A subdomain is an extension of your domain that helps you organize content and expand your business offerings.<\/p>\n
It allows you to create standalone pages or functions, such as a blog or online store.<\/p>\n
Your URL has several parts. The protocol (HTTP or HTTPS<\/a>) comes before the subdomain. This is the file path that transfers data from a web server to your browser so it can load the website.<\/p>\n The root domain comes after the subdomain. It\u2019s made up of two parts:<\/p>\n The most common subdomain is \u201cwww\u201d or \u201cworld wide web.\u201d The subdirectory\u00a0 points users to the main directory of a website\u2014in other words, where your homepage and other core pages live.<\/p>\n Other subdomains work to create distinct parts of a site.<\/p>\n For example, Google\u2019s root domain is\u00a0www.google.com<\/a>. This is the address people type into a browser search bar to access Google search.<\/p>\n Over time, Google has grown to include a full suite of products independent of its search engine. To keep these separate, Google uses subdomains such as\u00a0docs.google.com<\/a>\u00a0for Google Docs and\u00a0ads.google.com<\/a>\u00a0for Google Ads.<\/p>\n Using subdomains keeps Google\u2019s search engine free from the distraction of other products. The lack of links and unrelated content lets Google focus visitors\u2019 attention on search, which is ultimately what they\u2019re there for.<\/p>\n Subdomains create a separate identity, and provide an opportunity to create a unique website within a website.<\/p>\n For example, Google Docs and Google Ads are unique products. A subdomain lets Google use a different design and content structure to create a clear distinction between them (and other products).<\/p>\n Google markets subdomains independently while keeping them under the umbrella of the primary domain that users know and trust.<\/p>\n Subdomains and subdirectories<\/a>\u00a0are both smaller subsets of a root domain that let you organize website content.<\/p>\n But there are distinct differences.<\/p>\n Say you run an online pet food store and want to add a blog to give your audience tips on feeding their pets a wholesome diet.<\/p>\n You can add your blog as a subdirectory by creating a new page in the same way you do for a product or service.<\/p>\n The blog becomes a folder within your primary domain. This means it uses the same design and\u00a0content management system<\/a>\u00a0(CMS) as the rest of your website.<\/p>\n When a user clicks through to your blog, the URL will look like this:\u00a0www.mypetstore.com\/blog<\/strong><\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s say your reason for creating a blog is to focus on another area of your business. For example, pet behavior training. The content is different from what\u2019s on your main site, so it makes sense to keep it separate.<\/p>\n Creating a subdomain lets you create a blog on a different CMS (e.g.,\u00a0WordPress<\/a>) with its own interface.<\/p>\n Your blog now sits outside of your main domain and the URL looks like this:\u00a0blog.mypetstore.com\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A subdomain always sits\u00a0before<\/strong>\u00a0the root domain in the URL. A subdirectory always sits\u00a0after<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Another slight difference between the two is how they affect the nested structure of your site.<\/p>\n With a subdirectory, you can add subfolders to the main folder that point to different categories. For example,\u00a0www.mypetstore.com\/blog\/pets<\/strong>\u00a0and then\u00a0www.mypetstore.com\/blog\/pets\/dogs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Because a subdomain acts like a root domain, you can add subdirectories to your subdomain to organize pages.<\/p>\n For example, ads.google.com has \u201chome\u201d as a subdirectory. This helps to organize succeeding pages. In this case, \u201chow it works\u201d follows the subdirectory and creates a clear path that flows from subdomain landing page to subdirectory to content.<\/p>\n This URL structure promotes\u00a0easy navigation<\/a>\u00a0for users and search engines.<\/p>\n Subdomains are best for content that is too distinct from your main website. For example, if the topic has a different purpose or requires a specific CMS or design.<\/p>\n The clear separation prevents user confusion and stops you from sending mixed messages to search engines about your content.<\/p>\n Subdirectories are best for content that is relevant to your main website.<\/p>\n For example, if your website is\u00a0www.mypetstore.com<\/strong>, it makes sense to place dog food in a subdirectory (e.g., www.mypetstore.com\/dog-food) as it fits with the main site.<\/p>\n Subdomains give webpages a unique identity while keeping them part of your main website. There are a few instances in which you can benefit from using them:<\/p>\n If your target blog topics and\u00a0keywords<\/a>\u00a0don\u2019t relate to the rest of your website, using a subdomain lets you engage visitors with different content.