Choosing between a subdomain and a directory in the context of SEO has always been a problem. Here are the ins and outs in terms of search engine optimization.
This is a question that always comes up in SEO. Subdomain Vs Guide (Subfolder) – Which is Better for SEO? This question often arises when a website owner, for example, wants to create a blog for his site. He will then have 3 options .
- Enter the blog into the directory: www.mywebsite.com/blog.
- Place in subdomain: blog.mywebsite.com.
- Host the blog on a new domain: www.newsite.com.
There can be several reasons for wanting to use a subdomain or a completely new domain . Installation can be technically easier. You may want to target a premium brand. Or you want to target a different location or language .
But if the goal is to improve your SEO , using a directory (subfolder) is still the safest option.
Related Topics: How to Optimize Content for SEO?
Why use a directory instead of a subdomain?
Some people prefer to use a subdomain thinking that it will be beneficial for SEO . This stems from the theory that both the parent domain and the subdomain will be able to position themselves on a similar topic . This will allow them to boost their search engine rankings simultaneously.
But the opposite effect actually happens!
This technique tends to split incoming links between the two sites . This hurts their search engine rankings .
Scenario 1
Let's say you choose a subdomain for your blog . You already have 50 good backlinks ( inbound links ) pointing to your main domain . And I was able to get 50 good backlinks pointing to your subdomain .
- 50 inbound links to www.mywebsite.com.
- 50 inbound links to blog.mywebsite.com.
And suppose it allows you to put the main domain and subdomain on the second page of Google for "Keyword 1" . amazing ! Page 2 will allow you to generate some traffic.
Scenario 2
Now, let's say you choose to place your blog in the main domain directory . You already have 50 good backlinks pointing to your main domain . And I was able to get another 50 good backlinks to Your blog directory . This means you now have 100 backlinks pointing to your main domain!
- 100 inbound links to www.mywebsite.com.
By doubling your inbound links to your main domain, you increase your SEO dramatically . This means that all pages of your site (including the blog in the subdirectory) will benefit from good SEO for all your targeted keywords!
So, if you ranked on page 2 (twice) for “Keyword 1” in Scenario 1 . You will likely rank on page 1 (once) in Scenario 2 . So the most suitable choice seems obvious.
But Google says, "Don't be afraid of subdomains"
Google confirms that it can now effectively identify content from a subdomain and link it to your main domain . The message is that you don't have to worry about placing content in multiple domains. Google's John Mueller says here :
“If you want to put a blog in a subdirectory of your main site that's fine, if you want to use a subdomain that's fine. If you want to use a different domain name, that's possible too. So all of these methods are possible and I wouldn't say one or the other is much better. »
But even though Google has managed to make massive improvements over the years, there are still case studies of many websites that show that using subdomains is less effective for SEO .
conclusion
Although there is conflicting information on this topic, we can remember that using subdomains for SEO purposes carries certain risks . And in SEO , taking risks is not something we like. The guide is known to work very well , so why use a risky option?!.
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