Subdomains vs Subdirectories: Which Is Better for SEO Purposes?

Building a website requires careful planning, especially when it comes to structuring content. As an entrepreneur or website owner, you’re likely looking for ways to optimise your site’s SEO performance. One of the more nuanced decisions you’ll face is whether to use subdomains or subdirectories for different parts of your website. Both options have their pros and cons, and understanding their impact on SEO is crucial for getting your site noticed by search engines like Google.

In this guide, we’ll break down the differences between subdomains vs subdirectories and explore which is better for SEO, so you can make an informed decision for your business.

What Is a Subdomain?

Let’s start with the basics. A subdomain is essentially an extension of your main domain, acting as a separate entity within your website. When you create subdomains, they appear before your main domain in the URL structure. For instance, if your website’s primary domain is www.yoursite.com, a subdomain could be blog.yoursite.com or store.yoursite.com.

Subdomains allow you to organise your site into different sections, making it easier to manage various aspects of your business under one roof. Whether it’s for a blog, an e-commerce store, or a specific geographic location, subdomains are useful when you want to treat these segments of your site as distinct from the main site. The best part? Subdomains can have their own content and design without affecting the rest of your website.

In SEO circles, subdomains are considered standalone sites and distinct from the main domain by search engines. This means Google treats them as standalone websites, even though they’re part of your main domain. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on how you use them.

Learn more about subdomains in our other article: What Are Subdomains? Easy Guide With Subdomain Definition and Examples.

What Is a Subdirectory?

Now, onto subdirectories. A subdirectory (also known as a subfolder) is part of your website that operates within the existing domain. Instead of appearing before the main domain, a subdirectory appears after the domain name in the URL. For example, www.yoursite.com/blog or www.yoursite.com/store are subdirectory structures.

Subdirectories make it easier to organise content while keeping everything under one domain. From an SEO perspective, subdirectories are treated as part of the main domain, meaning any SEO authority or ranking power your root domain accumulates is shared across your subdirectories. This can be a huge benefit if your root domain already has high domain authority.

Subdirectories can help consolidate SEO efforts when you want all parts of your site to contribute to the overall SEO strategy of your main domain. However, Google’s John Mueller has clarified that both subdomains and subdirectories can be equally effective for SEO depending on how they’re used.

Key Differences Between Subdomains vs Subdirectories

Understanding the differences between subdirectories vs subdomains is essential for making the right decision. Here are the key factors:

1. SEO Treatment: Subdomains are treated as separate websites, meaning their SEO authority does not necessarily flow back to your main domain. Subdirectories, on the other hand, contribute to the SEO of your root domain.
   
2. Content Management: Subdomains are ideal for managing different types of content or business units. If you have multiple lines of business or target audiences, subdomains provide a clearer separation. Subdirectories can be advantageous for consolidating SEO efforts under one umbrella, with shared SEO benefits. However, Google has stated that both subdomains and subdirectories can perform equally well, depending on your website’s structure and content.
   
3. User Experience: If you want to create a seamless experience for your users, subdirectories may be better. Subdomains can sometimes confuse users, especially if they notice a shift in branding or content focus.
   
4. Technical SEO: Managing subdomains can be more complex since you’ll need to handle SEO for each subdomain individually. Subdirectories require less technical SEO effort because everything is consolidated under one main domain.

How Subdomains and Subdirectories Affect SEO

From an SEO perspective, subdirectories vs subdomains can have vastly different outcomes. Search engines like Google treat subdomains as separate websites. However, according to Google’s John Muller, either subdomains or subdirectories can be effective for SEO, depending on how they are implemented. While subdomains might not automatically benefit your main domain, strategic linking and content optimisation can still contribute to overall SEO success.

For example, if you use a subdomain for your blog (blog.yoursite.com), the SEO gains from your blog’s traffic and content won’t directly improve the ranking of your main site. This can be a drawback if your goal is to boost the overall SEO performance of your entire website.

In contrast, subdirectories share SEO authority with the main domain. This means that the traffic and SEO optimisation you achieve for your blog under a subdirectory (www.yoursite.com/blog) will contribute to the SEO ranking of the main domain. While this can be beneficial, Google’s John Mueller has mentioned that both subdomains and subdirectories can be effective depending on your overall strategy.

When to Use a Subdomain for Better SEO

Although subdirectories are often better for SEO, there are situations where subdomains make sense. If you have completely different sections of your website that target different audiences or serve different purposes, subdomains can provide clarity and better user experience.

