Over the years, I've worked on countless campaigns, but one of the most fascinating and challenging projects I've tackled involved helping clients split their businesses into two distinct brands. They originally operated as a single entity, offering a premium installation service and a DIY solution for customers who wanted to handle projects themselves. While the combined model worked initially, it eventually became clear that the two offerings were stepping on each other's toes. The solution? Separate them into two standalone brands.
This was about more than just building two websites. It was about creating two distinct identities while preserving SEO equity and ensuring both brands could thrive. Here's how I approached it—and the lessons I learned along the way.
Understanding the Need for Separation
The client's business had grown significantly, but their existing setup needed to be improved. Customers needed clarification on the brand's dual focus, and more importantly, Google's search algorithms needed help distinguishing the two offerings. This led to a situation where the DIY side cannibalised leads from the service side, which was far more profitable.
Splitting the brands was a no-brainer, but the execution required careful planning. Both brands needed their identities, distinct narratives, and a clear value proposition to appeal to their specific audiences. At the same time, I had to ensure we kept the SEO value the original website had built over the years.
Rebuilding the Websites
The first challenge was addressing the websites. The original site was built on Wix, and while it had served its purpose for a time, it needed to be more scalable for the kind of growth the client needed. I've found that Wix can work for businesses in low-competition niches, but it must be equipped to handle competitive industries where advanced SEO practices are necessary.
For the service site, I migrated everything to a more robust CMS that allowed for:
- Advanced SEO features like schema markup.
- Customisable URL structures that mimicked the original site to preserve rankings.
- Agile page building for landing pages, project showcases, and brand storytelling.
For the DIY brand, we started from scratch with a fresh domain and focused on creating unique content. This was critical to avoid cannibalisation and give the DIY site its own space to grow.
Crafting Unique Content for Each Brand
One of the biggest hurdles was creating content that separated the two brands. While rewriting content to make it unique is a start, more is needed to differentiate two similar offerings fully. That's where authenticity came in.
I decided to take what I call a "founder-led content" approach. There's no one better to tell a brand's story than the person who built it. I worked closely with the business owners, interviewing them to extract their unique perspectives on each brand's purpose, mission, and audience. This content became the foundation for both websites.
From there, I used a combination of manual writing and AI tools to generate SEO-friendly, deeply personal, and engaging content. This wasn't just about ranking but building trust and authority with the audience.
Avoiding Cannibalisation
Despite our best efforts, some cannibalisation issues persisted. The DIY and service sites still competed for similar keywords, particularly on their "About Us" pages and core service descriptions. To address this, I focused on making the narratives for each brand more distinct.
We emphasised reliability, premium quality, and expertise for the service brand. The messaging revolved around the peace of mind customers get when professionals handle their projects from start to finish.
On the other hand, the DIY brand's content was built around empowerment, affordability, and convenience. The tone was more approachable, appealing to a hands-on audience that valued cost savings and flexibility.
By focusing on these differences, I helped both brands carve out their own space in the market.
Leveraging Content for Maximum Impact
Content creation for this project was about more than just filling up web pages. It was about leveraging every piece of content to its fullest potential. For instance:
- Video interviews with the business owner became a goldmine. Transcripts were turned into blog posts, clips were repurposed for social media, and longer videos were used to build a YouTube presence.
- Blog content was optimised for SEO but designed to be engaging and valuable to readers. Each piece reflected the brand's unique personality and expertise.
- User-generated content, like testimonials and case studies, was integrated into both sites to build trust and authority.
This multi-channel approach ensured that no content was wasted, and every piece contributed to the brands' overall growth.
Lessons Learned from the Campaign
The results speak for themselves now that both sites have been live for several months. The DIY site has skyrocketed in traffic, capturing its intended audience without detracting from the service brand. Meanwhile, the service site continues to dominate in local search rankings, with stable positions for highly competitive keywords.
This project reinforced a few key lessons for me:
- Distinct Narratives Are Essential: More than simply rewriting content is needed. Each brand needs its own story and value proposition to stand out.
- Platform Matters: Moving away from Wix unlocked a world of SEO opportunities that would have been impossible on a restricted platform.
- Authenticity Wins: Founder-led content adds trust and credibility that can only be replicated by something other than generic writing.
- Repurpose Everything: Every piece of content has potential beyond its original format. A single video can fuel a blog post, a social media campaign, and more.
Final Thoughts
If you're considering splitting your business into separate brands, let's carefully invest in doing it right. It's not just about creating two websites—it's about creating two experiences that resonate with different audiences. By focusing on authenticity, leveraging the right tools, and continuously monitoring performance, you can ensure that both brands thrive without stepping on each other's toes.
This project reminded me that the key to success lies in the details. Whether structuring URLs, crafting unique content, or repurposing assets, every decision matters when building something that lasts.
