Keyword in sub-domain or folder?

keyword.domain.com or www.domain.com/keyword

[Tonearm]

I'm setting up a new site and I'm trying to decide between putting a keyword in the subdomain like keyword.domain.com, or putting it in a folder like www.domain.com/keyword. The folder is easier to manage, but I wonder if the search engines would weigh the sub-domain more heavily. What do you think?

- Grant

[WiseWebDude]

www.example.com/keyword/

does works the best, IMHO. www.keyword.example.com is looked at as a seperate site and does not rank as quickly. I've done it both ways and /keyword/ works best everytime.

[seoram]

well there are many sites like about, howstuffworks and etc who have keywords in their subdomain, but as what WiseWebDude has said the are treated as seperate sites. Having a keyword in the folder is the best option

[fibalogger]

Usually with a powerful main page it would be better to take a sup-page. In case of a new projekt, I would prefer a subdomain.

But I've tested it a few weeks ago with a small industrial directory which I've added as a subdomain and it is listed with its main key very fine and as fast as a sub-page (not an easy key). But it depends more on external links. The project (main page) exists since 1.5 years, the subdomain is brandnew...

At actual state I would say: It doesn't matter.

[Tonearm]

Thanks guys. It sounds like I should ditch the subdomain idea.

[fibalogger]

With a good sup-page you can let grow up a subdomain later ;o)