After all, the architect\u2019s work is only just beginning once the perfect plot of land has been acquired. So let\u2019s find out what the difference between domain, subdomain, and subfolder path is and when to use them for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domain vs Subdomain vs Subfolder Path<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This might sound a little complicated, but it\u2019s easy if you start from then beginning. If you\u2019re wondering \u201cwhat is a domain name\u201d, then we had better start off with some definitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domain: <\/strong>The domain, or domain name, is the main naming portion of your online platform. All domains are made up of a root name like Atom and an extension or TLD like .com. Thus, our domain name is Atom.com. Domain is also known as root domain to distinguish it from subdomains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subdomains<\/strong>: Subdomains are used to indicate significant subsections of a website and come before the name portions of the domain, like the blog in \u201cblog.hubspot.com\u201d or store.google.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subfolder Path: <\/strong>Subfolder path refers to the tail-end directions in a URL that lead to a specific page of your website. In the early days of website building<\/a>, individual web pages would be stored as HTML files in folders, much like how the files on your computer are found: on your computer, a file\u2019s location will appear as My files\/Downloads\/Screenshot.png.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A similar pattern guides web users to a specific page on your website, taking the fully qualified domain name https:\/\/www.Atom.com and adding a subfolder (also called a subdirectory) and path such as \/blog\/domain-redirection to create the full URL: https:\/\/www.atom.com\/blog\/domain-redirection\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The architecture of a website has moved on from HTML files in folders, but we still use this naming convention in the URLs that guide users to the individual pages of our site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A full URL includes a protocol like HTTPS, and the subdomain, domain, and subfolder path to identify a particular web page. Both subdomains and subfolders distinguish different parts of your website, but there are some key differences in how they\u2019re used. These impact both the experience of users of your website and how search engines crawl, index and rank your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your root domain is the name of your whole website and is found in the address of every webpage. Subdomains and subfolders are different ways to organize these pages. While a subfolder like yourbusiness.com\/blog\/ guides users to a part of the larger website, a subdomain blog.yourbusiness.com acts like a whole new website for the blog content of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the key differences between subdomain and subfolder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subdomains and subfolders each organize your website in different ways, but out of all of these key differences, one matters more than most for website performance. That\u2019s SEO, and it\u2019s often the main consideration of website operators when they\u2019re choosing between subdomains and subfolders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re considering domain vs subdomain vs subfolder, there\u2019s more at stake than the aesthetics of your URLs<\/a>. Subdomains and subfolder paths could have an impact on SEO, your site\u2019s ranking, and how many customers will find your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The traditional view among SEO experts<\/a> holds that subfolders are better from an SEO perspective. This is because search engines like Google treat subdomains as whole new websites, while subfolders are treated as part of the root domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that using subfolder paths for your website should strengthen your site\u2019s performance, while subdomains could dilute the impact of your website content on SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, the backlinks you gain on subfolder URLs should benefit your site overall. Backlinks on subdomain URLs may not have the same impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, Google also rates sites by authority, which it gauges by the strength of content across the website. Using subfolder paths for your content shows Google that you have comprehensive content on a subject. Splitting it by subdomain could hurt your authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While subfolder paths or subdirectories are generally considered the best option from an SEO perspective, there might be times when subdomains make sense. For example, if you have a lot of content that\u2019s unrelated to the content of your main site, a subdomain keeps this content separate and allows it to rank by its own authority, rather than that of the main site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This explains why the New York Times uses a subdomain for its recipe content. While undoubtedly a strong source of traffic, this content is far removed from the main news-oriented content of the root domain<\/p>\n\n\n\n As subdomains are treated as new websites, they may also offer benefits for interlinking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, subdomains also offer the possibility of appearing not once but twice in SERP (search engine results page). Yourdomain.com and blog.yourdomain.com could both rank highly for keywords if you get the SEO right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While there are compelling SEO reasons to prefer subfolder paths over subdomains except in particular cases, it ultimately might not matter too much. According to webmaster trends analyst John Mueller<\/a>, Google is fine with both subdomains and subfolders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Mueller, the