SEO - Are Subdomains or Folders best for search engine optimization?
I just got asked this question by @LevelTen_Colin on Twitter: "hey @mvolpe, quick question - what's your opinion on the sub-domain vs. directory folder #seo debate? notice that hubspot uses sub-domains"
Here is my answer:
More and more the search engines are treating subdomains (blog.hubspot.com) and folders (hubspot.com/blog) as the same. So, there is not a big difference. As long as your blog is on your website (blog.hubspot.com) and not someplace else on a URL that you do not control (like hubspot.wordpress.com - WRONG!) then you are OK. I prefer a subdomain for a blog because then you can use blog software that is different from any software used by your main website if you want (like using HubSpot's blog software with the SEO optimizer and social media publisher built in)
More info in this HubSpot blog post I wrote:
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/3994/Launching-A-Business-Blog-Avoid-This-Common-URL-Mistake-at-Blogspot-and-Typepad.aspx
And two references from trusted SEO resources showing that the search engies are treating folders and subdomains basiacally the same:
http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/015621.html
http://searchengineland.com/071207-090257.php
Thanks for the question - I think we will talk about this on www.HubSpot.tv this week!
I agree w/ the exception of two little technical points
KyleJames 1 year 5 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago
First off you probably have to give a subdomain a slight upper hand simply because this allows you to get multiple rankings on keywords. The perfect case in point is to do a google search on "hubspot" and you will notice that their are two results for the main www domain and two for the blog domain. Simply by this it is almost in your best interest to have subdomains to better "own" the SERPs.
Secondly and this is a very technical point you can have a subdirectory that uses a different software package the distinction is that the two CMS or software pieces have to be on the same webserver. So if you were using something like drupal for your cms and wanted to blog with wordpress you could do that in a subdirectory as long as both software packages are installed on the same webserver.
Now at the end of the day subdomain or subdirectory isn't as important as the value of the content that you are producing so this should ALWAYS win out as your main focus.