Subdomains and Google local listings

[Travis Wong]

Hello,

I work in local SEO and just recently came upon a question while working on a site. I want to set up subdomains for the site, but I am wondering if someone does a local search for the topic of one of those subdomains is Google just as likely to show the site's local listing if the local listing is tied to the main domain.

So for example the site name is domainname.com and I want to create a subdomain called sub1.domainname.com and some does a local search for a term that the subdomain is optimized for is Google just as likely to show the local listing in results as if I were to have instead done domainname.com/sub1/ ?

I just want to make sure that I am not losing any local SEO value by using subdomains. I know that Google recognizes subdomains as part of the main domain as can be seen when doing a "site:" search in Google, but I am looking for further clarification. Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards,

Travis Wong

 

[Tyson Downs]

I know that some people use keyword.subdomain.com as opposed to domain.com/keyword.

I don't know if it is anymore effective, but I plan on testing it out myself.

It is speculated that there would be additional value as Google may treat it like an exact match domain.

Only way you can find out is to test it.

I just re-read your post, and I may have misread it the first time. I was thinking you were going to set up a keyword rich subdomain and point your Google Places page to it. That's what I plan on testing it with.

 

[ShyneSEO]

A long shot given the age of this thread, but, after all this time do you Tyson, or Travis, have any further feedback regarding subdomain vs page?

 

[johnlavapie_SEO]

There have been several articles about Subdomains vs. Subfolder.

Most that I've seen says - if you are just creating your website - use subfolder. There are studies that conclude subfolders are better. I assume because it's less work for the index to know if pages are separate from each other.

But if you already are using subdomains - it will be quite difficult/tragic (if you don't know what you are doing i.e. redirects) if you move to a subfolder. According to John Muehler anyways, Google's algorithm is smart enough to distinguish if the subdomain should be considered a separate site.

TLDR; New website - use subfolder. Old Site using Subdomain - keep it as is.