Do links to a sub-domain contribute to the popularity of the core site

question about link popularity and sub-domains

[Bloggerheads]

OK, due to technical limitations beyond my control, I now have to set up a major section of a site - a section that is designed to generate inbound links organically - at a sub-domain rather than the usual www.site.com/thing/ approach

My question is this:

If I set up two sections of the site as:
[site.com...]
[thing.site.com...]

and:
1. There is only the *one* sub-domain
2. There are clear links/associations between the two sections
3. The two locations will have differing IPs (they have different server needs)

Will inbound links to the sub-domain in this case benefit the main domain?

-

Myself I see this as a legitimate need that SEs should probably take into account - but it never pays to assume (especially given how sub-domains have been abused in the past).

In this case the sub-domain will certainly be getting more inbound links that the main domain - and it's that main domain which badly needs an improvement to PageRank.

[jaffstar]

Are you doing 3 way linking with your subdomain?

Links get given out from links.domains.com and they get inbound links to domains.com?

Subdomain is treated as a new site in Google's Eyes.

[Bloggerheads]

No, [thing.site.com...] will be a weblog - it's not part of a link exchange programme.

There will be a clear association between both sites.