SEO of sub domain

[seesaw876]

Hello All,
I have real estate client. He has an upcoming project and he is planning o host that site as sub domain.   He wants to do SEO activity for his upcoming project which he will host as sub domian.
My Query- Can website hosted as sub domain get ranking on search engines? Or should I suggest him to host site on a individual domain.

Note- This site will only be of 5-6 pages.

Thanks in advance

[jasonhalle]

Yes, a subdomain can indeed be ranked by search engines and can be effective for SEO purposes as long as it's properly optimized. Search engines like Google treat subdomains as individual websites, factoring in the architecture of the site, keywords, quality of content, etc., just as they would for a main domain.

However, having a subdomain does not mean that the SEO "authority" of the main domain will automatically carry over. It's necessary to build SEO strategy for it separately. This includes generating backlinks, creating valuable content, and incorporating relevant keywords.

There are pros and cons to using a subdomain versus an individual domain for the site.

Pros of using a subdomain:

It may be more efficient and cost-effective, particularly if there are already infrastructural aspects in place (like SSL certificates and hosting setup).
It helps in creating a distinct and separate content or service area related to the main website, which can be beneficial if the new project is distinctly different, but still related to the main brand.
Cons of using a subdomain:

Building domain authority from scratch: As mentioned before, unless the subdomain can leverage some of the authority of the main domain, it's like starting afresh in terms of SEO.
Can be seen as a separate entity: If the new project is not related to the main website, it may be better to launch it on a separate domain for branding purposes, as users may not associate it with the main website.
For a small site of 5-6 pages, it could be efficient to create it as a subdomain, particularly if the content is closely related to the parent domain, and the owner is willing to do separate SEO work for it. But if the project is significantly different or it is hoped that it will evolve into a bigger, standalone project, a separate domain might be better. The ultimate choice should align with the overall business and marketing strategy.

Since your client already has an existing website and wants to add a new section (the new project), creating this as a subdomain of the existing domain rather than an entirely new domain could potentially draw some of the existing website's traffic and domain authority. Like all websites, it would still need SEO optimization, but it might give you a small running start.

However, the connection between the existing website and the new project should be somewhat meaningful for it to make sense to use a subdomain. For example, if the new project relates to a unique service or portfolio that's connected to the existing content but different enough to warrant separation, a subdomain might make sense.

Here's a further breakdown of the implications of using a subdomain versus a separate domain:

Brand recognition: A subdomain might help with brand recognition since it's tied to the larger, more recognizable domain. But this could be a double-edged sword if the new project is distinct from the original, as mentioned earlier. Subdomains are best used for parts of a site with distinct enough content that they could exist as their own site, but which share more branding and design similarities with the main site than a completely separate site might.

Link-building and authority: A subdomain gets no automatic SEO boost from the main domain's reputation: all the link-building and other SEO activities will effectively start from zero. On the other hand, if your client is starting a brand new domain, they will certainly have to do all this work, but they will also have the opportunity to shape the SEO strategy completely from scratch, which could be an advantage if the new domain targets a very distinct niche or market where the SEO strategy would be completely different.

Technical considerations: It can be less technically demanding to set up a subdomain compared to buying a new domain, setting up the hosting, SSL certificate, and so on. However, keep in mind that each subdomain is technically treated as a separate site by Google. Therefore, any negative SEO factors on your original site could potentially affect your subdomain, and vice versa.

Subdomains are often used to separate out parts of a website that serve different functions. For example, if your client's main website is a real estate brokerage website, and the new project is a blog dedicated to housing market trends, a subdomain could make sense (e.g., blog.maindomain.com).

Here's an exploration of a few more aspects in detail:

User Experience: From a user perspective, if the new site has a fundamentally different user experience, a separate domain could be beneficial. If users happen to bounce because they're confused, your main domain's SEO could be negatively impacted. Subdomains and directories are essentially a part of the main domain, and poor performance on one section can affect the whole. However, if the new site is simply an extension of the main website and offers a consistent user experience, a subdomain could be a fitting choice.

Relevance of Content: If the content in the new project ties in neatly with your main website's content, a subdomain may be a good choice. Plus, a navigable network of backlinks between the main site and the subdomain will provide users with valuable related content. If the new project's content is quite unrelated, a separate domain can be a better bet – search engines may struggle to understand the relationship otherwise.

