What's the best practise for adding a blog to your site post panda? subdomain or subdirectory???

[dublinbet]

Should i use a subdomain or a subdirectory? i was going to use a subdirectory however i have been reading a lot of articles on the use of subdomains post panda and the advantages of using them instead of using subdirectories.

Thanks

Ari

[AlanMosley]

i dont think it makes any difference to ranking or panda duplicate content issues.

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/01/feeling-lucky-at-pubcon.html

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

[IM_Learner]

I suggest to use sub-directory for your blog. But make sure to write original content. Further, it should be for the users and not the search engines.

[dublinbet]

So it doesn't make a difference if i use a subdirectory or subdomain?? Surely it must make a difference..i know for a fact that the best practise (pre panda) would be to use a subdirectory for hosting a blog on your site...i'm not sure what the case is post panda...there's a lot of chat online about migrating categories from subdirectories to subdomains in order to ensure better rankings in the long term.

See- http://www.whitefireseo.com/site-architecture/subdomain-or-subfolder-post-panda/360/

[AlanMosley]

It may be so, but i have never seen any evidence or opinion about any differences.

The link you posted referes to advice from Matt Cutts, i have never seen that advice, and i find it odd that Matt would tell you how to get around Panda.

I can only go buy what i have seen as fact, hub pages have an interest in their pages ranking well.

The best evidence is on those links i posted, if you read matt cutts blog link, read his answer to Deb in the comments

[dublinbet]

Hey Alan, i read the blogs however i'm still not sure..Keep in mind that those posts were created in 2007/2008. A lot of things have changed since..in the industry that i work in i've seen a lot of sites migrating their blogs to a subdomain. I asked the question because i read a recent thread on SEOBOOK about the use of subdomains vs subdirectories,

Check it out

http://www.seobook.com/subdomains-google-panda

[AlanMosley]

Yes i am aware of the theroy, but not aware of any proof.

In SEO there is a lesson i have learnt, dont belive the hype

[dublinbet]

Just spoke to Rand, here's what he said " unless you're specifically trying to segment content that you think Google might penalize because it's low quality/Panda-target, I'd stick with subfolders."

[AlanMosley]

Yes i know Rand's thought on subfoders and subdirectories, the article i read by Rand, he said it was his personal belief. Unless he has any later info on the subject i dont know.

i have never seen and compelling evidecne to show any difference, the best evidence i have is what google said in the links i supplied.

My own expirenenes with subfolders and subdomains has leads me to think there is little differnece, not that that is proof either.

[dublinbet]

I guess that's what SEO is all about..you need to test the water and find what works for you :-).

Think i'm going to go stick with subfolders for this one! Thanks for getting involved anyway Alan!

Cheers

Ari