The debate about whether to use a subdomain or a subdirectory is a controversial one. Plenty of SEO experts have offered their opinion on this one over the years, despite the fact that, according to Google, they’re equally as good.
Different circumstances can impact the effectiveness of subdomains and subdirectories, however. In some cases, it’s best to use one or the other to achieve optimal results.
In this guide, we’ll explain what subdomains and subdirectories are, look at how they work and explore some of the reasons why you may opt for subdomains over subdirectories, and vice versa.
Don’t hesitate to contact our multilingual SEO agency if you need any further help.
What is a Subdirectory?
A subdirectory is one way of organising your website hierarchy. It uses a root domain, with different folders that keep content where it needs to be. The terms subfolder and subdirectory are often used interchangeably.
You can see subdirectories in use in URLs, as the name of the folder comes after the domain name. For example, our root domain is www.eskimoz.co.uk, and ‘/blog’ is a subdirectory of that. Subfolders can sit within sub folders indefinitely, but it’s best not to go overboard with this as it’ll only make URLs too complicated, and difficult for SEO crawlers to discover.
Subfolders are enormously beneficial in terms of SEO, though. They allow site owners to tie backlinks to a domain name, and help to keep URLs clear and concise for the benefit of search engines and audiences alike.
What is a Subdomain?
A subdomain is also used to organise content, but it does so in a slightly different way. Subdomains create new sites, instead of folders, with content sitting within these rather than in the subfolders.
Like subdirectories, subdomains are tied to the root domain, but they often rely on totally separate site owner tools. They tend to have different content management systems, templates and so on.
Subdomains can’t sit within other subdomains in a chain like subdirectories can. They are simpler, with just one subdomain associated with a root domain. In URLs, you’ll see the name of the subdomain before the root domain. For example… (can we add an Eskimoz subdomain example here?).
Businesses usually opt for subdomains rather than subdirectories if their site has vast amounts of content, making it difficult to keep it all organised on a single site. They’re also often used by companies running a range of campaigns at one time, and they can be incredibly useful for brands partnering with other companies for specific campaigns.
The drawback to subdomains is the fact that they do require a little more SEO input than subdirectories. And that’s purely because the domain authority doesn’t trickle down automatically in the same way as it would in a subdirectory setup. So, experts need to be on hand to carefully manage the SEO of sites organised in this way, using internal linking to make it clear that the subdomains belong to the root domain.
Subdomains also count as different sites for tools and things like analytics subscriptions, which is something to bear in mind if you’re weighing up your options.
When to use a Subdomain
Subdomains are absolutely the right choice in certain circumstances. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to use them:
Localisation Strategies
If your company targets markets in different countries, and you have a number of localisation strategies running, subdomains will likely be the best option for you. Subdomains allow brands to offer tailored content to different markets, using carefully targeted content and multilingual technical SEO.
Testing
If you’re preparing for the launch of a new site, a subdomain can be invaluable. Developers will use subdomains to create test versions of a site, allowing them to check functionality in a live setting before the site fully launches. An example URL might be dev.eskimoz.co.uk.
New Looks and Features
Sometimes a subdirectory simply won’t work, because the look and feel of the page being created is so different to other pages on the site. In cases like these, subdomains work much better.
Subdomains allow site owners to create distinctly different pages, with features that don’t appear on the main site. Brands often opt for subdomains if they need to create an online shop as part of their site, for example.
When to use a Subdirectory
There are many advantages to using subdirectories, and in some cases they’re a far simpler and more affordable option. Here are some of the main reasons you might want to use a subdirectory:
Reducing Site Maintenance
Subdirectories don’t need as much maintenance as subdomains, as many of the SEO benefits they provide will come automatically. They don’t need specific technical configurations, and they don’t need their own separate analytics or other monthly subscriptions. They’re quicker and easier to set up, and they’re simpler to run in the long-term.
Keeping Your Look Consistent
If your new page doesn’t need a different look, and doesn’t have vastly different functionality to your main site, then a subdirectory would likely work best. Subdirectories sit within your key site and allow for a more consistent look and feel across your site. This can really improve the overall user experience, and make your site easier to navigate.
There are clear advantages and disadvantages to subdomains and subdirectories, so the best option for your site really does depend on what you’re looking to achieve, and how you want to do it.
Think about how your site is currently organised, and consider how you’ll use the new pages you’re creating. In terms of SEO, both can be optimised to ensure that there’s no negative impact to your rankings, so as long as you create those new pages with optimisation in mind, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of either option.