<\/p>\n For example, Fiverr\u2019s main website focuses on its marketplace of freelancer services.<\/p>\n Its\u00a0blog<\/a>\u00a0is a separate entity that features a variety of topics, such as company news and business tips. Fiverr hosts its blog on a subdomain, as seen in the screenshot below.<\/p>\n This allows Fiverr to organize its main site around the marketplace and grow its\u00a0content marketing<\/a>\u00a0without distracting from its central selling point (freelancer services).<\/p>\n A subdomain allows you to add\u00a0ecommerce<\/a>\u00a0functionality to a website. It also lets you keep your merchandise store separate from your main offering.<\/p>\n Say your website started as a blog, but you\u2019ve grown your audience to the point of selling products to monetize it.<\/p>\n With a subdomain, you can create an online store using an ecommerce platform (e.g., adding\u00a0Shopify<\/a>\u00a0or WooCommerce as a subdomain of a WordPress blog).<\/p>\n Hubspot, for example, is an inbound marketing platform that has expanded to offer a range of branded apparel.<\/p>\n A subdomain allows the company to market products and process transactions without having to change the code or functionality of its main site. It can also sell apparel without distracting from its main offer (marketing software).<\/p>\n Subdomains let you test a new version of an existing website or individual pages before they go live. So you can trial new features and fix bugs without affecting the functionality of the current site.<\/p>\n They also provide staging platforms for new websites. For example, Squarespace\u2019s website builder hosts newly created sites on a separate subdomain.<\/p>\n With this, users can build a website for free before committing. After a free trial ends, they can sign up to a Squarespace plan and either buy a domain or leave the site on the subdomain.<\/p>\n Many new small business websites are\u00a0responsive<\/a>\u00a0out of the box so that content adapts to each user\u2019s chosen device (e.g., mobile, tablet, desktop, etc.).<\/p>\n But if you\u2019re adding mobile functionality to an existing website built for desktop, a dedicated mobile subdomain makes it easier to create a tailored experience. Without having to overhaul your entire site.<\/p>\n Facebook, for example, defaults to the\u00a0m.facebook.com<\/a>\u00a0subdomain for users visiting on a mobile browser.<\/p>\n Instead of simply scaling down its desktop site, Facebook uses a subdomain to create a mobile-specific version. The site mimics the functionality of its app for easy scrolling, tapping, and typing.<\/p>\n This removes the potential frustration of users trying to navigate a desktop site on a smaller screen, and creates a positive user experience.<\/p>\n It also means Facebook keeps code for the two versions of the site separate. Development teams can work on the mobile site without worrying about the effect of changes on another platform.<\/p>\n A subdomain lets you create content for goals or\u00a0audiences<\/a>\u00a0that differ from your main website.<\/p>\n Take Lyft. Its ride.lyft.com subdomain homepage is for users who want to get a ride.<\/p>\n But this page isn\u2019t relevant to visitors who want to learn more about the company\u2019s self-driving cars.<\/p>\n For this audience, Lyft uses a different subdomain landing page.<\/p>\n This way, it keeps different parts of the business organized. Users who want to book a ride don\u2019t land on the site to learn about autonomous cars (and vice versa).<\/p>\n On autonomous.lyft.com, Lyft goes into detail on its technology without distracting from the goal of securing bookings.<\/p>\n An in-depth product warrants detailed resources to help users make the most of it. Where an\u00a0FAQ section<\/a>\u00a0can\u2019t answer all of the questions a customer might have, a subdomain creates a dedicated platform with its own navigation structure.<\/p>\n Take\u00a0Shopify\u2019s Help Center<\/a>. It gives users everything they need to get started, troubleshoot problems, and grow their business.<\/p>\n By keeping domains separate, Shopify can dedicate its main site to converting potential customers, while optimizing its subdomain around keywords for current ecommerce users (e.g., \u201cHow to add products to a store\u201d or \u201cUsing Shopify widgets\u201d).<\/p>\n If your business is expanding into a\u00a0new country<\/a>, a subdomain extension gives you a space to create content specific to the new audience.<\/p>\n For example, Yahoo! News uses ca.yahoo.com to curate news for Canadian readers and au.yahoo.com for readers in Australia.<\/p>\n This helps Yahoo! appear more relevant and legitimate to different audiences. Content is reputable and curated from respected local sources, which gives readers more reason to trust it as a news source.