Understanding and Optimizing Domain and Subdomain SEO for Better Rankings
If your website utilizes a primary domain alongside a subdomain tailored for a specific geographic region, ensuring optimal search engine rankings for each segment can be a complex task. Here’s a common scenario many webmasters face, along with insights into how to effectively manage and improve your site’s SEO performance.
Scenario Overview
Suppose your main website is hosted at www.ABC.com, with a dedicated subdomain for the UK audience: uk.ABC.com. The primary domain functions as a country selector page, directing visitors to region-specific sites, while the subdomain serves content tailored for UK visitors.
The challenge arises when searching for “ABC” in the UK. Currently, the main domain, ABC.com, appears at the top of search results, with the UK-specific subdomain ranking lower or not appearing prominently, especially when performing a broad search for “ABC.” The goal is to have the UK website rank higher for regional search queries relevant to its audience.
Key Factors and Recommendations
- Proper Use of Regional SEO Settings
- Use Google Search Console’s International Targeting feature to specify the targeted country for each site or subdomain. For uk.ABC.com, set the country targeting to the United Kingdom.
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Ensure your main domain and subdomain are identifiable as separate entities in search engines.
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Content Differentiation and Geotargeting
- Provide region-specific content on uk.ABC.com, such as localized keywords, currency, and contact information.
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Avoid duplicate content issues between the main domain and subdomain to allow search engines to distinguish their relevance.
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Structured Data and hreflang Tags
- Implement hreflang tags to inform search engines about the relationship between the main site and subdomain, specifying language and regional targeting.
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For instance, configuring
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-GB" href="https://uk.ABC.com" />helps Google understand the regional variants. -
Optimize SEO Meta Tags
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Customize page titles and meta descriptions for both the main domain and subdomain, optimizing for regional keywords.
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Backlink and Authority Building
- Focus on acquiring backlinks from UK-based websites for your subdomain