Story Based Question
Imagine you’re managing the SEO for a growing e-commerce platform that sells products worldwide. Your website currently targets only one country, but now, your company wants to expand into international markets. The goal is to improve visibility in specific regions like Europe, Asia, and South America.
During a strategy meeting, your team debates whether to set up separate subdomains (e.g., fr.example.com for France or jp.example.com for Japan) or use another structure like subfolders or country-specific domains.
One of your colleagues asks, “Would subdomains work better for our international SEO needs? And if so, when should we use them?”
Now the pressure is on to make the right recommendation.
Exact Answer
You should use subdomains for international SEO when you need to segment your website for different regions or languages and require separate hosting, server locations, or CMS setups for each market.
Explanation
Subdomains can be a powerful tool for international SEO, but they work best in specific situations. A subdomain (e.g., uk.example.com) functions as a separate website under the same main domain. Search engines treat subdomains independently, which gives you flexibility to optimize each for its target audience.
Subdomains are useful when:
- You Need Separate Hosting: If each region requires a server in a specific location to improve site speed. For instance, a Japan-based subdomain might perform better with hosting in Tokyo.
- You’re Using Different CMSs: If your teams in various countries use different tools, subdomains allow for independent setups.
- Your Content Varies Greatly: When the content isn’t just translated but tailored significantly for each audience, subdomains help manage this complexity.
- Legal or Branding Reasons Apply: Some markets may require separate websites for compliance or branding preferences.
However, subdomains demand more effort. You’ll need separate SEO strategies for each one, as they don’t automatically inherit authority from the root domain.
Example
Let’s revisit your e-commerce platform. Say your website is example.com, and you want to target France and Japan.
- For France, you create
fr.example.com. This subdomain is hosted on servers in France, improving load times for users in that region. It features French-language content, prices in euros, and shipping details tailored to local laws. - For Japan, you launch
jp.example.com. This subdomain uses servers in Tokyo. The design incorporates Japanese cultural preferences, content is fully localized, and payment methods like Konbini are included.
By using subdomains, you give each market a personalized experience while maintaining your global brand under a unified domain. At the same time, search engines can better understand the regional focus of each site, boosting rankings in local searches.
Subdomains work well for international SEO when you need flexibility, separate hosting, or distinct regional content. However, they require additional effort to optimize each independently.