Which overall site structure to use is one of the most common questions when it comes to launching a new site, doing a site migration or changing the CMS, launching a new product, or making another major change.
If we have international content, should we use or switch to subdirectories, subdomains, or country code top-level domains (ccTLDs)?
Is one better than the other?
Google says there is no difference.
This is definitely a topic that landed loudly in the “it all depends” box.
After all, when it comes to SEO, there are many factors to consider.
Let us break down the pros and cons of each option and help you decide which option is best for your website.
First, let’s define subdomains, subdirectories, and ccTLDs.
Subdomains, subdirectories and ccTLD definitions
A subdomain is a distinct domain that is part of a larger domain.
For example, you can create a subdomain for your blog or other parts of your website that sell products, or if you need to differentiate content.
This will give you a URL like this: blog.example.com or productname.subdomain.com.
Subdomains are often used to create separate website sections with different content.
A subdirectory is a folder on your website that contains individual pages or pieces of content.
For example, if you were managing GAP, I would recommend a simple and SEO friendly subcategory of products instead of the URL they have now, which is https://www.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=6998&nav =expmore%3Amen%3Acategories%3Ajeans#pageId=0&department=75.
Subdirectories are often used to create separate website sections with different content.
A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a unique domain specific to a country.
For example, if you have a business website in Canada, you will need the ccTLD for that website, which is bestbuy.ca.
Advantages and disadvantages of using subdomains
There are some advantages and disadvantages to using subdomains when the vast majority of content is completely different from the root domain.
It comes down to what publishers are trying to accomplish with this new content.
Will they try to build the necessary links fair?
Is the new content really that unique compared to the main content of the root domain?
advantage
- Subdomains can help with organization.
- By keeping your content on its own subdomain, it’s easy to track content and ensure it’s separate from the rest of your site.
- Especially useful if you have a large website with many different types of content.
- Search engines treat subdomains as separate websites, so well-optimized subdomains have the potential to rank in search results.
shortcoming
- Expensive than other options.
- Also, some users find subdomains confusing. For example, if someone is looking for your business website and enters example.com, they may not realize that your blog is located at blog.example.com. This can lead to confusion and loss of traffic.
In addition, since Google treats subdomains as separate websites If you create new content on a subdomain, it won’t benefit from the authority being passed on because it’s considered a brand new independent website.
Advantages and disadvantages of using subdirectories
There are several advantages and disadvantages to using subdirectories for your site.
advantage
- Often more cost-effective to maintain than other options.
- Some users find subdirectories easier to understand than subdomains. For example, if someone is looking for your business website and enters example.com, they’ll immediately see your blog at example.com/blog. It can help prevent confusion and lost traffic.
- Permissions are passed from the root domain to subfolders, which helps your search engine visibility.
shortcoming
- Might be more difficult to set up than other options.
- Subdirectories are not always considered separate websites by search engines.
Advantages and disadvantages of using ccTLDs
There are some advantages and disadvantages to using ccTLDs.
advantage
- Can help set up your international website content.
- Using a ccTLD is a strong signal that tells search engines that your content is country-specific.
shortcoming
- if you do not have International content Or serve global users, you don’t need it.
- Usually more expensive than other options.
- Each ccTLD appears as a different website, so if you have multiple websites with different ccTLDs around the world, you will have to optimize them all because they are all considered separate entities.
- Some countries require you to be a citizen or have some affiliation with that country to purchase a domain name with a ccTLD.
What do most SEO experts like best?
SEO specialists often prefer subdirectories to subdomains because new URLs benefit from the root domain’s established online authority and equity accrued through external links.
By leveraging the authority of the root domain, subdirectories accumulate meaningful rankings and organic performance faster than subdomains.
For this reason, many SEO professionals love them, which is often translated as “better.”
While Google does recognize subdomains as attributes of the larger domain entity, and if done well and correctly, can see the relationship between the two, publishers limit the linking between these two attributes.
Therefore, a new subdomain needs many external links pointing to it to become an established authority. This usually requires a lot of time and effort.
If you own content in a different country and need to send a strong signal to Google and other search engines about your content, you may need a ccTLD International Content Strategy.
While this can be expensive depending on the number of countries you manage, it might be worth researching subdirectories or subdomains to direct users from different countries to the appropriate content.
case analysis
One of our clients in the financial sector moved from .com to a subdomain we don’t recommend.
When they moved, our clients experienced a drop in search engine visibility and traffic, but not too badly.
After a year on the subdomain, they moved back to the main domain.
Once we set up our redirection and content migration strategy, our customers went back to the main domain through usage rights, links, etc. and the traffic increased by 15%.
wrap up
So, which is better for SEO: subdomains, subdirectories or ccTLDs?
There is no easy answer.
It depends on your specific needs and goals. As we’ve seen, each option has pros and cons.
More resources:
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