Individual domains or subdomains?

Hi,

I have a question. Does Google prefer individual domains or subdomains, or does it not care? For example, I have a website about cars. I want my sites to rank #1 or the best they can for each term. So, I have...

www.bmw.com
www.rover.com
www.nissan.com
etc.

or is it OK to have...

bmw.mycarsite.com
rover.mycarsite.com
nissan.mycarsite.com

These are only examples remember. Will Google treat them differently? Will it prefer bmw.com over bmw.mycarsite.com? What implications does it bring, in terms of SEO, backlinks and ranking?

Thanks.

 

I believe subdomain in this case will work just fine =) Especially if it is related niches.

 

subdomains are something like different websites... I always prefer subfolders... Subdomains are good for branding... The only reason to use them is if you have really top and well known website, or just different kind of content...

 

OK, how about 1 domain with folders?

mycarsite.com/bmw
mycarsite.com/rover
mycarsite.com/nissan

Will Google be OK with that?

 

not good as nissan.mycarsite.com

 

if you want all the page rank #1 or the best, you can use individual domains.

 

100% correct.. as long they are all in same niche and the domain also have a niche keyword in it.

 

Both subdomains and subfolders can be capable of good rankings in Google. If your niche is much bigger for a site, consider the subdomain and each will be considered another site separate to main site. If the site is not so big, better make it in subfolder so the link juice can flow easily on the entire site.

 

I agree with WishBone !

 

Google never treat the sub-domain as a different site, It is counted as the another url on the same domain. But the main benefit having a sub-domain over the main domain is that your all efforts promoting your sub-domain have effect most on your sub-domain and some effect also on your main domain.

So while promoting your sub-domain, your domain is also promoting and getting benefits. So having folders and sub-domain is both are seo friendly, but having particular niche on different domains are just benefiting to that domain only. and your all efforts and seo tricks or work just give benefit to your that domain only.

For a folder you have to make your link hierarchy most powerful so that visitors can move your site all over.

In my opinion the site managed in the folder beside on a sub-domain will be more user and search engine friendly and the canonical url based technology also worked over it.

 

I think that individual domain will work better.

 

Individual domains work best for me, i swear by this technique and will always carry on with it.

 

I prefer individual domains.

 

Sub domains will sound better. Since you are already popular in that domain, so if you move to sub domain will get popular soon. If you see Google also follow like this.