Subdomains vs. Subdirectories in 2024: Which is Better for SEO?

When planning your website’s architecture, the decision between using subdomains and subdirectories can significantly influence your SEO performance. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice depends on your website’s specific needs and goals.

This guide explores the nuances of subdomains and subdirectories, examining their impact on SEO and providing clear recommendations to help you make the right decision for your website.

Understanding Subdomains and Subdirectories

• Subdomains: Essentially create separate websites under your main domain. They appear as a prefix before your main domain name.
  • Example: blog.example.com, shop.example.com, support.example.com
• Subdirectories: Are folders or sections within your main domain, creating a hierarchical structure for your content. They appear after the main domain name.
  • Example: example.com/blog, example.com/shop, example.com/support

SEO Implications: Subdomains vs. Subdirectories

1. Domain Authority and Link Equity

• Subdomains: Search engines often treat subdomains as independent entities, meaning they need to build their own domain authority and backlink profile from scratch. This can make it more challenging to rank subdomains in search results, especially for new websites.
• Subdirectories: Content within subdirectories benefits from the established domain authority and link equity of the main domain. This can lead to faster indexing and potentially better rankings.

2. Content Organization and Relevance

• Subdomains: Can be helpful for organizing distinct sections of your website, especially if they cater to different audiences or have different branding. For example, a large company with diverse product lines might use subdomains for each product.
• Subdirectories: Enhance topical relevance by grouping related content under the main domain. This signals to search engines that your website has in-depth coverage of a specific topic, potentially improving overall SEO performance.

3. User Experience (UX)

• Subdomains: Might create a perception of separate websites, potentially impacting user experience and navigation. Users might feel less connected to the main brand when navigating between subdomains.
• Subdirectories: Maintain a cohesive structure within the main domain, offering a more seamless and intuitive user experience.

When to Use Subdomains

• Distinct Brands or Products: If you have multiple brands or product lines that require separate identities, subdomains can be useful for separating them while maintaining an association with the main brand.
• Different Content Types or Audiences: If your website features vastly different types of content (e.g., a blog, an e-commerce store, a community forum) or targets distinct audiences, subdomains can help organize and cater to those differences.
• Technical or Hosting Requirements: Some hosting setups or technical limitations might necessitate the use of subdomains.
• Location-Specific Content: If you have content targeted to specific geographic regions, you might use subdomains (e.g., uk.example.com, ca.example.com).

When to Use Subdirectories

• Topical Relevance and SEO: If you want to enhance topical relevance and consolidate link equity for stronger SEO performance, subdirectories are generally preferred.
• Cohesive User Experience: Subdirectories maintain a unified structure within your main domain, providing a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
• Smaller Websites: For smaller websites with less diverse content, subdirectories can be a simpler and more efficient way to organize information.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Website

The choice between subdomains and subdirectories depends on your specific needs and priorities. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

• Prioritize SEO and UX: If your primary goal is to improve your website’s SEO and provide a cohesive user experience, subdirectories are generally the better choice.
• Separate Brands or Content: If you need to separate distinct brands, content types, or audiences, or if you face technical limitations, subdomains can be a viable option.

Ultimately, the key is to choose an approach that aligns with your website’s goals and provides the best possible experience for your users and search engines.