only major point of difference is that Google crawls subdomains separately, a process that takes a few days. After that, subdomain content should rank as well as subfolder path content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Google\u2019s algorithm has been through multiple updates<\/a> since this explainer from Mueller. Given that subdomains pose SEO challenges, using subfolder paths should be considered the safe option for your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subfolders keep your website easily organized, provide consistent branding and a straightforward user experience, and in general, a subdomain poses larger SEO challenges than a subfolder path. Without a compelling reason to use a subdomain, subfolders are the best choice for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, when a returning user wants to search for your website in the browser search bar, they\u2019ll generally start with the root domain name. Since a subdomain comes before the root domain, subdomains won\u2019t always be prompted from the browser search history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should go with subfolders unless you have a specific reason to use a subdomain. Let\u2019s take a look at when to consider a subdomain and when to stick with subfolder paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subfolder paths are the best way to organize your website\u2019s content, unless there\u2019s a strong reason to use a subdomain. These might be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For distinctive functionality: <\/strong>If a particular section of your website is distinct from your overall branding project, a subdomain keeps it separate. This allows you to differentiate your main brand from the subdomain\u2019s content, and even use a new UI (user interface) if it will help your customers navigate that content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, clothing brand Patagonia uses the subdomain wornwear.patagonia.com for its used gear exchange. Patagonia\u2019s business model is built on an ethical, climate-conscious approach, so this element of its business is on-brand, but it\u2019s also distinct enough from the main site that it merits a subdomain. On Patagonia\u2019s root domain patagonia.com, they\u2019re selling new products, and integrating Worn Wear under a subfolder path could confuse customers about whether they\u2019re buying new, or used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patagonia\u2019s use of the subdomain differentiates this part of their business, provides clarity to customers, and bolsters their overall brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For SEO independence: <\/strong>As we\u2019ve seen, there are SEO pitfalls to subdomains but if a substantial portion of your website\u2019s content is on a distinct topic, then a subdomain allows it to rank independently on its own authority, unaffected by the rest of your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the reasoning behind the subdomain cooking.nytimes.com. The cooking content is distinct, and also evergreen \u2014 it\u2019s static and unchanging \u2014 compared to the rest of the site\u2019s dynamic news content. A subdomain carves this content out as a separate entity and allows it to flourish independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For technical reasons: <\/strong>Subdomains are also often used to create separate web spaces for testing new features and designs. Dev.domain.com or staging.domain.com allow you to test new features before rolling them out to your users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Subfolders are an easier choice all around and should be your go-to in the absence of one of the reasons listed above. Here\u2019s when you should use prioritize subfolder paths:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For consistent branding: <\/strong>Subfolder paths will share the same design as your other pages on your website, allowing for a coherent branding experience for your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For easy navigation: <\/strong>The structure of domain -> subfolder -> path is easy to follow. Customers can navigate forwards and backwards along this linear architecture, and find the pages they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For straightforward SEO: <\/strong>Because subfolder paths are treated as pages of your root domain, the backlinks you receive to a subfolder path page will always benefit your site as a whole, and the content will contribute to a comprehensive authority on a given topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both subdomains and subfolder paths can be great for your SEO, as long as you\u2019re choosing them for the right reasons. You should think about the experience users are having across your website \u2014 is the content or business arm distinct enough for a subdomain? Would it benefit from distinctive branding, or would your overall brand be strengthened by consistency and coherence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you get there, you\u2019ll need a strong domain name, because when it\u2019s domain vs subdomain, the domain name comes first. Choose a premium domain name<\/a> that emphasizes your business\u2019s brand positioning, connects with customers, and reassures them with an elite TLD<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the Difference Between Subdomain and Subfolder Path?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The SEO Differences of Subdomains and Subfolders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Google\u2019s View<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When to Use Subdomains and Subfolders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When you should use a subdomain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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When you should use subfolder paths<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wrapping Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n