Is this bad practice?

Hi,

I came accross this web page
Linky

If you scroll to the bottom you can see that there are links to sub domains of the site - for example london.professionaldesigner.com - these links (although some of the are dead) point to the main website.

Do search engines class this as bad practice? Is this repeated content?

I know repeated content is bad for SE's so i was just wondering what the implications would be?

Also any feedback on the site would be appreciated. I am trying to collate a blog of good web designers in the UK - I have my own views (kept to my self) but if any one would like to comment and i will include with your permission these comments in my blog. Also feel free to suggest any web design companies that you would deem worthy of a comment / review.

Many Thanks

it seems like the sub domains are on the same server, so that the content is diffrent (for the one link that worked) but if they are on the same domain/server, then they are shooting themselves in the foot.

For as much as I've read, and understand, similar content with diffrent domain names, has no positive infulence on SEO, and I've read that in some instances, does have a negative to the SEO of the overall network of linked sites. (Google doesn't like it...I think)

So...for the short answer, yes it's bad practice (at least I would try to netword the sites from one domain/server to another, not one all on one server/domain)


Kris

This is definately something NOT to do like it has been done on that site.

The subdomains on the working subdomains are all the same as the home page on the main site, so the site will get with some pretty major duplia.te penalties. The site is a PR0 at the moment, so Google hasn't had much time to index it. If it has, it's basically told him that he's screwed himself there.

Subdomains have some valid places, and can work to a sites advantage. As mentioned above, each subdomain needs to have it's own unique content and contribute something individual to the website as a whole, otherwise there's no point having it there.