Splash Pages for Forums?

I have noticed that some boards post JUST THE FORUM when you type in the main domain name. www.mydomain.com and the forum shows up. Others have a splash page with some relevant linsk and than the forum. www.mydomain.com/forum or forum.mydomain.com. On that note if you are going to use something other than main domainis a sub domain better or just a directory?

What do you recommend and why? I"m putting together a collector forum and would like to plan this out before just jumping in...

Many Thanks

 

If your site has a forum-related domain name it's much better install your forums in the root directory so people can go directly to yourdomain.com

Otherwise if forums are complementary to main content, then a subdirectory or subdomain is the best option.

 

that a nice point made by Pat.

Also if your site only contains a forum then i suppose that the forum must be installed in the root. However, if you site has more contents besides the forum, then you should make a subdomain!

 

Personally I prefer a folder in stead of a subdomain though.

 

Thank you for prompt replies.

Basically the domain is a big forum for collectors. Most collectors collect more than one thing. I bought a domain here on DP. It's the Collector Forum.

The way it came it had a main intro page then the forum.(Still intact) Would it be worth it to make a keyword optimized page for each "collector" ie "Stamp-Collector; Coin-Collector" that is an option from the main page and at the bottom of each page have "CLICK HERE FOR THE FORUM"

The name of the domain has "FORUM" in it. Basically curious if any veterans here think it would be worth it. On the flip side if it goes straight to the forum it will have all those types listed anyways whouldn't it? I was thinking of putting RSS feeds related to the hobby on each page as well. Therefor if you come to main page the main focus is GO TO FORUM but it also has pages people can red up on other collectible hobbies as well. Or if the pages are well done people searching for a collectible may come to those pages then find the forum through that. I just woke up hope this makes sense.

Thanks again for your input, I want to be sure on this before I go forward as I want to make this forum something special.

 

After some further reflecting over breakfast I am starting to think that if I just want optimized pages to pull people in I can make folders such as
www.mydomain.com/stamps/-stamp-collecting-forums.php or what not.

Then if someone finds that they can link to my site. Once they know about it just have it come up in root.

In order for search engines to find it would I have to have links from my forum page to those or just linking to other sites would do?

Rob

 

Not wanting to bump but instead of starting a similar thread does anyone else have an opinion on this?

if you made the front page go STRAIGHT to the forum.

A) how do you control keyword density or you just don't?
B) How do you structure splash pages? i.e for stamp collecting I"d need at least one page linked to the main page that has perfect keyword density etc.

Or do you just not make splash pages? lol.

Either way I'm trying due diligence for a change lol. If anyone has any other thoughts please voice them.

Rob