Using subfolders for different domains

[johnrbek]

I've done some research on this topic and my question doesn't appear to have been previously answered...

I have 2 domains under 1 hosting account with 1 of the domains being pointed to a subfolder in the account.

www.domain1.com
www.domain2.com

being pointed to:

domain1.com >>>>> /myaccount
domain2.com >>>>> /myaccount/subfolder1

My question relates to search engine optimization.. Will I be penalized in any way by Google for keeping the domain2.com domain in the subfolder?

Thanks in advance for assistance..

[max_rk]

this is not domain related question.

[Hanu]

No, unless the content of domain2 is reachable in domain1. That MIGHT trigger a duplicate content penalty. It depends on how your hosting is setup. What do your URLs of your homepages look like?

www.example1.com/
www.example2.com/

or

www.example1.com/myaccount
www.example2.com/myaccount/subfolder1

or

www.example1.com/
www.example2.com/subfolder1

[edited by: pageoneresults at 3:30 am (utc) on April 26, 2004]
[edit reason] Delinked and Examplified URIs [/edit]

[johnrbek]

They look like the first scenario:

www.example1.com/
www.example2.com/

I just don't want to penalize myself in any way by having domain2 residing in a subfolder of the domain1 site...

Appreciate your feedback!

JB

[edited by: pageoneresults at 3:30 am (utc) on April 26, 2004]
[edit reason] Delinked and Examplified URIs [/edit]

[Hanu]

Ok, is there a way how a visitor or a search engine can get to content of domain2 using the domain name for domain1? Keep in mind that a search engine robot is more or less like any other visitor of your site and as such cannot see pages that you don't link to.

If not, your fine.

If yes (unlikely), there is domain2 content aliased and reachable in domain1 and that might trigger a penalty.

Something else to be aware of: If you link from domain1 to domain2 you might trigger the 'cross-linking' penalty in Google for linking between two domains hosted on the same IP address. Although there is no proof for this type of penalty - it's only a rumor - I removed all cross-links between my domains because they are all hosted on the same domain and because I'm paranoid.

If you have questions regarding this, you might want to post in the Google forums.

[johnrbek]

Thanks Hanu!

I think I'm good... there is no cross linking. I've just hosted them that way to save a few beans...

The two sites are completely unrelated and there is no cross linking...

Your assistance is very much appreciated.

Regards,

JB