Story Based Question
Imagine a global e-commerce brand with several product lines. They have separate websites for each country (e.g., us.example.com, uk.example.com, and fr.example.com) and a blog on a subdomain (blog.example.com). Despite their strong brand presence, the company’s SEO performance is fragmented, with inconsistent rankings across the different regions. They’re unsure how to manage this complex setup without harming their overall SEO.
The marketing team asks for help in consolidating their SEO efforts across these domains and subdomains without creating confusion for Google or users. How would you approach managing SEO across multiple domains or subdomains effectively?
Exact Answer
To manage SEO across multiple domains or subdomains, focus on region-specific SEO (Hreflang tags), ensure each domain is optimized for its target audience, avoid duplicate content, and strategically use cross-linking while managing content silos.
Explanation
When managing content across multiple domains or subdomains, it’s crucial to treat each as a separate entity while maintaining a unified brand strategy. Here’s how to handle it:
- Use Hreflang Tags for Multiregional or Multilingual Sites
If you’re targeting multiple regions or languages, Hreflang tags are essential. These tell Google which version of a page to display based on the user’s location or language preference.- For example, us.example.com might target English-speaking users in the U.S., while fr.example.com targets French speakers in France.
- Add Hreflang tags to both the HTML of each page and the sitemap to help Google serve the right page to the right audience.
- Optimize Each Domain or Subdomain for Its Specific Audience
Treat each domain or subdomain as a unique entity, optimizing it for its intended audience:- Country-Specific Domains: If you have us.example.com, uk.example.com, and so on, ensure each is localized with relevant content, pricing, and offerings.
- Subdomains: The blog on blog.example.com should focus on engaging content, while product pages on store.example.com should have clear sales copy, product descriptions, and reviews.
- Avoid Duplicate Content Across Domains
If similar content exists across multiple domains or subdomains, Google might penalize you for duplicate content.- Use canonical tags on duplicate pages to tell Google which version is the primary one to index.
- Ensure content on each site is unique or tailored to its audience, rather than simply copying and pasting across domains.
- Create Cross-Linking Opportunities
Use internal linking wisely across your domains or subdomains to boost SEO and improve user navigation.- For example, the blog on blog.example.com can link to product pages on us.example.com and uk.example.com to drive traffic between the two and enhance the user journey.
- Make sure cross-linking is relevant to avoid looking spammy.
- Consolidate Analytics and Search Console Data
Keep track of your SEO performance on all domains and subdomains in one place.- Use Google Search Console to monitor the performance of each domain or subdomain separately, but look at the bigger picture in Google Analytics to understand how users move between different parts of your website.
- Track metrics like user behavior, traffic sources, and conversions across domains for insights into how well each one is performing.
- Manage Content Silos
Avoid content silos by ensuring your site architecture is logically organized.- For example, create distinct sections for different product categories or regions within your site to enhance both user experience and SEO.
- Organize content in a way that helps users easily find relevant products or articles, and search engines understand the structure of your website.
Example
Let’s apply this to the global e-commerce brand scenario.
Problem:
The company has multiple domains, like us.example.com, uk.example.com, and fr.example.com, and a blog on blog.example.com, but SEO is fragmented.
Steps Taken:
- Hreflang Tags:
- Add Hreflang tags on the US site (e.g.,
<link rel="alternate" href="https://us.example.com/page" hreflang="en-us">) to indicate it’s intended for U.S. audiences. - Use Hreflang tags on the UK site (e.g.,
<link rel="alternate" href="https://uk.example.com/page" hreflang="en-gb">) for British audiences.
- Add Hreflang tags on the US site (e.g.,
- Optimize Each Domain:
- US Domain: Tailor the content for U.S. users, with American prices, delivery options, and product availability.
- UK Domain: Add pricing in pounds and UK-specific product offerings.
- Avoid Duplicate Content:
- Ensure product descriptions and blog content are unique across domains.
- Use canonical tags on similar blog posts across the sites, like “10 Best Winter Jackets,” which may apply to both U.S. and UK audiences.
- Cross-Linking:
- Link from the blog.example.com to relevant product pages like “Shop Winter Jackets” on both us.example.com and uk.example.com.
- Cross-promote content between the domains to increase user engagement and internal linking authority.
- Analytics:
- Use Google Analytics to monitor user behavior on each domain and track cross-domain traffic.
- Set up Google Search Console for each subdomain or domain to track search queries, backlinks, and site performance individually.
- Content Siloing:
- On each site, create categories such as “Winter Clothing” or “Special Offers” and organize content into logical silos.
- Make sure the blog’s content is categorized by topics like “fashion tips” or “holiday gift guides,” linking to product categories on the e-commerce site.
Result:
By using Hreflang tags, optimizing for local audiences, and managing cross-domain linking, the company improves their rankings across all markets and creates a seamless experience for users in different countries.
Managing content across multiple domains or subdomains requires strategic localization, structured data, and careful organization. By following best practices, you can ensure each domain performs optimally in search engines.