
Is a subdomain OK as your product's web site?  - mattjung
http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?biz.5.788086
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chubbard
I don't know why the web isn't more friendly to sub domains. We keep wasting
domain names. Reusing domains and using sub domains is an elegant solution.

I hate going to web sites that dump every product they own on one page, along
with support, company information ,etc. It just makes it harder to find info
for what I want when I have to look at everything. If they had a subdomain
they can dedicate what appears as a whole site to just that product. Then
their company info, career portion, etc can be on their main domain, and keep
it all separated.

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kvs
This might help (if you haven't read it already):
<http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/>

I use subdirectories.

~~~
keltex
From an SEO perspective subdirectories are considered better than subdomains
because subdirectories help the ranking of the primary domain better than
subdomains.

If you want the overall ranking of www.example.com to improve, use
www.example.com/producta and www.example.com/product, not producta.example.com
and productb.example.com.

[http://www.seomoz.org/blog/subdomains-subfolders-and-
topleve...](http://www.seomoz.org/blog/subdomains-subfolders-and-toplevel-
domains)

~~~
robotrout
_Historically, it’s been kind of a wash about when to use subdomains vs.
subdirectories._ \- Matt Cutts

<http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/>

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mseebach
_Some yays for subdomains:

\- they allow me to share all administrative code behind the scenes (logging
framework, key generator, common scripts, etc.);

\- they're free for me on my current hosting plan;_

With all due respect, I'd say this guy has bigger problems than subdomain vs.
own domain. I reads a lot like he's on a $5/month plan, and it's a deal-
breaker to spend eg. $20 for a slice or linode where all those considerations
goes away.

~~~
reedlaw
What's wrong with that? $15 a month might be all it takes to become "ramen
profitable".

~~~
mseebach
What's wrong with that is that he's letting very simple technological concerns
get in the way of him releasing his product. It's basically an example of very
premature optimization.

~~~
reedlaw
I wouldn't say he's "optimizing" if he chooses to use a cheap host and
subdomain. He's boostrapping an agile product. He can always get a better host
and full domain name in subsequent iterations.

~~~
mseebach
Yeah, and that's laudable. It just reads like he assumes a constraint and
starts worrying rather than understanding the constraint his decision imposes.
Also, I'm sure, if he shops around, he can find a cheap shared host that'll
host multiple domains for him. This further implies that he's in constraints-
mode rather than solutions-mode.

The optimization comparison is meant in the sense that it's like he's focusing
on whether the compiler correctly unrolls this or that loop, rather than
focusing on getting his product out of the door where it can start creating
some value for customers.

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alttab
I would think if you can't afford the extra $10 registration for a new domain
that you yourself probably aren't very confident in your products recouping
their domain cost.

If such is the case, a company has bigger problems than even the great ones
outlined previously.

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jacquesm
It works, but I wouldn't do it. For one it makes selling a product line a
tough thing to do.

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stuartjmoore
Subdomains are best for separate "apps" on your server.

www.company.com/product1, product2, etc. store.company.com/product
support.company.com/product . . .

~~~
coderdude
Why would that be?

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makecheck
Why not "yourcompany.com/productname/"?

~~~
aerique
I would do both: product.company.com and (www.)company.com/product/.

~~~
patio11
That splits your link juice to no positive effect.

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billpg
Just like altavista.digital.com. How did that work out?

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petervandijck
Subdomains loose you SEO juicyness. So no, better to use diretories (unless
you're say Yahoo I suppose).

