Avoiding the sandbox

I recently started a forum and a directory and to avoid them being "sandboxed" I had them "hang off" an existing site. By that I mean I have them hosted under an existing domain and I have sitewide links to both the forum and directory.

I would think this would have the forum and directory be a part of the existing site and I should get a double bonus for:

1. Expanding the existing site
2. Avoiding the sandbox with my two new sites

Is this a good strategy or not?

 

Yes that would work, depends if you ever wanted the forum/directory on their own url at somepoint, better to get it done now than delay it, but if your happy to keep them on the existing site then its just fresh content and will rank.

 

Thanks for the info.

The site already gets some traffic, so I'm using it to promote the forum. I'm also using the directory to promote the forum, so I think it makes sense for them all to live together.

Thanks again.

 

thats a pretty good idea actually

 

How do you know if you are at the sandbox.

 

what did you mean by this part?

 

An established domain. One that is already out of the sandbox.