What is a Subfolder?
A subfolder, in relation to web development, is a folder on your website. It’s a directory that resides under the main website domain.
With this example URL, the subfolder is “/blog”:
https://www.example.com/blog/The structure of your website determines its architecture and functionality. Subfolders help organize content, which can enhance the user experience (UX) and improve search engine optimization (SEO) factors such as bot crawlability.
This article examines subfolders and their impact on search engine visibility. It covers subfolders and SEO, best practices, relations to subdomains, and mistakes to avoid.
Parts of a URL
To better understand subfolders, let’s examine how they fit into URL structures. Here’s a breakdown of where they fit. In this example, the subfolder is “blog”:
https://www.example.com/blog/- Protocol: https
- Subdomain: www
- Second-Level Domain (SLD): example
- Top-Level Domain (SLD): com
- Subfolder: blog
Subfolders serve as the primary organizational tool for domains, making them highly important for both structure and navigation purposes.
Subfolders and SEO
Subfolders affect SEO by organizing content to help search engines understand the site’s structure, making it easier for them to crawl and index content.
This hierarchical organization helps establish site authority by grouping related content under specific directories.
Properly used, subfolders can enhance keyword relevance, as search engines attribute the content of a subfolder to the broader topic or category, potentially improving the site’s rankings for those keywords.
Best Practices for Using Subfolders
Optimizing your website’s structure with subfolders can improve your SEO performance. Here are key strategies to get the most out of subfolders:
- Embrace a logical hierarchy. Organize your content clearly and logically. Think of your website as a library where every book (web page) is easy to find because of a thoughtful categorization system.
- Name for clarity and SEO. Choose names for your subfolders that are both descriptive and keyword-rich. This balance helps users and search engines understand the content they can expect to find.
- Keep it shallow. A deep nest of subfolders can confuse visitors and search engines. Aim for a structure where important pages are no more than three clicks from the homepage.
- Strategically use keywords. Incorporate relevant keywords into your subfolder names without overdoing it. This can enhance your visibility for those search terms.
Implementing these practices ensures your subfolders not only contribute to a well-organized site but also enhance your SEO efforts, making your content more discoverable and accessible.
Subfolders vs. Subdomains
Deciding between subfolders and subdomains can affect your site’s SEO and user experience. Let’s break it down:
Subfolders
Subfolders are part of the main website’s hierarchy, directly following the domain name in the URL structure. They’re ideal for organizing content that’s closely related to the main site’s theme or purpose.
- SEO Impact: They inherit the main domain’s authority, helping content rank better.
- User Experience: Ensures a cohesive browsing experience, keeping all related content under one domain.
- Ease of Management: Simplifies site structure management and consolidates SEO efforts.
Subdomains
Subdomains function as separate entities from the main domain, allowing for distinct branding and targeting different audiences or purposes.
- Flexibility: Ideal for content that requires a distinct identity from the main site.
- SEO Segmentation: Treated by search engines as a separate site, which can benefit targeted content marketing strategies.
- Customization: Enables extensive customization and targeting without compromising the main website’s SEO profile.
Choosing between subfolders and subdomains depends on your specific content strategy, SEO goals, and user experience design. However, the best general SEO recommendation is to use a subfolder for organization, not subdomains.
This is because it attracts more backlinks to your main domain, boosting your domain’s backlink profile, without diluting it across subdomains. Subdomains can also create a confusing experience and generally be harder to navigate.
Bottom Line
Optimizing your site’s structure with subfolders can enhance SEO and user experience. If you create a logical hierarchy, maintain consistent naming conventions, and avoid common pitfalls, you can create a more navigable website that performs well in search rankings. Strike a balance between simplicity and comprehensive organization, ensuring your website is both accessible and easy to understand.
