2 questions on avoiding issues with Google and while being right in it.

[Hermski]

Hi SEOmoz community

In fact I have two questions I would like to ask (with future SEO in mind).

1. Do you consider a WordPress Multisite or various Single installs 'safer' for SEO?

Theoretically, having various sites packed into one Multisite network seems like an ideal solution. However, is there a chance that once a site in the network encounters a little 'negative turbulence', that your other sites in the network might get impacted too due to the cross-referencing, linked account i.e. Webmaster Tools etc.? It would seem outrageous, but then again I wouldn't rule it out. Do I even have to go as far as setting up new Gmail, Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools accounts, so they (the sites) are technically not linked? You can see, I don't trust search engines one bit...

2. Is there still a point posting articles once Google is having a hissy fit with your site?

Basically I am currently going through a 'rankings and traffic drops storm'. It's not as bad as being de-indexed, but it's still having enough of an impact. In addition, Google does not seem to treat my new articles (unique content) with the same attention anymore i.e. does not seem to index them 'fully' or not at all (i.e. posting the headline in Google should return the article, but it doesn't). Is there even a point spending time now and posting new material or may it pick it up again once I am through this low phase? Does Google still index what it considers worth or is it a waste of time right now to keep posting, posting and posting more?

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

[Hermski]

Hi Corey

Thanks for your quick response.

Regarding your answer to point 1): Well, it's not like I am intending to do shady stuff. I am in the affiliation industry and all sites cater for the same topic, but with a different edge and or language even. I was only wondering, since my main site seems to have a few problems at the moment and my second new site is not even being acknowledged by Google still - yet it's a different site altogether, but on the same network and linked to the same Google account i.e. Webmaster tools.

Regarding point 2): I understand your point on guest posting, but I was actually talking about my own posts on my site. If Google currently does not seem to bother much about them right now, is there a point to keep writing in this instance? Don't get me wrong, it picked up pretty much every article before, sometimes within the hour. Now it's like Google does not give much of a dime. It's a hard question,  but that is why I was asking, if it still considers content on your own troubled site, or if it goes into shutdown mode regardless. Not much point writing new articles, if Google may not want to be 'convinced'.

I guess this may be more of a discussion actually. Anyways, thanks again for any responses.

[CoreyNorthcutt]

This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but here, it really, really depends.

1.) If each site has a totally legitimate place, is totally different, and has it's own totally interested, engaged audience, is not interlinked (since they're totally different), or funneling towards a common "hub" in a wheel that was built by a common owner, I think you're fine.   By nature of looking slightly more like other sites that do shady stuff, you might have a little more to "prove" to Google via awesome content and backlinks in this scenario.   By I don't think it means that no one can use WordPress multisite features anymore.

2.) Sure, articles are just content.  Guest articles on major blogs/news sites are thriving.  They're run on some of the highest quality sites on the Internet to this day and provide backlinks.  In this sort of way, Google really hasn't changed in 10+ years.  They'll go after a link building method with a hatchet (like article spam directories), but only to people that exhibit a means of exploiting bulk crap.  If your articles are awesome, and get placed in places that are awesome (ie. forbes.com awesome, auto-approve article directory that's been spammed to death, not awesome), you're doing some of the best kind of link building possible.