You should generally use subfolders for International SEO Secause they Consolidate Domain Authority, Are Easier to Manage, and Typically Perform Better in Search Results, Thought Subdomains Kan Aks also If you manage them effectively.
Choosing Between subdomains or subfolders is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when work on interactive seo projects.
Here are some things you should know about subdomains and subfolders:
- Subfolders are recommended for most businesses. Using example.com/fr/ or example.com/EEs/ Keeps All Your Content Under One Domain, Allowing Link Equity and Authority to Benefit All Language Versions Rather Than Being Split ACROOSS MULTIPLE SUBDOMAINS.
- Subffolders Simplife Management and Tracking. You can monitor all international versions through a Single Google Search Console Property and Analytics Setup, Making Reporting Significantly Easier Compared to MANAGING MANAGING MULTIPLE SUBDOMAINS.
- Subdomains require more resources to successed. Each Subdomain Like Fr.example.com Essentially Functions as a separate website that needs to build its own set of backlinks to compecate effectively. Means you need to put in more resources.
- Technical implementation equally matters. Regardless of your decision, Proper Hreflang Implementation, Quality Translations, Local Keyword Optimization, and Market-Specific Content Are Important.
- Evaluate your long-term expansion plans. Subfolders scale more easily as you add new languages ​​and markets, while subdomains require increasingly complex management and Resources as you grow internally.
For Most Companies Expanding Internationally, We recommend Using Subfolders.
Semrush’s site audit tool can help you monitor your international site and identify any technical seo issues that need fixing.