Home » What are subdomains and how do they affect SEO

What are subdomains and how do they affect SEO

You’ve probably come across several subdomains during your time online and wondered why companies use them and whether using them on your website can be beneficial.

 

A subdomain is a third-level domain that’s part of the original top-level domain. Think of something like ” support.hostgator.mx ” ​​compared to the original top-level domain, which is ” hostgator.mx .”

Next, we’ll dive into what subdomains are, why they’re used, and how they can impact your current SEO strategy.

Why use a subdomain?

Simply put, a subdomain is a part of the main website. However, it’s considered a separate entity by search engines . Subdomains can be used for organizational purposes, or even for an SEO boost .

Sometimes you don’t want certain pages on america phone number list your site to be indexed with the rest of your site. We can’t predict your unique circumstances, but some of the most common explanations are below.

1. Host a blog

Some companies like to keep their blog separate for various reasons. This could be because the blog has a different design than the rest of the site, or they want to create a distinction between that content and the rest of their site .

If you’re building a blog that’s a big content driver, then you might want the flexibility that a subdomain will give you.

Some companies even choose to use a subdomain for other practical purposes, such as a dedicated help desk or forum. HostGator’s support page follows this approach. Often, this type of website needs to use a different type of platform or software, so it makes sense to use a subdomain.

2. To serve different regions

Sometimes your website serves different regions of Mexico, or even spans global sectors. Instead of having a single website with a very confusing architecture, you can create subdomains for each specific region .

The first example that comes to mind is Craigslist. Each region has its own dedicated subdomain. If the site weren’t broken down this way, it would be nearly impossible to use.

3. Show different product lines

Your product and service line may be so diverse selecting a post type that you may want to separate them into different niches. This can help you focus your efforts and provide your visitors with a more relevant browsing experience .

Subdomains and SEO

Your subdomains will be treated as completely separate websites in Google’s eyes. This means you can create a unique authority for each of the subdomains you’re using. Subdomains can really be beneficial for your SEO efforts, as we’ll see below.

1. Subdomains allow you to insert keywords into the URL

Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to fit certain keywords into your main URL. But with subdomains, you have another opportunity to insert hard-to-rank keywords into your domain. This will never be a bad thing for your search engine rankings.

2. Subdomains can improve user experience

If you have a long, confusing website that’s difficult to navigate, you’ll provide a poor user experience. A poor user experience means your users will spend less time on your site, which can lead to a lower ranking.

3. Subdomains can help grow your niche authority

 

Building authority on a large scale can united kingdom data be a lot of work. However, positioning yourself in niche markets can take much less time and energy. Positioning yourself and building authority in smaller markets will help strengthen the authority of your main domain.

We hope you now have a better understanding of subdomains and the role they can play in your website and SEO strategy.

Current HostGator customers can create a subdomain by following these instructions.

Translated by María Fernanda P. Jiménez. Original text available  here.

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