How should I setup my blog for my membership site?

[Zsolt]

Hi guys,

I know I asked this before here, but I the reason I dare asking again is that I am more specific in my current post...namely, I have managed to separate the two different populations that will be the target audience of my blog. Gosh, I am ashamed to be such a noobe.

So, here it is (again)
I plan to launch a membership site (it will be a dating site) in about a month or so. Setting up a blog plays a major a part in my strategy. The blog will be about dating, dating tips, relationship, etc. I want to provide massive value to singles looking for dates through my blog. Also, the blog will be a most important channel to direct my readers to my dating service site. Another function of the blog will be to create and maintain a community of my members.

However, I am not sure if I should set up the blog on a subdomain of membership site, like blog.mymembershipsite.hu or should I set it up on its own unique URL, like www.myblog.hu?

The problem is that the blog will serve two distinct populations: singles looking for info on dating related stuff and those who are already members of my site.
This double purpose makes it hard to decide how I should set up this blog.

Any suggestion for best practice for this particular situation?

Thanks a lot,
Zsolt

[Blaine Moore]

It doesn't really matter in the long run as long as everything is interlinked together well.

In your shoes, I'd probably just use a subfolder since the blog will be specifically related to the domain and make sure I link prominently to it and promote it throughout the membership area. You can make it work with any solution, though, since how you market it matters more than how you build it.

[Zsolt]

Thanks Blaine, it makes sense what you're saying.

One more question though, from an SEO point of view, is it indifferent if I put my blog on a unique URL or on a subdomain of the membership site?

[Blaine Moore]

A unique URL and a subdomain are basically the same thing to a search directory...they will be different domains than your main site. If you want it on the same domain, you need to use a subfolder.

Google especially doesn't really care though - it treats every single web page on its own merits.

[hostchecker]

some good suggestions

[tmarek]

I do have a question for you. How are you having the regular website and the blog different from each other? Will the information be the same between the "site" and the "blog"? If it is the same, I would most likely just make it a domain.

The other option that you could use, and a lot of people setup their blog this way, is to make it www.example.com/blog.

Also, what purpose is the membersite providing to people who come to your site? I can foresee the blog being integrated into the membersite...

[Zsolt]

Hi Taylor,

The membership site is basically a dating service site where people register and find their soulmates. This service will be tailored to the population of a large city.
On my blog I'll have posts that are related to online dating. Tips, articles, etc. So, the blog content will be usuful for anybody who's into online dating, not only for those who live in that given city I provide my dating service too.

This means that the size of the readership of my blog is potentially larger (online daters in the whole country) than the number of those who actually register on the dating membership site (only those who live in chosen city).