Hi all, got a noob question for you.

We have a domain name with a third party registrar which resolves to a host server elsewhere.

I want to know if I set up a bunch of virtual servers hosted on the same server, and then use the 3rd party registrar to create subdomains which resolve to the virtual servers using cname attributes, will Google see them as separate web sites or multiple domain spamming?

I've spent ages trying to work this out but sometimes you just just gotta find someone who knows and ask them, any help is appreciated. :)

By the way, I'm Boog, I'm a website developer and nOOb IM. Been doing this about 7 months or so.

I'd like to say that I hope to contribute to this forum but for now I think I'll mostly be learning.

Cheers :)

No one got any suggestions for this?

All you need to do to set up multiple subdomains is let *.domain.com through with a wild card in your httpd.conf, and mod_rewrite in your domain.com .htaccess file to resolve *.domain.com to domain.com/*/ or whatever you prefer.

Not something I'd do with a primary domain though, unless I plan to build a substantial amount of content on each subdomain.

That's great, thanks.

I need to go and figure out what it means now but I wanted to post straight away and say that I'm only planning to have one keyword optimised page per subdomain.

Is it too much work for that strategy?

I'm only planning to have one keyword optimised page per subdomain.

Not sure its possible to develop a long term relationship with the search engines using one-pager subdomains.

Do you think it would be more long term successful if I changed the content occasionally and added an extra page everynow and then to mimick a 'real' site?

The idea of these pages is to pull traffic for specific search terms, into our main site.

Subdomains aren't necessary, just put "meaningful content" on the main domain for a variety of keywords.

Wildcard subdomains are allowed by some hosts but not others, but there's been so much abuse with them in the past that they're best avoided for a legitimate site with long term goals.

Subdomains aren't necessary, just put "meaningful content" on the main domain for a variety of keywords.

Wildcard subdomains are allowed by some hosts but not others, but there's been so much abuse with them in the past that they're best avoided for a legitimate site with long term goals.

With a subdomain I can include the keyword in the URL giving it even more value. Also, Google sees subdomains as a different site so you get a small backlink credit too.

I wasn't planning to use wildcard domains (I think) not sure what they are right now.

>> Do you think it would be more long term successful if I changed the content occasionally and added an extra page everynow and then to mimick a 'real' site? <<

Why don't you build one real site using real content <snip>

Fair comment but you don't know the full story and you're making an assumption about me. I might have done the same.

There is a proper site with content - www.etheco.com I'm trying to think of ways to draw traffic through the strategy I described earlier.

The subdomain pages will have also useful content and it will all link back to our site. I'm hoping the fact that they're in a subdomain will have an sEO benefit, otherwise I'd just add them to the main site, hence the original question.

After the antics of the "4 billion pages sub-domain spammer" a few months ago, sites with a lot of sub-domians probably aren't so trustworthy in Google's eyes any longer.

Perceived intention is everything. :-)

Jeez, that's why I asked the sodding question. If Google will 'percieve' what I'm suggesting as spam, then I won't do it.

I'm just trying to get an answer to a simple question.

Please don't rahpsodise about my assumed intentions.

<snip>

Why we bother.

Don't bother if you can't be nice. simple as that.

I'm new to SEO and trying to figure out, just like everybody else, what works and what doesn't.

I want to know every trick in the book and understand how to implement them. Just because I haven't asked about anything else doesn't mean I don't want to but I'm trying to learn it myself rather than ask for help every 5 seconds.

I'm not above creating new pages just to help with SEO but don't lump me in with spammers because I bet you've done it too.

If the technique I was asking about is considered spam, I won't use it, and just because you already knew that you're putting me down. I expected better from this forum.

Perceived intention is everything. :-)I would seriously suggest leaving the mind-reading act at the door when arriving. Perception is in the eyes of the perceiver. I'd suggest perceiving the member Code of Conduct (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_code_of_conduct) :cool:

I'm just trying to get an answer to a simple question.

Please don't rahpsodise about my assumed intentions.Agreed. Fair enough questions to ask here, and also a good topic for discussion.

Hey, thanks Marcia :)