creation methods, and examples of operation in detail. Satellite sites can reach a broader audience and are also effective for SEO strategies; however, they require careful usage. Use this article as a guide to start managing them correctly.

Overview of Satellite Sites

A satellite site is a smaller web presence designed to support the main website. For instance, it may be used to improve the main site’s search engine rankings or to increase traffic from users previously unreachable.

The content provided on a satellite site can either be specialized around relevant keywords or focus on specific products. Either way, its operation complements the main site.

However, careful management of satellite sites is necessary because if the content is thin, it may be viewed as spam by search engines. Therefore, providing high-quality content and adhering to search engine guidelines is crucial.

Role of Satellite Sites

What specific purposes are satellite sites created for, and what effects can be expected? Let’s explore these aspects.

Expanding Target Customers

Satellite sites can be used to reach different customer segments than those of the main web site.

For example, consider a manufacturer of health products aimed at middle-aged and older adults. If this manufacturer wants to attract a younger demographic, achieving this on the same website can be challenging. This is because the appeal points and language might need to be different for different age groups.

In such cases, launching a satellite site focused on the younger demographic can be effective. This site could feature content that interests young people and communicate benefits tailored for them. By doing this, a satellite site can provide information to a different target group, thus broadening the company’s customer base.

Acquiring Backlinks

Another purpose of satellite sites is to acquire backlinks for the main site.

Backlinks, which are links from other websites to a specific site, are beneficial for search engine optimization. This is because search engines interpret backlinks as indicators of popularity, and sites with many backlinks are considered popular and trustworthy.

However, it’s crucial that backlinks come from high-quality sites. Links from low-quality sites can risk degrading your search engine rating. In some cases, these can be seen as spam, leading to penalties or lower rankings in search results.

Focus on the quality rather than the quantity of links and do not neglect efforts to enhance the quality of your satellite sites.

Basics of Creating and Operating a Satellite Site

In this section, we will provide a detailed explanation on how to create and manage a satellite site effectively. Here are five key points to consider.

• Prepare a unique domain
• Set up a separate server
• Create high-quality media
• Be cautious with outbound links
• Regular additions and updates

Prepare a Unique Domain

When creating a satellite site, please prepare a unique domain different from the main site. Acquiring backlinks from a different domain can positively impact your SEO.

Having a unique domain also serves as risk management. For example, if the satellite site is penalized for any reason, having a separate domain ensures that the main site remains unaffected. If they shared a domain, both sites could potentially suffer together.

Additionally, having separate domains can be beneficial for brand building. It allows users to recognize each site as a distinct brand.

For these reasons, it’s important to secure a unique domain different from the main site when operating a satellite site.

Reference Page: What is a Domain? Explaining Domain Types and the SEO Benefits of a Custom Domain

Set Up a Separate Server

Like with domains, you should also prepare a different server for the satellite site. This is because search engines may view multiple links from the same IP address as spam.

Using a different server means having different IP addresses, which shows diversity in your links and can positively influence your SEO.

Reference Page: What is an IP Address? Explaining IP Address Types and Their Relationship with SEO

Create High-Quality Media

The operation of a satellite site should not solely focus on increasing links to the main site. It should offer valuable content unique to the satellite site itself. Repeating the same content as the main site is a poor practice and will result in lower evaluations from search engines.

Make sure your satellite site offers high-quality content from different perspectives or unique insights that differ from the main site. Enhancing the quality of your site makes it a valuable resource for users and recognized by search engines.

When a satellite site gains trust from search engines, it will attract a significant amount of traffic on its own, creating a synergistic effect with the main site.

Be Cautious with Outbound Links

In managing a satellite site, you might set up outbound links to the main site to generate SEO benefits.

However, these links must provide valuable information for the users. It is not appropriate to increase the number of links solely for the benefit of web managers.

Focus on creating meaningful and relevant links that serve as guides to the information users are seeking. By adhering to this rule, links from the satellite site will be viewed as natural and valuable. Ultimately, whether for the main site or satellite site, the goal is to deliver useful information to users and enhance their experience.

Adding New Content and Updating

Regularly post new articles and update existing content. This is important because search engines judge that a website is providing fresh information to users when it is frequently updated.

Websites that have been neglected over a long period tend to be viewed as outdated and may receive lower evaluations.

Therefore, to maintain the quality of your satellite site, make sure to update its content at least once a month. By doing this, both users and search engines will perceive your website as attractive and valuable.

Satellite Sites at High Risk of Penalties

Google does not prohibit the creation of satellite sites. However, improper management can lead to penalties. The following 2 characteristics of satellite sites are likely to be penalized.

