The best automatic link exchange software

If it looks like a link and acts like a link, then it must be a link - at least in the eyes of the search engines. Evidence suggests the top search engine Google views links from subdomains just like any other link, despite rumors that subdomain links are weighed less in the eyes of the search engines than links from primary domains.

The most popular online forums are all filled with nonsensical rumors. On the Internet, it seems, everyone wants to be considered an expert. However, it's important to remember than in the ever-changing search engine industry, nothing is certain; most of what you hear is just speculation and those who know the truth - the search engine employees - are happily keeping their mouths shut.

If there is any truth to the rumor that Google devalues links from subdomains, this author has yet to find it. Members of SEOChat have described the rumors as nothing more than an SEO "old wives' tale."

As reported in an earlier AutoLinkTrader.com article, many people are now using subdomains as part of their reciprocal link exchange strategies. But subdomains can be helpful outside of the link exchange arena.

Braunton of the Hosting Unlimited Community had this to say in favor of subdomain links: "These days Google only returns 2 pages for any specific domain, although they have many more pages in their database. Each subdomain is seen in Google's eyes as a completely independant domain so if, for example, you had 5 subdomains, each with a high PageRank rating and well optimized for your key words, you would have a chance of getting 10 results in the listing rather than just 2!"

Hosting a links page on a subdomain is also one way around reciprocal linking. Because subdomains are viewed separately from their primary domains, backlinks coming from subdomains are counted just the same as any other link by the search engines. However, because the links come from a subdomain, they help boost the number of inbound links to the primary domain without increasing the number of outbound links. This technique is used by the LinksMaster.com link exchange program, which gives its members the option of either reciprocal or one-way link exchanges.

Get more information on the AutoLinkTrader.com link exchange program.

One concern with subdomain link exchange strategies is that subdomains, although ranked separately, still often share IP addresses with their primary domains. It is commonly believed Google and the other search engines will frown upon too many links coming from the same IP address. However, sitewide linking strategies, including navigation links across subdomains pointing to their primary domain, are pretty common. If Google penalized sites for using this strategy, many of today's top ranking sites, including Google, MSN and Yahoo, would have diminished PageRank. Braunton brought up another good point here: "If the IP address affected the search results then our sites could be influenced by other sites on the same server." Considering hosting companies often have hundreds of thousands of sites per server, Braunton doesn't believe IP addresses have much - if any - effect on search engine results pages.

The important thing to remember when using subdomains for link exchange purposes is to make each subdomain relevant and full of oh-so-important content. You'll probably want each subdomain to have the highest PageRank possible, but to do that you must make sure each subdomain ranks well on its own through traditional search engine ptimization techniques.

The key factor to high rankings is link popularity, and one way to increase the link popularity of your subdomains is through a link exchange program. LinksMaster.com offers a fully automated link exchange program and allows members to sign up multiple domains (or subdomains) for discount prices. Sign up for the autolinktrader.com link exchange program.

Most hosting companies charge a small fee for subdomains, so if you decide to use subdomains as part of your link exchange strategy, make sure it's worth your effort. Don't just post pages and pages of outbound links on your subdomains in an effort to avoid outbound links from your primary domain, as this will look like link farm to the search engines. Avoid spamming and stick with strategies that work and your subdomains should do fine.

Not sure you have the time, effort and money to spend on subdomains? Read this AutoLinkTrader.com article about an alternative to the subdomain link exchange strategy.