<\/p>\n You can create as many subdomain extensions as you need for free when you own your domain name.<\/p>\n This makes it a more cost-effective method of reaching different audiences than buying country-specific domains (e.g., mywebsite.ca, mywebsite.au, and mywebsite.fr).<\/p>\n You can also use subdomains to accommodate different languages. Wikipedia, for instance, makes it easy for users to find information in their native tongue with dedicated subdomains.<\/p>\n For example, fr.wikipedia.org is for French speakers and ja.wikipedia.org is for Japanese speakers.<\/p>\n A well-optimized subdomain can be as beneficial for SEO, just like any other part of your website.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because Google understands that subdomains are part of a larger domain and can see the relationship between the two.<\/p>\n Google bots can\u00a0find and index pages<\/a>\u00a0on a subdomain in the same way they do on a subdirectory.<\/p>\n Subdomains also have several advantages in terms of what Google looks for in an authoritative website.<\/p>\n With a subdomain, you can:<\/p>\n People can easily find relevant content on a subdomain. This helps create a positive\u00a0user experience<\/a>\u00a0and increases engagement.<\/p>\n The\u00a0more time visitors spend on your site<\/a>, the more Google sees it as reputable and valuable.<\/p>\n The result?<\/p>\n Pages that Google prioritizes in\u00a0search rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n So does this mean subdomains are a better option than subdirectories for SEO?<\/p>\n This is subject to debate.<\/p>\n Many SEOs favor subdirectories\u00a0over subdomains<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is because subdirectories benefit from the authority of the main domain.<\/p>\n When they sit on your website, new pages reap the rewards of the hard work you\u2019ve put into\u00a0earning backlinks<\/a>\u00a0and optimizing your existing content.<\/p>\n The authority from your most popular website pages filters down to the subdirectory, and allows you to achieve higher rankings and organic search performance quicker than a subdomain.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because with a subdomain, you\u2019re starting from scratch.<\/p>\n Although Google recognizes that a subdomain is a part of your primary domain, it sees it as a separate website.<\/p>\n This means the subdomain doesn\u2019t benefit from the main website\u2019s authority and vice versa.<\/p>\n As Google\u2019s\u00a0John Mueller explains<\/a>:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to verify subdomains separately in Search Console, make any changes to settings, and track overall performance per subdomain\u2026 We do have to learn how to crawl them separately, but for the most part, that\u2019s just a formality for the first few days.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The video is from 2017, but the advice is still relevant today.<\/p>\n Essentially, you have to optimize a subdomain as though it\u2019s a different website, which means working on a blank canvas. With no authority to leverage, seeing positive results will take longer.<\/p>\n And when you do eventually achieve high rankings for your subdomain, the separation means it won\u2019t provide a boost for your primary site like good website optimization of a subdirectory will.<\/p>\n What it will do, however, is grow overall\u00a0brand visibility<\/a>\u00a0and drive traffic to different parts of your business.<\/p>\n For this reason, subdomains are best used for SEO when content is different from the rest of your site, but you want to associate it with your brand (e.g., Lyft\u2019s autonomous car subdomain).<\/p>\n This lets you optimize for new keywords to secure traffic from a specific audience.<\/p>\n What you don\u2019t want to do is have a subdomain targeting the same keywords as your main site. If you do, you run the risk of\u00a0cannibalizing keywords<\/a>\u00a0and competing against yourself in search results.<\/p>\n This can result in your subdomain pulling visitors away from your main website, which may be better set up to convert them.<\/p>\n You can add a new subdomain to your root domain via the dashboard of your hosting provider.<\/p>\n How you do this will differ slightly depending on your web hosting interface, but the process is mostly the same across platforms.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll use IONOS as an example.<\/p>\n First, log in to your account and access your domain settings control panel (CPanel).<\/p>\n For IONOS, go to \u201cDomains & SSL<\/strong>\u201d and click on your primary domain name. From the \u201cDomain Details<\/strong>\u201d page, click on \u201cSubdomains<\/strong>\u201d > \u201cCreate Subdomain<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Type the name of your subdomain prefix.