blog network best approach

[DanielQ]

One of my latest projects involves a blog network. However, I'm unsure of how unified the network should be.

Each blog would be a subniche of a larger niche. For example, if the general topic was movies, each blog would be a specific type or genre of movies. So one blog on horror movies, one blog on romance, etc.

That being said, is it best to run the network on one domain, with each blog on a subdomain or in it's own directory? If so, should it run on the same software or be separate installations? Or is it better to build an individual site for each blog and just interlink them?

Also, what software would be best for this type of project? Wordpress, I assume. Would you recommend using Wordpress MU?

Thanks,
Daniel

 

[JPJedi]

I would be interested in what everyone recommends too.

 

[-Matt-]

Here's how I would personally do it:

Reg the main niche domain, ie: movies.com

Install WordPress MU and create your subdomains for them (comedy.movies.com)

If your blog network is going to be large, I'd definitely recommend using WP MU - making tons of installations of WP will be a pain in the ass.

If you plan on interlinking your sites, they will need to be on their own IPs (c class).

 

[Bofu2U]

Here's how I would personally do it:

Reg the main niche domain, ie: movies.com

Install WordPress MU and create your subdomains for them (comedy.movies.com)

If your blog network is going to be large, I'd definitely recommend using WP MU - making tons of installations of WP will be a pain in the ass.

If you plan on interlinking your sites, they will need to be on their own IPs (c class).

+1. I have a lot of experience with WPMU with one of my largest networks at once being about 40-50,000 blogs. WPMU is where it's at.

 

[DanielQ]

Thanks for the replies - appreciated.

Would you still recommend Wordpress MU for installations that aren't that large? I plan on eventually having about 100 blogs or so.

Any good examples of this sort of blog network (with/without WP MU)?