Subdomain or New domain

[DarrenC]

Should I move this on to a new domain or keep as a subdomain / folder within my domain name?

http://www.travel-rants.com/travel-directory/

What would you do?

[Absolutus]

If you can integrate the main categories in the main page with a nice look stay with the actual domain, If you can't then I should go for a new domain.

[DarrenC]

Sorry, I'm being thick - can you explain what you mean by intergrate the main categories with a nice look.

The directory theme is the same as my blog so I think it intergrates well with the rest of the site, but I don't want it to look like a links page, but a quality directory.

[Absolutus]

I mean if you can place the main categories in the home page instead of only a link to http://www.travel-rants.com/travel-directory/ so it are easy to access from the users, and could be get more ranking.

[DarrenC]

Ok I understand now :)

Well I could easily place some of the most popular categories on the homepage, and the most popular sites (i.e. most number of hits) so that theres some intergration between the blog and directory.

[Absolutus]

Yes , this is my personal opinion and worked fine for some of my sites.

[Blogmaster]

Here is a site me and my friend created for a client: http://www.catavino.net/
It doesn't have a directory, but I'm just showing it as an example of how you can integrate several blogs or sections of your site onto the homepage, giving visitors the option to click right away on what they are interested in. I would not suggest to you using a new domain name, no way. Keep branding the site that you have, and use the directory to help you do that. Always offer great variety, give people the impression that "you have it all".

Just my 2 cents :)


- Mike

[sandossu]

i would keep it a subdomain, i don`t like the idea of moving a website

[Javier Mendez]

both strategies are good.

subdomain.domain.com with a quality directory can become a serious authority site. domain.com/directory will improve the rankings for domain.com

[Javier Mendez]

travel-rants .com /t ravel-directory/tr avel-tips/

you don't really need to use travel that many times..

IMO I would use

travel-rants .com/dire ctory/ti ps/

I believe it will improve your CTR from the SEs and it doesn't really helps your rankings.

[jacksmith]

i think its better to keep the directory here only, much better if u can have it in the form of travel_directory.domain.com

[websitesbuilt]

I think both would have advantages. Guess it boils down to you want to run two sites or one. The big down side I see if you ever want to sell one, but not the other....

[DarrenC]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I've made the decision to keep it as a subdomain or folder on the same domain - the thought of having to wait upto 12 months for it to come out of the sandbox does not appeal to me at all.

Great advice!