-Low-quality content

-Same layout as the main site

Low-Quality Content

Be mindful of content quality when operating a site. Low quality refers to, for example, content that merely rephrases the main site’s information or is seldom updated.

Such content may be rated lower by search engines or risk penalties. Web managers should focus not only on creating outbound links but also on providing unique value to the satellite site itself.

This approach helps establish the satellite site as a reliable source of information, avoiding penalties and positively influencing the main site.

Same Layout as the Main Site

Please use a different layout from the main site. Changing the design helps to avoid similarities in source code. If satellite and main sites share similar source codes, they may be seen by search engines as having duplicate content.

Examples of Satellite Site Operations

Here, we will introduce some examples of how satellite sites are operated.

Rikunabi

Rikunabi operates several satellite sites targeted at specific demographics. The main site, “Rikunabi 2025,” targets students and recent graduates, providing valuable information such as a “Job Hunting Preparation Guide” and “Event Information.”

Reference page: Rikunabi 2025

One of the satellite sites, “Rikunabi Next,” targets individuals looking to change jobs. It offers useful content such as “Job Change Success Know-how” and “Featured Job Listings,” while providing a service that allows users to efficiently search for jobs by industry and profession. 

Reference page: Rikunabi Next

Additionally, Rikunabi operates “Rikunabi Pharmacist” as a second satellite site, which, as the name suggests, supports pharmacists in changing jobs. This satellite site features “Job Change Success Stories” and allows users to narrow down job listings based on area and preferred conditions.

Reference page: Rikunabi Pharmacist

Thus, Rikunabi operates satellite sites tailored to each target group, achieving efficient information provision and broad customer acquisition.

Benefit One Inc.

Benefit One Inc. is a company that manages welfare services. It offers a wide range of services including healthcare, payment processing, and CRM to public agencies and businesses.

The main site provides detailed explanations about its core service, “Benefit Station.”

Reference page: Benefit Station

Meanwhile, it operates a satellite site called “Bogle,” which offers extensive content on workstyle reform, personnel training, and work-life balance.

Bogle

Reference page: Bogle

Each content piece on the satellite site includes a link to the main site, allowing for inquiries and requests for materials.

Common Questions About Satellite Sites

Here, we’ll address some common questions regarding satellite sites.

Q: What are the benefits of a satellite site? 

A) The benefits of a satellite site include reaching specific target customers more easily and acquiring backlinks to the main site, which can positively impact SEO, especially if the satellite site is of high quality.

Q: Is it possible to have multiple satellite sites? 

A) Operating multiple satellite sites for the same target may not yield good results and could be viewed as spam by search engines if managed improperly. Consider whether it’s truly necessary to separate your websites.

Also, maintaining multiple websites in high-quality condition requires considerable resources such as time and personnel, which you should also consider.

Q: How should links to the main site be placed? 

A) Links from the satellite site to the main site should be placed naturally. It’s appropriate to add links when creating content that relates to the main site. No matter what type of website you operate, always prioritize a user-first approach.

Q: How often should content be updated? 

A) The frequency of updates for a satellite site can vary depending on the site’s purpose, industry, and type of content. However, regularly updating and providing fresh content is generally favored by search engines. Aim to update at least once a month as a guideline.

Q: What is the difference in roles between the main site and satellite sites? 

A) Satellite sites should be seen as auxiliary, enhancing the value of the main site and improving search engine rankings.

Q: Should I outsource the operation of satellite sites? 

A) Whether to outsource the operation of satellite sites depends on your company’s resources, budget, and expertise. External professionals can quickly build high-quality satellite sites, but this also comes with additional costs.

Therefore, compare the resources and efficiency you can provide internally and make your decision accordingly.

Summary 

Satellite sites can target audiences that are difficult to reach through the main site and improve search rankings through backlink effects. However, incorrect management of satellite sites can lead to penalties from Google or even lower rankings, making proper creation and operation crucial. Our company also offers construction and management services for satellite sites as owned media. Feel free to contact us for more information.

Author Profile

Mr. Takeshi Amano, CEO of Admano Co., Ltd.

Mr. Takeshi Amano is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Nihon University. With 12 years of experience working in the advertising agency industry, he discovered SEO and began his research during the early days of SEO. He self-taught and conducted experiments and verifications on over 100 websites. Using this expertise, he founded Admano Co., Ltd., which is currently in its 11th year of operation. Mr. Amano handles sales, SEO consulting, web analytics (holding the Google Analytics Individual Qualification certification), coding, and website development. The company has successfully managed SEO strategies for over 2000 websites to date.

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