A forum user at SEOChat gave us the idea to expand on some ideas I commented on there. What's the best way for you to organize your web site keeping SEO factors in mind? Is it sub-folders, sub-domains, or something in between to maintain clarity for your users?

What's Best For Your Web Site? Subfolders or Subdomains?

Many people get caught up in the questions of, "should I get a domain name with keywords in it," before thinking about the overall marketing picture. Although keywords in the domain name have benefit, it's like having an ant on a scale versus an elephant (other SEO aspects like link building). The ant does weigh something, but one single 'elephant' link does more damage. You shoot for links as the major component of your SEO endeavours, not nit picky things like keywords in URLs or even worse, keyword density.

Back to the original question, we feel the decision is primarily a marketing/branding issue. If you opt with three unique web sites to reflect products or locations, etc., then you work hard X 3 to promote those sites. You would take this route if branding was different enough between all three sites/products/services to warrant the difference. If not, keep it under the same roof. You can still accomplish branding differentiation within the same web site.

Same parent company? Sub-domain out all the geographic specific sites and retain emphasis on the overall brand image. Do you only have products under the same storefront? Sub-folders for the different product categories would be a better way to go.

With sub-folders (www.test.com/sub-folder/) you do all the promo for 1 site and all folders get risidual benefits. Subdomains help in differentiating your product (brand) but you have extra work promoting what is still (although rumored to be changing) treated as a separate web site. All in all, make your choice based on the existing structure of the company. And remember, you want to get hung up on how to get great links and not what keywords you can stuff in page names....

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