Have you sensed a deep connection between domain names and SEO practices? But perhaps without really nailing yet the tangible effects that one may have on the other? Then our article should help you see more clearly. More precisely speaking, it will focus on subdomains, which are key constituents of domains. We will start by defining them through concrete examples. Then we will enumerate the four ways they participate in your SEO performance. Namely through relevant keywords, optimized navigation, specific market targetting, and Domain Authority improvement.
What Is a Subdomain?
A subdomain is an annex directly appended to the main domain name in order to provide further information about it. When one builds a website by using a certain domain name, each section will require its own denomination. That’s what allows us to differentiate it from others and, that’s the purpose of subdomains. To give a concrete example, imagine a website selling inflatable mugs and of which the domain name is inflatablemugs.com. In this case, contact.inflatablemugs.com is a possible subdomain. So is blog.inflatablemugs. They both serve as subcategories that are related to the main domain but nonetheless have their own intent. Schematically speaking, there is almost always a root or apex domain (like inflatablemugs.com) and subcategories affiliated with it. Together they form the Domain Name System (DNS), which is a hierarchical identification nomenclature.
You can spot those elements within the anatomy of many URLs. Let’s suppose that we have a URL formulated as follows:
https://blog.inflatablemugs.com/posts/historyofmugs
– HTTPS is the authenticating element.
– blog is the subdomain.
– inflatablemugs is the core domain.
– .com is the top-level domain (TLD).
– posts is a subfolder.
– historyofmugs is a slug or the end part that directs the visitor to a specific page about the history of mugs.
Now, what are the implications in terms of SEO? How do you think subdomains can help increase your performance? Check our list below.
Improved Clarity Through Keywords in URLs
We probably don’t need to tell you much about the importance of keywords. The visibility and accessibility of your website also rely on them to a large extent. This is where subdomains come into play. When they include keywords that are relevant to your business or top priority for your overall strategy, they become effective sightlines. Potential subscribers or customers can find your site and services more easily.
Some brand names can be self-explanatory. Think about our hypothetical example of inflatable mugs. But what if the brand name gives no clue about the product itself? Let’s take a real-life example this time. Say, Les Enfants d’Edouard, which is a second-hand clothing shop in Brussels. Its domain name for online shopping is simply lesenfantsdedouard.com. At first sight, this name is a mystery because it only means ‘Edouard’s children’. However, when we explore the website more carefully, we run into subcategories such as lesenfantsdedouard/collections/boots. So things get already less cloudy and more targeted. Perhaps the shop could also make use of clearer subdomain examples like:
secondhand/lesenfantsdedouard
vintageclothes/lesenfantsdedouard
luxuryresale/lesenfantsdedouard.
User-Friendly Navigation
Web design mastery is also a matter of ‘ergonomics’, so to speak. We live in a fast-paced world where most people can’t afford to waste much time conducting a web search. So clean, logically structured websites are not only delights for the eye but also time-savers. Subdomains with relevant but succinct information allow visitors to find what they are looking for without having to browse the entire content. One becomes able to navigate between the different sections of the site almost effortlessly.
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You can ameliorate your SEO performance by providing this kind of website to your potential visitors. That is to say, a website that makes them want to stay. It’s a judicious move for anyone who aims at ranking higher in the SERPs.
It goes without saying that mobile versions of websites follow the same principle. It’s not a secret that Google favors sites that enable smooth navigation through portable devices. The world’s number one search engine itself is a champ in that regard. There are indeed numerous Google subdomains ensuring easier access to the various services of the company. Developers ought to remain aware of that fact and follow the example when creating mobile sites and apps.
Specific Market Targetting
Subdomains can also act as a compass and give a precise direction to your SEO plan. You may have a certain type of market in mind and thus want to concentrate your endeavors on it. Let’s have a look at the two typical scenarios:
- Your target may be comprised of international markets. For example, if your company is operating on a worldwide scale, it probably owns some overseas branches. In such a case, every region, city, country, and/or continent you are involved with may have its own needs. Similarly, the subgroups within your overall clientele may have specific requests determined by their unique characteristics. You could thus use a different subdomain for each of the segments in order to offer customized information and goods.
- Your target may be narrowed down to a few niches. That’s actually what works best for smaller businesses. A clear-cut and humble approach is what makes SEO more efficient. Good website subdomain examples for niche markets are those that call a spade a spade. In other terms, they should perfectly match the product, service, or topic they are referring to. All the more if those happen to be somewhat diversified. Remember the inflatable mugs? If the same company is also selling teas, then there must be subdomains specifying it. That’s how people looking for inflatable mugs on the internet will be able to find tea at the same time. Although it may not be a top priority inquiry for them, they can suddenly become curious to know more. Indeed, they will find out that the shop is also proposing tea, namely a product often associated with mugs. Considering the fact that many customers like to buy things in one and same place, this discovery can be advantageous for the shop.
Enhanced Domain Authority
Some non-believers may object to that last point. To be honest, they are not totally wrong. In effect, subdomains are not enough on their own for improving Domain Authority. They can nevertheless contribute to it. That ranking score developed by Moz is closely correlated with high-quality content and website structure. Consequently, it also takes into account the potential satisfaction of visitors, which is best illustrated by the amount of traffic. Well-thought subdomains will help build accurate and straightforward sections for a globally well-functioning site.
Subdomains For Productive SEO
Carefully chosen subdomains can be excellent identifiers for your website. Regardless of the fact that they are treated as separate entities by search engines, they are capable of growing your visibility. Don’t forget that every online aspect of your business depends on the associations made with your domain name. The latter should refrain from being vague by providing the necessary supplements of information. That’s how your visitors and prospects know exactly what to expect from you. At the end of the day, good SEO is also about as much exactitude as possible.
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