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    4. Passing value in a subdomain

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    Passing value in a subdomain

    On-Page Optimization
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    • NextDigital51
      NextDigital51 last edited by

      Hi guys,

      I am planning of setting up a blog within a client's website, due to limitations to their server environment, I can only setup the blog in a subdomain, I have read in some articles saying subdomains don't pass value as well as subfolders. My questions are:

      1. Is it true that subdomains can't pass SEO value? For example, if I set up a blog (say blog.mydomain.com), will that improve long tail searches for my website (mydomain.com)?
      2. What are some recommendations for subdomains so that it passes more value back to the root domain (for example, internal linking from subdomain back to root domain)

      Thanks guys.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • KeriMorgret
        KeriMorgret @saibose last edited by

        Clement, did this answer your question, or do you still need some more help? We'd be happy to help, just drop a note here.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • saibose
          saibose last edited by

          Based on the version you have on your server, these documents would be helpful:

          http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.0/mod/mod_rewrite.html

          http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_rewrite.html

          Please note: this is not something you would like to do unless you know Apache confuration yourself and you know the codes and its logic.

          KeriMorgret 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • NextDigital51
            NextDigital51 @saibose last edited by

            Thanks for your response,

            I haven't try apache based redirect and url rewriting, care to elaborate more on these?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • saibose
              saibose last edited by

              Subdomains do not pass on good link juice to your domain. As Alan rightly pointed out the value is undermined due to the fact that Google sees them as separate domains.

              Have you tried apache based redirection and URL rewriting?

              NextDigital51 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • AlanMosley
                AlanMosley last edited by

                Lets say you had a domain xyz.com, and you had 3 peole tbhat had their own blogs
                tom.xyz.com
                dick.xyz.com
                harry.xyz.com

                wel then search engines may see this as non related sites

                but if you had a site clothing.com

                and had shirts.clothing.com
                and shorts.clothing.com
                and pants.clothing.com
                then search engines proobably will see them as the same

                to help to make sure you are seem as one in the same site, do planty of linking betwen sites, haveing all your images and stayle sheets in teh parent domain will also help search engines see that you are one large site.
                try to make the links both ways,

                i have done this on a few sites and i have had good results

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
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