There are a few clear benefits to multi-location retailers for keeping a single Web site rather than maintaining multiple and separate sites per location or category, which we discussed in part three of this series. There are also some clear pitfalls that can easily be avoided, such as the following top five:

1. Avoid duplicate content.
   Duplicate content, specifically as it results from affiliate marketers or multi-location retailers that use the same set of templates placed on different Web sites, damages link popularity and brand integrity. The affect on ranking is measured by many links to one URL, not many links to many URLs. Google now singles out these duplicate content Web sites for blacklisting.
   
2. Avoid competition for rankings.
   Multiple Web sites create confusion not just for the consumer but also for search engines. By having them, search engines must work to determine which of the hundreds of Web sites is more relevant.
3. Avoid link farms, Web rings and site networks.
   Links to and from many related Web sites that are not under one domain could appear to the search engines as link farms or site networks, which are blacklisted.
4. Avoid quality issues.
   The quality of the site counts. Quality is not just visual appeal, but technical foundation, proper code and accurate content.
5. Avoid looking like a phishing scam.
   Anyone can purchase a domain name and create a site that includes the brand name. Phishing scams often use these tactics to collect personal information from consumers. Maintaining one Web site prevents consumers and even today's Web browsers from incorrectly identifying the site as a phishing site.

In the final part of this series, we'll address the increasingly challenging world of e-mail marketing, offer four best practices for list management and look at what some other top retailers are doing.