<\/p>\n Keep this related to the type of subdomain you want to create. For example, \u201cShop\u201d to add an ecommerce site or \u201cHelp\u201d for a help center.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re creating a subdomain to target a new language, use the correct country code top-level domain (ccTLD). You\u2019ll find a full list of these on the\u00a0World Standards website<\/a>.<\/p>\n This helps prevent confusion for users. It also makes it easier to keep content organized for SEO analysis and auditing.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re happy with your subdomain name, click \u201cSave<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s it. Your hosting provider adds the subdomain to your domain name system (DNS) settings.<\/p>\n It can take up to 48 hours for your domain registrar to fully implement the subdomain. Otherwise, you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n Your new domain will appear under \u201cSubdomains<\/strong>\u201d in your domain name system (DNS) settings.<\/p>\n For SEO purposes, you have to treat a subdomain as another website that you optimize alongside your primary domain and subdirectories. Semrush has several tools to ease your workload.<\/p>\n Organic Research<\/strong>\u00a0reports tell you about your root domain\u2019s top organic competitors and what keywords they get traffic from.<\/p>\n Use this to understand how other brands in your industry perform well in search and what opportunities there are for you to compete on specific keywords.<\/p>\n To start, type your competitor\u2019s subdomain into the\u00a0Organic Research<\/a>\u00a0search bar, choose your region. Then hit \u201cSearch<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Further reading<\/strong>:\u00a0Organic Research Overview<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Position Tracking<\/strong>\u00a0lets you measure the impact of your subdomain content in daily search rankings.<\/p>\n Use this to learn which pages get the most traffic for your\u00a0target keywords<\/a>\u00a0and spot pages that need improvement.<\/p>\n This will make it easy to prioritize where to focus your time and energy to boost your SEO.<\/p>\n To analyze your subdomain keywords, type your primary domain into the\u00a0Position Tracking<\/a>\u00a0search bar, then click \u201cSet up tracking<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n In the configuring setup, click \u201cas Root domain<\/strong>.\u201d Select \u201cas<\/strong>\u00a0Subdomain<\/strong>\u201d and enter your subdomain URL.<\/p>\n Choose your location and click \u201cContinue to Keywords<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Next, enter the keywords you want to track and click \u201cAdd keywords to campaign<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Leave the box checked to receive weekly performance updates. Hit \u201cStart Tracking<\/strong>\u201d and Semrush will gather your keyword data.<\/p>\n Further reading:<\/strong>\u00a0Position Tracking Overview<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Site Audit<\/strong>\u00a0crawls your subdomain to analyze its health and flag any issues hampering search performance.<\/p>\n Use this to see where your subdomain is struggling and learn which problems to fix to improve your SEO.<\/p>\n Type your primary domain into the\u00a0Site Audit<\/a>\u00a0search bar. Then, hit \u201cStart Audit<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n In the \u201cConfigure basic settings<\/strong>\u201d tab of the Site Audit Settings pop-up, click the pencil icon next to \u201cCrawl<\/strong>\u00a0scope<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n Change your domain name to your subdomain. Then, hit \u201cUpdate<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n If you want to make your audit more specific, you can customize the limit of pages to check, and allow or disallow URLs in Step 3 of the setup. Otherwise, the tool is already configured.<\/p>\n Click \u201cStart Site Audit<\/strong>\u201d and the tool will scan for more than 140 common issues, ranked by priority and importance.<\/p>\n\n
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Subdomains vs. Subdirectories<\/h2>\n
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Should You Use a Subdomain or Subdirectory?<\/h3>\n
When to Use Subdomains<\/h2>\n
Creating a Blog<\/h3>\n
Adding an Ecommerce Store<\/h3>\n
Testing or Building a New Website<\/h3>\n
Optimizing for Mobile<\/h3>\n
Targeting New Customers or Business Goals<\/h3>\n
Adding a Help Center or Forum<\/h3>\n
Reaching International Audiences<\/h3>\n
Are Subdomains Good for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?<\/h2>\n
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Subdomains vs. Subdirectories for SEO<\/h3>\n
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How to Create a Subdomain<\/h2>\n
Optimize Your Subdomains with Semrush<\/h2>\n
Organic Research<\/h3>\n
Position Tracking<\/h3>\n
Site Audit<\/h3>\n