1 Big site or a network of small sites?

[Gernwax]

Whats best, having one huge site with loads of areas, or lots of smaller sites, one for each section, and have them all linking each other?

[netguy]

There are distinct advantages to both, depending on the industry.

If each topic is strong enough to stand on its own merits, I would break them out into separate sites, and build on each. If each section is relatively weak, then I would go with a single site whose sections collectively strengthens the overall site.

Steve

[Livenomadic]

Oh god, not this arguement again.. :)

Seriously now,
I agree it absolutely depends on the industry.

Making a network of small sites lets you "dip your fingers" into lots of penny jars at once. You wont be a BIG BOY in the industry and you'll probably only get table scraps left over from the big sites, but if you have 20 of these little sites... the table scaps add up.

However, if you Find some awesome undiscovered or undercompetative niche (even if it is quite small), by making one big site you can BECOME the big boy (or atleast one of the big boys) of that niche... and can throw your table scraps to the other little sites.

[hfwd]

Remember also the "overhead" of maintaining 20 little sites compared to 1 big one.

Also, some people are of the opinion that highly networked sites are penalized by search engines.