How Do Subdomains Affect SEO? Understanding Their Impact
While browsing the digital realms of the internet, you might observe variations in the URLs as you hop from one website to the next. Often, you’ll come across basic URLs like www.exampledomain.com. However, at times, you might stumble upon something more intricate like www.blog.exampledomain.com.
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In the latter example, the term “blog” serves as a subdomain, employed to distinguish different sections of the same website.
In this comprehensive guide, we will dive deep into the concept of subdomains, their usage, and, most importantly, their influence on SEO.
Defining a Subdomain
A subdomain is a prefix added to the primary domain name, aimed at segregating and structuring the content of a website.
Subdomains provide an efficient method to segment various portions of a site, for instance, differentiating a blog from the core sections of your platform.
Breaking down a URL, there are three fundamental components:
- Top-Level Domain (TLD): The suffix at the conclusion, such as .com, .net, or .edu.
- Second-Level Domain (SLD): This segment represents the unique part of the domain. In the case of MXDMarketing.com, MXDMarketing becomes the SLD.
- Subdomain: In a URL like blog.MXDMarketing.com, “blog” serves as the subdomain, distinctly separating that section from the rest of the platform.
Businesses leverage subdomains to categorize different website parts, enhancing user navigation and organization.
For instance, considering Wikipedia, they utilize subdomains to segregate various language versions. The primary objective behind employing subdomains is to streamline the user experience.
Crafting a Subdomain
Setting up a subdomain is straightforward, typically executed via your web hosting provider.
To illustrate, let’s use HostGator as a representative:
Step 1: Accessing Your Account
Initiate by logging into the dashboard, and browse until you locate the domain section.
Step 2: Formulate a Subdomain
Proceed to specify your subdomain’s name and designate the primary domain it should link to. For demonstration purposes, consider a sports-related website.
Step 3: Modify DNS Records
Upon configuring the subdomain, you’ll be prompted to insert a new Domain Name System (DNS) record. It’s vital to note that DNS changes might require between an hour and a full day to become active, so immediate adjustments might not be visible.
Subdomain vs. Subdirectory
One prevalent area of confusion revolves around distinguishing between subdomains and subdirectories. Let’s elucidate with examples:
A subdomain might look like:
blog.MXDMarketing.com
Conversely, a subdirectory appears as:
MXDMarketing.com/blog
For subdirectories, the appended segment remains within the primary domain, inherently considered as part of the overall website. Google perceives it as merely an extension, not a distinct entity.
Contrarily, subdomains are designed to operate independently, signaling Google to evaluate them as separate websites. A crucial aspect to remember: subdirectories succeed the domain, while subdomains precede it.
The ensuing debate, “subdomain vs. subdirectory,” often hinges on their respective SEO benefits. Google interprets subdomains as distinct from the parent domain. Consequently, all associated content and links don’t contribute to the parent domain’s overall rating. This segregation can be advantageous or detrimental, contingent on your objectives.
For endeavors entirely unrelated to the main domain, where potential harm to the parent domain’s reputation exists, employing a subdomain is beneficial. Conversely, if the subdomain’s content closely aligns with the parent domain, this division can negatively affect the consolidated SEO efforts.
Emphasizing the importance of user experience in today’s digital landscape, subdomains might seem appealing. However, as stated by John Mueller from Google, initial hurdles only persist for a brief period when Google learns to crawl subdomains. Subsequent distinctions between subdomains and subdirectories, in most instances, are marginal. Therefore, SEO experts often prioritize areas like content enhancement and mobile optimization.
When to Opt for a Subdomain?
Grasping the intricacies between subdomains and subdirectories, the ensuing question is determining the optimal scenario for their application.
Isolation from Main Domain
In instances where content needs segregation from the primary site, subdomains serve as an apt choice. An exemplary case is incorporating an online store. Analyzing a snapshot from Nascar, their e-commerce section utilizes a subdomain. Given the distinct purposes of Nascar’s news updates and its merchandise store, separate SEO strategies are warranted.
Enhancing Site Structure
Both Google’s guidelines and user preferences underscore the significance of a seamless on-site experience. A cluttered or convoluted site often deters visitors. Subdomains can rectify this, streamlining content and improving navigation. This structured approach ensures visitors effortlessly locate desired information.
