Subdomain

What is a Subdomain?

A subdomain is a part of a domain that is added as a prefix to the main domain name. It helps in organizing and categorizing different sections or functions of a website. For example, in the URL app.ahrefs.com, app is the subdomain of the main domain ahrefs.com.

Differences Between Subdomains and Subdirectories

1. Subdomains

• Structure: subdomain.domain.com
• Purpose: Used to create separate sections or functionalities within a website, often running on different platforms or having distinct purposes.
• Examples: uk.store.website.com, blog.example.com, app.example.com

1. Subdirectories (Subfolders)

• Structure: domain.com/subdirectory/
• Purpose: Used to categorize content or create sections within the same site.
• Examples: website.com/blog/marketing, website.com/products/featured, website.com/about/team

Are Subdomains Important for SEO?

The impact of subdomains on SEO has been a topic of debate. However, Google has clarified that both subdomains and subdirectories are treated equally in terms of SEO.

John Mueller, a Google search advocate, has confirmed that there’s no inherent SEO advantage or disadvantage to using subdomains versus subdirectories. The key is how you manage and structure them.

Note: Google has acknowledged that while subdomains and subdirectories are treated equally, the choice between them should be based on factors like organizational needs and user experience rather than SEO alone.

Benefits of Using Subdomains

1. Organizational Clarity

• Helps in managing different sections of a site that serve distinct purposes, such as a blog, store, or forum.

1. Platform Flexibility

• Allows you to run different platforms or content management systems for different sections. For example, a WordPress site for a blog and a custom application on a subdomain.

1. Internationalization

• Makes it easier to manage regional or language-specific content. For instance:
  • uk.example.com for the UK version
  • es.example.com for the Spanish version

1. Staging and Testing

• Useful for creating staging environments (e.g., staging.example.com) without affecting the live site.

Downsides of Using Subdomains

1. Complexity

• More complicated to set up and manage compared to subdirectories. It may require additional configurations and SSL/TLS certificates.

1. Potential for Slower Indexing

• Google might take a bit longer to crawl and index subdomains compared to subdirectories. However, this is typically a matter of days, not weeks.

1. Additional Tracking

• You may need to set up separate Google Search Console properties for each subdomain, which can complicate tracking and reporting.

Best Practices for Subdomains

1. Maintain Separate Robots.txt Files

• Each subdomain should have its own robots.txt file to manage crawling directives.

1. Interlink Between Subdomains and Main Domain

• Ensure that there are internal links connecting your subdomains to the main domain to help with crawling and PageRank distribution.

1. Add Subdomains to Google Search Console

• If your site is tracked as a URL-prefix property in Google Search Console, add each subdomain as a separate property or add the main domain as a domain property to cover all subdomains.

FAQs

Are subdomains better than subfolders for SEO?

• No, both are equally effective for SEO. Google treats subdomains and subdirectories in a similar manner.

Are subdomains different websites?

• Not necessarily. If a subdomain is well-integrated with the main domain through internal linking, Google will treat it as part of the same site. Without integration, Google might view it as a separate entity.

Are backlinks from the main domain better than links from a subdomain?

• No significant difference. If the quality and relevance of the link are similar, there is no inherent SEO difference between a backlink from the main domain and a subdomain.

In summary, whether to use subdomains or subdirectories should be based on the needs of your site’s structure and management rather than SEO concerns. Both can be effective if used correctly.