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The 2013 Search Engine Ranking Factors study is a very useful study.  However, it was completed more than two years ago, and a lot of algorthim updates have been made since then.  Is there a more recent study of this than the one produced in 2013? Any and all information would be valuable.  I am also trying to understand the importance of site speed as a ranking factor. Thanks.

Rand made the following post in 2009.  In July of 2013 I question whether this is still best practice.  Obviously, much has changed in our industry in four-and-a-half years! "...if you're seeking to maximize your ranking ability for a given piece of content, it's my personal belief that you should, most of the time, keep it on 1 subdomain under 1 root domain (but feel free to use subfolders as it makes sense). Starting a blog? I almost always recommend yoursite.com/blog over blog.yoursite.com. Want to launch a new section of content? Use yoursite.com/newstuff rather than newstuff.yoursite.com." Source: http://moz.com/blog/understanding-root-domains-subdomains-vs-subfolders-microsites

Currently, I have an error on my moz dashboard indicating there are too many links on one of my pages.  That page is the sitemap.  It was my understanding all internal pages should be linked to the sitemap. Can any mozzers help clarify the best practice here? Thanks, Clayton