Blogging strategy with Subdomain or not?

[Bandwin]

Hi there,
I want to create a static affiliate site and create a strong brand with this domain. Let's call this site site.com.
Now I think it's very interesting to create a blog surrounding this site to inform readers about the sites backgrounds. But the blog should'nt be visible for site.com-visitors, only vice versa. (Meaning that I wont promote the blog from the site but promoting the site from the blog)
I see three options:
1) Creating a classic site.com/blog and building some links to site.com/blog
2) Creating a subdomain blog.site.com
3) Creating a different Domain: site-blog.com.

Now I see the following advantages and disadvantages:
1 and 2) should rate site.com higher and bringing some more SEO value (Google likes steadily updated blogs and site.com should rank higher for several keywords). I don't know the difference between 1) and 2) because I didn't work with subdomains till now.
3) You can link to site.com thus bringing some link power. But google should like site-blog.com more than site.com (for above mentioned reasons). And if someone links to your blog, site.com doesn't profit from that.

Right now, I'd like the subdomain approach most but I'm sure some of you guys have a better clue!?

[mupha]

Keep it all on one site, that way you only have one site to promote/backlink and as you say, that site then gets regular new content. Keep connecting your blog pots with relevant content within your main site. Use each post to target some of the long tail keywords you've not captured within the main site content.

Choosing between subdomain or a subdirectory as far as Google is concerned it does not matter as they treat them exactly the same within the index (they announced this about a year ago). The decision is based on users as subdomains are regarded differently by web visitors than subdirectories - but I don't have links to hand for relevant info on that to give you a clear answer (annoying, I came actross a good discussion on this recently). Personally, I'd go for subdirectory over subdomain for a site blog: it feels more integral with the rest of the site.

[Bandwin]

Mupha, thanks for your input. I'll go with site.com/blog

[kingcobra]

I agree. The subdirectory will help the main site more is the reason.

Ken
http://kingcobrapoker.com