Let’s say you operate in several countries and need separate websites for each region. Creating a subdomain like uk.yoursite.com or fr.yoursite.com allows you to cater to regional markets while keeping everything under one domain name. Subdomains are also useful when your content or services require a distinct branding strategy.

Subdomains can also be beneficial if you want to experiment with a new section of your website without affecting the SEO of your main domain. This is particularly useful for testing new ideas or running time-limited campaigns.

Use Cases for Subdomains and Subdirectories

The decision between subdirectories vs subdomains often boils down to your specific use case. Here are some scenarios where each option makes sense:

• Subdomains: Ideal for e-commerce stores, separate blogs, geographic regions, or different business units. For example, MCloud9 could use support.mcloud9.co.za for customer support while keeping the main domain focused on hosting services.
  
• Subdirectories: Best for content that contributes directly to your main site’s SEO, such as a blog, news section, or portfolio. If you want everything to work together toward improving your domain authority, subdirectories are the way to go.

Both subdomains and subdirectories offer unique benefits depending on your website’s structure and SEO goals.

Subdirectory or Subdomain: Which Is Better for SEO Purposes?

When it comes to SEO, the debate between subdirectories vs subdomains has been ongoing for years. So, which one should you choose to optimise your website’s search engine performance?

The answer depends largely on your site’s goals and how you want to distribute SEO authority. Subdomains provide a clear advantage when you need a distinct entity within your site, such as an e-commerce store or a support portal. They allow you to experiment and create isolated sections that don’t affect your root domain’s SEO performance. However, because subdomains are treated as separate entities, they won’t automatically benefit from the authority of your root domain.

On the other hand, if you’re aiming to consolidate all your SEO efforts to improve the authority of a single domain, a subdirectory structure may be a practical option. Subdirectories pass SEO value directly to the root domain, although Google has clarified that subdomains can also perform well depending on how they’re structured and used.

For example, MCloud9 hosts a blog within a subdirectory (www.mcloud9.co.za/blog), so all the SEO traffic from that blog would contribute to the main domain’s authority. This makes subdirectories a powerful tool for businesses aiming to streamline their SEO efforts into one cohesive strategy.

Optimising Your Subdomains for Search Engine Performance

If you decide to go the subdomain route, there are specific steps you can take to ensure your subdomains still rank well on search engines like Google.

1. Create Unique, High-Quality Content: Each subdomain should offer unique and valuable content. Google will treat your subdomain as a standalone site, so you’ll need to invest the same amount of SEO effort that you would for your main domain. Ensure your subdomain provides a robust user experience, clear navigation, and helpful content that answers users’ questions.
   
2. Implement Strategic Internal Linking: One way to boost the SEO performance of a subdomain is by linking it back to your main domain strategically. Use internal links that point from your subdomain back to high-authority pages on your primary domain. This can help transfer some of the SEO value.
   
3. Optimise Your Metadata: Just like your main domain, subdomains need to have optimised title tags, meta descriptions, and headings. Search engines rely on these elements to understand the content and relevancy of your subdomain. Be sure to include relevant keywords and make your metadata enticing to both users and search engines.
   
4. Create a Custom Sitemap for Each Subdomain: Submitting separate sitemaps for each subdomain helps search engines like Google crawl your site more effectively. This ensures that all parts of your site, including subdomains, are indexed properly and stand the best chance of ranking well in search results.

For businesses managing multiple subdomains, such as those with regional or product-specific sites, these steps are critical for optimising SEO performance across the board.

FAQ for Subdomains vs Subdirectories

In Conclusion

So, when it comes to a subdomain vs subdirectory, which is better for SEO purposes? The answer ultimately depends on your specific website needs and goals. If you’re looking to create separate sections of your site with distinct audiences or branding, subdomains are a useful tool. However, if you want to consolidate SEO authority under one cohesive domain, subdirectories may be a good choice. That said, Google’s John Mueller has noted that subdomains and subdirectories can both work well for SEO, so the best option depends on your specific goals and structure.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Both subdomains and subdirectories have their place in a well-rounded SEO strategy, and it’s up to you to determine which structure will best support your website’s goals.

For expert advice and reliable hosting solutions, MCloud9 is here to help. As a leader in web hosting and domain registration, we provide the tools you need to structure your site for SEO success. Whether you’re leaning towards subdomains or subdirectories, MCloud9 can guide you through the process to ensure your site ranks well and delivers an outstanding user experience.