Subdomain vs. folder

[ramiami]

hi

I'm building a new section in my site that I will be trying to improve it's SERP.
this is actually a kind of mini-site, not really a section...

I have two options, either put my new section in a folder under my 15 year old domain like so:
mydomain.com/mynewsection

or use a subdomain like so:
mynewsection.mydomain.com

is one preferred over the other when it comes to seo ?

[DarrenHaye]

hi

I'm building a new section in my site that I will be trying to improve it's SERP.
this is actually a kind of mini-site, not really a section...

I have two options, either put my new section in a folder under my 15 year old domain like so:
mydomain.com/mynewsection

or use a subdomain like so:
mynewsection.mydomain.com

is one preferred over the other when it comes to seo ?

A subdomain would be treated as a separate site when it comes to SEO benefit, so it would get no benefit from the strength of your main site.

If the new section is going to on a totally different theme to your main site and it wouldn't make sense to have them together then use a subdomain, but otherwise folder is probably you best option (without knowing your exact situation).

[logreen]

Subdomain : Search Engines consider them as a separate identity, So they don't pass link juice. You need to start SEO for that subdomain from scratch

Subfolder :Search Engines consider them as a child of root domain and hence pass link juice from root to subfolder

As far as SEO is concern, I will vote for Subfolder

[1leads]

depends on what you want to do

personally we use almost all sub domains now

usually a geo sub on a major cpc keyword

example

geo.keyword.com

the reason is simple, if you own a major cpc term, you can make a fortune with geo sub domains, local companies PAY YOU to use the sub domain

so you can have a client in LA on losangeles.keyword.com

They get to use your power keyword in their ppc ads, clients in LA for them see KEYWORD.com like they own it

They click the ad, bingo they're routed to a geo sub

Plus the sub works just like a folder, you can find it geo.keyword.com as well as keyword.com/geo

you can sub out a major keyword now in over 300 geo markets

it's kinda like a mini franchise business model

only done with thousands of keywords in our case

pure money maker

the key to the net has always been control of the keyword you are developing

while many geokeywords.com where the keyword was a major cpc term, have been killed by the EMD killer switch by google, most non-geo EMD's are still showing up in serps

it was very easy for years to pop a sub domain on an EMD search, they still work, but not as easy as before

subdomain has way more power over just a folder

and when you have dozens or hundreds all pointing back to the home page, that's a lot of pop for relevant links IMO

another great area of development IMO is keyword.geos.com

you control a geo.com you can print money with keyword geos

lawyer.geo.com roofer.geo.com etc

lots of power in a sub domain

so if you want to develop to LEASE for INCOME subdomains the only way to go and yes, google will consider each sub domain user a separate account, so it's like owining a COOP

think MONEY and the answer is SUB DOMAIN

Yo mr lawyer you want

losangeles.accidentlawyer.com or accidentlawyer.losangeles.com

both are able to be leased as THEIR OWN DOMAINS

whereas accidentlawyer.com/losangeles and losangeles.com/accidentlawyer are not separate entities to SE's so they can't have their own ppc account nor own map listing etc

subdomains are the POWER PLAY