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13 Comments

What's the idea behind using a subdomain for your blog?

Hey SEO experts,

can you explain why many companies use a subdomain, like "blog.product.com" for their blog? From an SEO perspective, isn't it better to use something like "product.com/blog"?

  1. 3

    It's much easier to setup a product like WordPress from scratch on a subdomain than it is to try and work it into the route of your homepage - I think that's about 99% of it 😅

    In general I see
    blog.example.com - WordPress or ghost
    example.com - hubspot or webflow
    app.example.com - the custom built thingy

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      100% Agree. For Newsreadeck app, we have deployed the entire website + cms + API on aws, but the for the blog, we are using wordpress, and we need a separate way to have both running with the same domain, pointing to different DSN, so blog.newsreadeck.com is hosting in another service and can run, together without the need to re configure the entire AWS

    2. 1

      100% this! For similar reasons I have a blog, app, and root application all on different IP addresses as they were built at different times and with different technologies. It was easier to point a subdomain at a new IP than it was amalgamating it all. I'm not certain how much of an effect it has on SEO mind - anecdotally the blog pages and root app seem to rank similarly for keywords although I appreciate that is a poor measure.

    3. 1

      That's what I was thinking. I put everything on a single domain, so I wanted to make sure there is not a good SEO reason for splitting it. Thank you!

  2. 2

    Using a subdomain for your blog is a strategic choice that allows you to separate your blog's content from your main website while maintaining a cohesive brand identity. It can enhance organization and improve SEO by creating a distinct web address for your blog, making it easier for both visitors and search engines to locate and navigate your content. Additionally, subdomains offer flexibility, enabling you to customize the blog's design and functionality to suit its unique purpose, without affecting the main website's structure.

  3. 2

    Sub directory is better in term of SEO.

    Here an article by semrush explaining it in full. Subdomain vs. Subdirectory: Which Is Better for SEO?

    The summary is simply according to google the subdomain work the same as subdirectory but form other who have tried both, they see significant different. When they switch from domain to directory traffic increase exponentially. And the main domain authority increase significantly .

    For subdomain it mainly because of technical architecture. You main website might be using different stack of technology and have bunch of js script running and you want your blog be in wordpress etc.

    Meanwhile I would like you to try out my automated seo research tool creativeblogtopic.com . This tool will help you analyze every potential keywords and topic for your specific business and target customer and return you the best keywords and topic to rank higher.

  4. 2

    Infrastructure-wise, depending on what tech stacks you're using for each section of the site, it may be easier to mount the blog and app at different domain/subdomain combinations. At higher levels of traffic, this gives you more flexibility for provisioning resources for different traffic profiles.

  5. 2

    I use a subdomain for "app" where I deploy a separate product than the marketing site (main domain) that is way more JS heavy and behind auth. I use robots.txt to block indexing on the subdomain.

    I know this isn't really what you asked, but somewhat related as kind of the opposite case for SEO. The other comment from @DSarkar is good and my case for deploying a totally separate product on the subdomain backs up the claim for flexibility.

  6. 2

    It depends on the goals and structure of the website.

    Subdomains can be useful for separating different sections of a website, such as blogs, ec-ommerce stores, internationalization, or mobile sites. Whereas sub directories can be useful for organizing content by topic, thus negating any sort of confusion for crawlers or users. Sub directories are helpful for SEO because they concentrate the keywords and backlinks onto a single domain, which boosts the domain authority and page authority. However, subdomains allow more flexibility and customization for each section of the website, which can improve the user experience and relevance.

  7. 1

    Have you ever moved to a new place and decided to give each type of item its own dedicated space? Maybe you decided to keep all your books in the study, or all your cooking tools in the kitchen. Using a subdomain for your blog feels a lot like that. It's like designating a special room in your online "house" just for your blog content.

    This approach can make everything more organized. If you've got a main website selling products or services, and then a separate space chock-full of articles, guides, and maybe some fun behind-the-scenes content, it ensures each part of your online presence has its own place. It's like having a separate drawer in your room just for socks. Makes life so much easier when you're trying to find a pair, right?

    Another thing is the technical aspect. Say your main website and your blog are built with different platforms or tools. Instead of wrestling to merge them together, setting up the blog on a subdomain can save you a lot of headache. It's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – why struggle when you can just give the square peg its own square space?

    Now, if you're into SEO (who isn't?), you've probably heard all the debates about subdomains vs. subdirectories. It's a bit like the age-old debate of pineapple on pizza. Some love it, some don't. Google has said they treat both equally, but there's still some debate in the digital marketing community. Some worry about splitting their website's "authority" between the main domain and the subdomain. But then again, if your blog is brimming with fantastic content that people are flocking to, it might just become a star in its own right.

    Lastly, sometimes you just want your blog to feel a bit... different. Like its own entity, separate from the main brand. It's the same reason you might have a special corner in your home decorated entirely in 80s memorabilia, even if the rest of your house is super modern. A subdomain lets your blog have its own unique flavor.

    In the end, whether to use a subdomain comes down to your personal or business goals. Sometimes, you just have to go with what feels right for you. Hope this gives you some food for thought! 😊

  8. 1

    For me it boils down to separation of concerns, an update to your blog shouldn't block releases/effect your main application and placing it under a subdomain allows you leverage different technology for each e.g. SSR for your blog

    1. 1

      As for SEO, I'm not sure how much it's still a thing but other websites linking to your application is beneficial (pretty sure Google treats subdomains as separate entities in their indexing)

  9. 0

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