Internationlization: If the new project is meant for a different geographic region or language base, then a separate ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain) can give an SEO boost. Some companies choose to use subdomains for their international sites, but this can be a debatable strategy in the SEO world.

Future Plans of the Project: If there's a chance the new project needs to be spun off into its own entity in the future, it would be easier to start off with a separate domain now to avoid the potential messy business of migrating a subdomain to a new domain down the line.

Cost and Maintenance: Keep in mind cost implications as well. Owning multiple domains means multiple renewal fees, hosting accounts (in some cases), and potentially more work all around. Subdomains generally don't have this issue since they're tied to your main domain.


Security: Both subdomains and separate domains have their own security considerations. For instance, if a subdomain is compromised in a security incident, there could be implications for the main domain. Conversely, having separate domains entails the need to scale security measures across multiple properties, which could present its own set of challenges.

Geographic Targeting: As I mentioned earlier, if you're targeting a specific geographic area, a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) might provide a slight advantage in terms of local search results. However, this also restricts the site's global ranking potential, so the specific goals of the new project are important to consider.

Social Proof and Brand Cohesion: Using a subdomain might lean on the main site's existing reputation. If the primary website has high trust and brand value, visitors might feel more comfortable engaging with a subdomain. On the contrary, if the new project wants to build its own unique identity separate from the main site, a new domain would be a better fit.

Indexed Pages and Ranking: Google treats subdomains as separate from the main domain, so starting a subdomain is akin to starting a brand-new site in terms of SEO. A new subdomain doesn't benefit from the rankings, trust, or age of the main domain. You'll have to put effort into building its SEO as if it's a separate website. The same goes for a new domain as well.

Site Structure and User Navigation: Subdomains can also help with organization if your website has got a log of different, diverse content. For users navigating the site, having different sections on subdomains can make browsing more efficient if the categories are vastly different.

In all cases, whether you choose a subdomain or a new domain, it's essential to ensure each site has its own sitemap, that the content is unique to avoid duplicate content penalties, and that overall best practices for SEO are implemented.

SEO strategy will vary greatly depending on the business, goals, resources, and website structure. Therefore, it can be beneficial to involve an SEO expert in the discussion and decision-making process, as this can help ensure that the most effective and advantageous path is taken.

Let's say your client has the main domain_clientname.com_ which caters to general health and wellness advice. Now your client wants to launch a new project focusing on "Yoga and Meditation".

Both topics are related to health and wellness but "Yoga and Meditation" is a specialization within the space. Here are some considerations:

Subdomain or Directory: You could consider adding the new project as a subdomain or a directory to the existing domain (Example: yoga.clientname.com or clientname.com/yoga). This approach would help the "Yoga and Meditation" section benefit from the authority and trust built up by the existing domain. It signals to search engines that the new project is part of a larger entity known for quality content in the wellness space, possibly speeding up the SEO performance for the new content.

New Domain: On the other hand, you could consider launching the new project on a separate TLD (Top Level Domain, like clientnameyoga.com). This could make sense if there's a strong marketing and brand strategy behind the "Yoga and Meditation" section. It keeps the project separate and could allow it to develop its own brand identity and user base. It's worth noting though, this is essentially starting from scratch in SEO terms.

Brand Expansion: If your client plans on creating many such specialized segments, each around another aspect of health and wellness, then using subdomains might be better for scalability and unified brand maintenance. Each new project can be another subdomain under the main website.

Collateral: Where are you promoting this new project? If it's mostly on-clientname.com_, it might be easier for visitors to recognize it as part of your main website if it's a subdomain. But if the project has its own marketing and promotion plan that's separate from the main website's marketing, a new domain could stand on its own better.

Potential Competition: If clientname.com is well known, and the new project under the same domain might compete with other well-established "Yoga and Meditation" websites, a new domain could appear less intiмidating to the competition who might be more willing to engage with it (for cross-promotion, partnerships, etc.), not seeing it as a threat attached to a larger entity.

Finally, what you choose might also depend on what your client is more comfortable with and what fits into their larger business plan. Both options come with their own set of benefits and challenges, and the decision should ideally be a balance between technical SEO, content strategy, marketing requirements, and future growth plans.

[SahilFruits]

Search engines gives preference to earlier optimized domains & hence sub-domains created under it will also has some kind of value. Don't go for new domain, just focus on promoting the created sub-domains.