domain name redirects & how it affects page rank

[elvisshades]

Hello folks,

Here's my situation: say I own website1.com (which is my main site). I also own the domain names website2.com and website3.com. The names of website2.com and website3.com are similar to website1.com so they might get me some type-in traffic at website1.com with a redirect. Google might even index them but yes, I know the danger in all of that.

So right now now I currently have website2.com and website3.com forwarded to website1.com through godaddy. I'm pretty sure godaddy is using a 302 redirect.

Here is my question: how is godaddy's forwarding affecting my google PR or any other SE rank in regards to website1.com? Is it even worth it to own the similar domain names (website1.com & website2.com) and have them forwarded to website1.com in an effort to gain a better PR and thus higher traffic? Is is actually hurting me more than helping?

I've been researching all this for about a month now and I'm lost at what to really do.

Thanks in advance.

[elvisshades]

Nobody has an opinion on this? Is there are really obvious answer or is my question just confusing?

[COBOLdinosaur]

If they are using a 302 re-direct, then you may be penalized by Google. If the site is bieing moved or re-organized, you should be using a 301 to re-direct, and the search engines will over a couple of weeks time re-index to the new site.

If you use 302, then Google may treat it as duplicate content, or cloaking and penalize you or even drop you from its index. A 302 is intended to temporary switches, and 302 cross-domain is frequently used for page jacking and other dirty tricks that Google does not like. So you run a real risk using 302.

I have a number of 301 re-directs on my sites where I have move content to new sites, or subdomains. The only time I use a 302 is when I am doing maintenance and I need traffic directed to a temporay location while I cleanup or re-organize part of a site. I never use 302 for cross-domain re-direction, because the risk of offending Googlebot is too high.

Cd&

[John Scott]

Yeah, 301 is good. 302 isn't.

[elvisshades]

Cool. Thanks for the replies guys.

So what should I do with these similar domains if the 302 redirect will hurt me?

1)Just park them?
2)Provide a simple link to the real site?

I have to keep these domains so noone will try to make a duplicate sites.

[John Scott]

301 would be best.

[elvisshades]

I wish I could do a 301 but godaddy does a 302. You have no choice.

So, just put a simple link on the alternate site with a little content maybe?

Thanks for the ideas guys.

[Optix]

When parking a domain name is it even using 301 or 302??

Optix.