subdomains and new Ink policy

are subdomains considered as separate domains?

[nell]

The new Ink policy will not allow changes between different domain names. Changes with paid pages can be done only within the domain. How will this policy apply to subdomains? Example:

domain:
www.2oo4.com

subdomains:
www.perfume.2oo4.com/
www.cigars.2oo4.com/
www.sunglasses.2oo4.com/

Is Ink looking at 4 different domains? Can I change pages between these subdomains or even add other subdomains or should I go the folder route to be safe such as:

domain:
www.2oo4.com

folders:
www.2oo4.com/perfume/
www.2oo4.com/cigars/
www.2oo4.com/sunglasses/

The subdomain route is my preferred way but I don't want to be locked into 400+ pages split into a number of sub-domains that cannot be swapped around. If this could be a problem, I've got less than 30 days left to put these sub-domains into folders so I better get hustling if I don't want to be hamstrung for the next year.

[nell]

Answering my own post for the edification of others interested in this issue.

PT just confirmed to me that subdomains WILL be considered separate domains for the purpose of substitution.
You will NOT be allowed to substitute subdomain pages with other subdomains or even with its primary domain pages. Very restrictive.

This seems important as one usually uses a keyword subdomain for purposes of ranking. These pages would therefore be useless for any other keyword ranking regardless of page content.

[Laisha]

Okay, call me dense, but I have not been able to figure this out: Why is substitution such a big issue?

While I can see that it would be a problem now and then, I cannot fathom why it is so huge a deal to so many. Am I missing something?

[nell]

When I take on a SEO contract the optimized doorway pages I create remain in my control not the clients. If I don't get paid their pages get dropped. Without that control they can deny me access to the domain the doorways reside on and I get stiffed while these pages stay ranked. Just because they pay for the "ride" doesn't mean they own the cab. Like a cabdriver, they pay me just to get them somewhere.

I pay for the pages myself and my charges to the customer include those and the other usual overheads. They become part of my fee.

If a client leaves should I give those pages back to Inktomi or use them with the next client? After all, they are my paid pages residing on my domain. This is when page substitution becomes an issue.

If these pages were in subdomains such as: www.fishnets.ZZZ.com
they would be useless unless my next client sold fishnets. Better to have put those pages in folders such as: www.ZZZ.com/fishnets.

When a client deal ends this is a very big issue that can involve hundreds of pages. During the period of the deal it really isn't an issue as substitutions are seldom made.

[Laisha]

>...and I get stiffed while these pages stay ranked.

Ah, okay, I see. I didn't get it because I have the client pay for submission fees separate from my services, up front.

If/when a client stiffs me, I can simply deactivate the URL.

[nell]

I get a fee upfront as well but it includes more than just the cost of submission fees. If/when you deactivate a URL what becomes of that paid page? What if there were 250 of them?
Do you reuse them for another client or does Santa Claus come early for Inktomi?