Subdomain or folder for a section not focused on my core business

[Uby85]

Hello there,

I'm installing your analytics tool and it seems really great. I'm gonna use it for sure but I've a question that is more strategic and it's something the tool can't help me with

I've a website active from 2008 and really well known in my country as a service website... we're like your "advisor" for utilities and insurances.

The reason why is "savings" but really focused on utilities (broadband, gas, electricity) and check accounts or insurances.

I’ve always used folders in my URLs instead of subdomains (for example www.site.com/section1 or www.site.com/section2 ).

In this period I’m planning to open a new website section related to saving but not really close with what we really do in the rest of the website. This section is about coupons, vouchers and little offers.

The problem is that with that section I’m going to write really a lot (a lot) of content trying to gain a lot of external links.

It’s obvious that I already have a lot of contents about my core business and I’m going to write contents for original categories too.

This section is anyway secondary for my business and my worry is that Google can identify me in the future as a website mainly focused on this new product.

I’m really well indexed so I don’t want this decision to have any effect on my original situation.

Finally the question

Is it better to maintain for this section the same website structure with folders or indentify it as a subdomain to remark that it’s going to be like a totally different site with his dedicated news and all the rest?

That’s why I’m evaluating a subdomain but I’m not really convinced cause subdomains can be considered as a different approach compared to original structure and of course using folder can be useful to gain root’s site rank.

On the other hand, what can Google think about my core business?

Thanks a lot for your help