Fluxx Tech
When adding a blog, online store, app or regional section to your website, you’ll face a choice: blog.yoursite.com (subdomain) or yoursite.com/blog (subfolder). Both can work, but they behave differently.
The difference
| Subfolder | Subdomain |
Example | yoursite.com/blog | blog.yoursite.com |
How Google sees it | Part of the main site | Can be treated more like a separate site |
Authority | Shares the main site’s strength more directly | May need to build its own |
Setup | Usually simpler on one platform | Useful when using a different platform or server |
When to choose a subfolder
• Blogs and content hubs that support your main services
• Location and regional sections
• Most service business websites
For most small and mid-sized businesses, subfolders are the simpler, safer choice for SEO.
When a subdomain makes sense
• A web application or customer portal (app.yoursite.com)
• A help centre or documentation on a separate platform
• A completely separate brand or audience
• Technical limits that make a subfolder impractical
Portals and apps behind login usually don’t need to rank anyway.
Moving between them
If you move a blog from a subdomain to a subfolder (or the reverse), treat it as a migration: map every URL, add 301 redirects and monitor Search Console.
Frequently asked questions
Will a subdomain hurt my SEO? Not necessarily, but it may take more effort to build its rankings.
Can my Shopify store be a subdomain of my main site? Yes, such as shop.yoursite.com. Link it well from the main site.
Where should my blog live? In a subfolder on your main domain, in most cases.
