Loading...
Answers
MenuWhich is better for SEO: subfolder or subdomain?
What would be the best approach for SEO where you have a domain (premium .net framework model) hosted on say server A, and you create another site (free PHP/wordpress model) to drive traffic to it. Would you host the latter as a subfolder or subdomain? Also, where would you choose to host the subdomain or subfolder, on server A or elsewhere?
Answers
Great Question! As I'm sure many other SEO's here have mentioned.. you should absolutely be leveraging the sub-folder as opposed to the sub-domain as Google and Bing associate sub domains as separate entities with their own value metrics outside of the primary root.
The only real time I would recommend a sub-domain over a sub-directory would be due to platform restrictions (Shopify, Wix, etc) where you don't have access to build an infrastructure to support nested content from multiple hosts.
Definitely worth chatting about, however you shouldn't have any problems using the sub folder with any other host you'd like.
I would always choose sub-folders over sub-domains. For the most part, sub-domains are treated as separate websites (not entirely, but for the most part), and sub-folders are treated as part the main site. Links to internal pages tend to pass more weight than links to external sites.
More details here: https://www.polepositionmarketing.com/emp/seo-job-knowledge-interview-question-22-sub-domains-vs-folders/
Subfolder is definitely the way to go. Here is why:
With subfolder, you share SEO juice with the root level domain.
If you do sub-domain, it's like a whole new domain (in the eyes of Google) and will not get any existing SEO benefit.
Good luck
Subfolder all the way. There have been numerous tests done on this question, and they all show that the subfolder option gives you the benefit of the main domain. When you create a subdomain, search engines look at that as a whole other site, and you do not get the same benefit from being associated with the main domain.
Related Questions
-
How Google can index/reindex my page as quickest as possible, as and where there is some change happen in the content?
Hi, Your site is a Q&A so I presume that every time someone create a new Question it will generate a unique URL for that. Indepentend if you have or not an answer you want Google to crawl and index your site as quick as possible to start to analyzing the new page and bring traffic to it. The best way to expedite this "re-crawling" is to use a ping service that you can trigger after your user answer the question. PS: If you site is updated frequently you shouldn't have a problem with crawling, because Google usually identify this type of website really quick. Drop me a call is free for this week. Best,YM
-
My business offers two different types of services. Should I combine them in one webpage, or create two?
Two key concerns are 1. Customer confusion with the 2 offerings: Imagine being in an art gallery that sells photography training and fine art or a book store that tries to sell you fine art. Even if it's the same group of people, they may be in very different mind-sets and hence may not associate both together. 2. SEO challenges with mixed messages you're sending. Which keywords would you optimize for which part of the site? Advantage would be if the customer base is the same group of people, hence offering cross-sell opportunities. For instance, if your MAIN source of leads for the training site is the art site, then this would be more important. In general, I would suggest one site for one customer group. If there is likely to be a very high overlap, then same site, with multiple sub-sites might work. In matter of fact, it'll probably be EASIER to do two sites for this than one site. Your designer will thank you :) Then tastefully add cross-links in the places where someone is likely to use them. For instance the art gallery could have a post 'How I make art' and links to your other business there. And the photog training site would have your art pics with subtle on-image links to your art biz. While I'm not a branding expert, I do find that my engineering lead approach to challenges in Marketing/Sales usually works, and provides clarity and direction.PK
-
Is it possible in woocommerce to display Shipping methods first on the checkout page?
Yes. https://docs.woothemes.com/document/configuring-woocommerce-settings/SN
-
Will moving my website to another web host / server affect my google rankings?
Typically just moving from one server to the next has no issues at all so long as you're not making any other changes to the site, such as changing URLs in a re-design process. Just make sure its a quality, respected server. If the server has issues then, yeah, you'll inherit them. But otherwise you'll be fine.SD
-
How do you build a high traffic niche website?
Obviously, no 2 situations are alike; and multiple factors affect any outcome. Practically, the number of answers is infinite. But one factor I've looked at intensively, full time for years is the role played by the brand name and/or the site's domain(s). Think of doing business -- online or off -- as moving along a path. Some paths are rocky or go through quicksand. Others can be made straight and smooth. Obstacles can be cleared, or the surface may be lubricated. For most niches, you'll see brand names / domains that add friction -- friction that is compensated for by extra marketing inputs ... effort or money. Suppose your niche were nicotine patches. Well, ideally you might own NicotinePatch(es).com to simplify brand recognition, add trust, increase click-through rates, and so forth. Traffic can be built up without an exact-match domain. No doubt about that. Still, not all domains / names perform equally well online or in the minds' of an audience. Answers aren't always so clear cut. However, since the internet is built on domain names, domains and names are worth evaluating very deliberately.JP
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.