Subdomains Vs
Folders/Subdirectories
Explained
Your website is more than just an online presence; it’s a vital tool for driving traffic, building credibility, and converting visitors into customers. However, the way your website is structured – whether using subdomains or folders – can have a significant impact on your business’s growth. If your business relies on third-party systems or has disconnected services, it’s even more critical to get this right.
This post will explore how to optimise your website structure, address common challenges, and help you decide whether subdomains or folders are the best fit for your business.
Why Your Website Structure Matters
Your website’s structure impacts:
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): How search engines discover and rank your content.
- Brand Credibility: The professionalism and trustworthiness of your online presence.
- Customer Experience: How easily visitors navigate your site and find what they need.
- Flexibility and Scalability: Your ability to add new features or adapt to growth.
A Real-World Scenario: Limited Visibility with Third-Party Platforms
During a recent project, we supported a client in the property rental industry. Their booking and property listing system was hosted on a third-party platform, which presented several issues:
- SEO Constraints: The third-party platform didn’t allow control over key SEO elements like metadata or structured data.
- Marketing Limitations: The client couldn’t create blog posts, share updates, or optimise their site to rank higher in search results.
- Disconnected Branding: Their main domain wasn’t used for active marketing, leaving potential customers with a lacklustre first impression.
Our Solution:
- Move the booking system to a subdomain (e.g., booking.example.com) to maintain operational functionality.
- Use the main domain for a marketing-focused site (e.g., example.com) to drive SEO and create content like blogs, testimonials, and service pages.
- Integrate the subdomain and main domain to provide a seamless user experience, linking listings and booking services directly from the marketing site.
Common Challenges and Solutions
1. Third-Party Platforms Limiting Visibility
If your business uses external platforms for bookings, eCommerce, or customer portals, you may face:
- Poor search engine rankings.
- Limited control over how your services are presented online.
Solution:
- Move third-party systems to a subdomain (e.g., portal.example.com).
- Use the main domain for content marketing, branding, and SEO.
When to Use Subdomains
- For distinct systems or services that require independent hosting or technologies.
Examples:
- Booking portals: booking.example.com
- Online stores: shop.example.com
- Customer dashboards: portal.example.com
When to Use Folders
- For SEO-driven content or sections tightly integrated with your brand.
Examples:
- Blog: example.com/blog
- Service pages: example.com/services
- Case studies: example.com/case-studies
Need Help?
Learn more about our services and how we can support your business growth.
Struggling to optimise your website structure? Let us help you improve your online visibility, customer experience, and marketing strategy. Our team at VividBlock is ready to assist you.
Email: [email protected] Phone: 0330 229 0041
