{"id":13603,"date":"2022-05-19T05:22:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T05:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginejournal.com\/subdomain-subdirectory-cctld-which-one-should-you-use\/448277\/"},"modified":"2022-05-19T05:22:09","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T05:22:09","slug":"subdomain-subdirectory-cctld-which-one-should-you-use-via-sejournal-wburton27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/?p=13603","title":{"rendered":"Subdomain, Subdirectory & ccTLD: Which One Should You Use? via @sejournal, @wburton27"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When it\u2019s time to launch a new site, undergo a site migration or change your CMS, launch a new product, or make another major change, what overarching site structure to use is one of the most common questions.<\/p>\n

Should we use or change over to a subdirectory, subdomain, or use a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) if we have international content?<\/p>\n

And is one better than the other?<\/p>\n

Google says there isn\u2019t a difference.<\/p>\n

This is definitely a topic that falls resoundingly in the \u201cit all depends\u201d box.<\/p>\n

After all, when it comes to SEO, there are a lot of factors to consider.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s break down the pros and cons of each option and help you decide which is best for your website.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s define subdomain, subdirectory, and a ccTLD.<\/p>\n

Subdomain, Subdirectory And ccTLD Defined<\/h2>\n

A subdomain is a unique domain that is part of a larger domain.<\/p>\n

For example, you could create a subdomain for your blog or another section of your site that sells products or if you need to differentiate content.<\/p>\n

This would give you a URL that looks like this: blog.example.com or productname.subdomain.com.<\/p>\n

Subdomains are often used to create separate website sections with distinct content.<\/p>\n

A subdirectory is a folder on your website that contains separate pages or pieces of content.<\/p>\n

For example, if you were managing the GAP, I would recommend a simple and SEO-friendly product subdirectory instead of the URL they have now, i.e., https:\/\/www.gap.com\/browse\/category.do?cid=6998&nav=expmore%3Amen%3Acategories%3Ajeans#pageId=0&department=75.<\/p>\n

Subdirectories are often used to create separate website sections with distinct content.<\/p>\n

A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a unique domain specific to a certain country.<\/p>\n

For example, if you have a website for your business in Canada, you will need a ccTLD for the site, i.e., bestbuy.ca.<\/p>\n

Pros And Cons Of Using A Subdomain<\/h2>\n

There are some benefits and drawbacks to using a subdomain when the overwhelming bulk of the content will be substantially unique from the root domain.<\/p>\n

It comes down to what the publisher is trying to accomplish with that new content.<\/p>\n

Will they make an effort to establish the necessary link equity?<\/p>\n

Is the new content really that substantially unique from the primary content of the root domain?<\/p>\n

Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n