Language-Based Segregation
Global entities operating across diverse linguistic regions often employ subdomains for each language variant. Apart from the aforementioned Wikipedia instance, numerous global brands adopt this strategy. It not only bolsters site organization but also directs Google to display content relevant to the user’s linguistic preference.
When Should You Not Use a Subdomain?
If you’re using SEO as your primary way of generating traffic for your site, you might want to avoid subdomains. You want to create cohesiveness across your brand and that includes all aspects of your website.
There’s no reason you shouldn’t put keyword-rich content on sales and product pages as well. By treating your store as a separate site from your blog, Google isn’t taking that link juice and keyword richness and passing it off to your main site.
Keep in mind, Google won’t punish you for doing these things, but it will have no benefit to you either.
I think the focus should be on crafting high-quality and relevant content as your primary means of giving your site an SEO boost. You can still organize your site in a way that works well for everyone without having to use subdomains.
What Are the SEO Benefits of Using a Subdomain?
Improve the On-Site Experience
A massive UX study performed by Amazon Web Services found that 88 percent of online shoppers would not return to a site if they had a bad experience. Remember this, our job is to recreate the in-store experience but do so online. The same rules apply online.
Boost Your Domain Authority
Domain authority is a rating that essentially states how well you’re trusted to provide what searchers are looking for. When a site is first created, it’s automatically given a score of 1. One great way to use subdomains to increase domain authority is by linking between the two domains. According to Brian Dean, only 2.2 percent of content gets links from multiple websites, so every step you take helps.
Better Organize Your Content
I’ve talked a lot about user experience and content organization but it’s important to understand why this matters. When your content is organized, it’s not just easier for people to find—it also makes it easier for Google to crawl your site.
Allow You to Include Relevant Keywords in Your URL
As of 2018, John Mueller said that keywords in URLs have very little to do with ranking or user experience. In my opinion, they can very easily have a negative impact, but it’s much more difficult for them to have a positive impact. Including keywords as an overarching subdomain to help organize content could positively affect your SEO.
What Are the SEO Drawbacks of Using a Subdomain?
Subdomains Can Dilute Your SEO
Having an unnecessary subdomain spreads your SEO efforts across two sites. The consequences can be even worse if you have a blog on a subdomain. Companies with blogs get 97 percent more inbound links, so those links benefit only your blog subdomain and leave your primary URL out to dry.
They Won’t Help With Internal Linking
Links to a subdomain are considered an external link. If you’re linking from a subdomain to a main page, it doesn’t count as an internal link and could possibly force Google to see your site as weak or “thin.”
A Little More Difficult for Google to Crawl
Earlier in the article, I talked about how Jon Mueller said the algorithm needs to learn to crawl subdomains separately. Since subdomains are a separate site, you’ll need to verify them and track everything in Search Console and Analytics separately.
Should My Blog Be on a Subdomain?
Many website owners face the dilemma of whether to host their blog on a subdomain or in a subdirectory of their main domain. The decision often boils down to SEO implications and structural preferences.
A blog on a subdomain (e.g., blog.example.com) is treated as a separate entity by search engines. This means it has its own set of link equity and authority. This can be advantageous if you want to create a distinct brand presence for your blog, separate from your main website. However, any authority and links gained by the blog won’t directly benefit the main domain.
On the other hand, a blog in a subdirectory (e.g., example.com/blog) benefits from the main domain’s authority and link equity. This makes it potentially easier to rank content. But, this structure also means that the blog is closely tied to the main website’s brand and structure.
In conclusion, the choice between a subdomain and a subdirectory for your blog depends on your branding and SEO strategy. It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons based on your specific goals and resources.
Does Google Penalize Subdomains?
There’s a misconception that Google inherently penalizes subdomains or treats them unfavorably. In reality, Google’s algorithms are designed to rank content based on quality, relevance, and other ranking factors, irrespective of whether it’s on a main domain, subdomain, or subdirectory.
However, since subdomains are seen as separate entities, it’s possible for them to have a distinct reputation from the main domain. If a subdomain hosts low-quality content or engages in black-hat SEO practices, it can get penalized without directly affecting the main domain. Conversely, high-quality content and genuine SEO efforts on a subdomain will improve its rankings but won’t necessarily boost the main domain’s authority.
The key takeaway is that Google doesn’t penalize subdomains by default. Like any other site, the content’s quality and the SEO practices employed determine a subdomain’s ranking. It’s always essential to maintain high standards, regardless of your website’s structure.
