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  4. Subdomains vs Subfolders

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Subdomains vs Subfolders

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  • Optimise
    Optimise last edited by Apr 16, 2012, 11:47 AM

    I've had a good read on this one and just wondered whether the info on the below link is still valid 3 years on:

    http://www.seomoz.org/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdomains-vs-subfolders-microsites

    My main site is a forum but I want to add further content in the form of a blog.  It seems logical to me that domain.com/blog/ would make more sense than blog.domain.com as the the content and inbound links to the blog would also help the forum where it's on the same subdomain, however I just wanted to make sure that was still the case as I've also read that Google now see a subdomain and subfolder in the same way if set up correctly in webmaster tools and this solution would look neater if that was the case.

    Thanks all.

    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
    • Jellyfish-Agency
      Jellyfish-Agency @randfish last edited by Sep 3, 2013, 8:46 AM Sep 3, 2013, 8:46 AM

      Rand,

      Do you still stick by this, or have you noticed a shift in the metrics given the update from Matt Cutts on this very subject.

      Should I structure my site using subdomains or subdirectories? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MswMYk05tk

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • randfish
        randfish @SEODinosaur last edited by Apr 17, 2012, 8:26 PM Apr 17, 2012, 8:26 PM

        I just mean the uniquely named portion of the subdomain, e.g. the "xyz" in xyz.domainname.com

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • Optimise
          Optimise @randfish last edited by Apr 17, 2012, 6:38 PM Apr 17, 2012, 6:38 PM

          Thanks for clearing that up Rand, I'll stick to the one subdomain.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • SEODinosaur
            SEODinosaur @randfish last edited by Apr 17, 2012, 6:10 PM Apr 17, 2012, 6:10 PM

            What is subdomian extension? I cant find it in Wiki or Google. When would one use it?

            randfish 1 Reply Last reply Apr 17, 2012, 8:26 PM Reply Quote 0
            • randfish
              randfish last edited by Apr 17, 2012, 6:38 PM Apr 17, 2012, 3:13 PM

              All the testing, research and examples I've seen in the past few years (and even the past few months) strongly suggest that the same principles still hold true.

              Subdomains SOMETIMES inherit and pass link/trust/quality/ranking metrics between one another

              Subfolders ALWAYS inherit and pass link/trust/quality/ranking metrics across the same subdomain

              Thus, having a single subdomain (even just domainname.tld with no subdomain extension) with all of your content is absolutely ideal from an SEO perspective. It's also more usable and brandable, too IMO.

              SEODinosaur Optimise Jellyfish-Agency 3 Replies Last reply Sep 3, 2013, 8:46 AM Reply Quote 2
              • Optimise
                Optimise @Steven_Macdonald last edited by Apr 16, 2012, 6:17 PM Apr 16, 2012, 6:17 PM

                These links are the one's that got me thinking.

                http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/

                http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4339166.htm

                Also, I was under the impression that sub forums on one domain were viewed as different sites in the SERPs but try searching for 'bodybuilding'.  You'll see www.bodybuilding.com at the top and a list of pages from that site and 2 further subdirectories are included (forum.bodybuilding.com and bodyspace.bodybuilding.com).

                Although a personal preference only, I prefer subdomains and think forum.domain.com and blog.domain.com look much better than domain.com/forum and I would do it this way IF the rankings were unaffected.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • Steven_Macdonald
                  Steven_Macdonald last edited by Apr 16, 2012, 4:50 PM Apr 16, 2012, 4:50 PM

                  I've read tens, possibly hundreds of articles on subdomains vs folders.

                  I still prefer the folder approach (it makes more sense to me) but I'd be interested in seeing the article you refer to that says Google now views SD the same as folders. Much appreciated!

                  Optimise 1 Reply Last reply Apr 16, 2012, 6:17 PM Reply Quote 0
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