You should generally use subfolders for international SEO because they consolidate domain authority, are easier to manage, and typically perform better in search results, though subdomains can also work if you manage them effectively.
Choosing between subdomains or subfolders is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when working on international 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/es/ keeps all your content under one domain, allowing link equity and authority to benefit all language versions rather than being split across multiple subdomains.
- Subfolders simplify 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 multiple subdomains.
- Subdomains require more resources to succeed. Each subdomain like fr.example.com essentially functions as a separate website that needs to build its own set of backlinks to compete 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 equally 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 internationally.
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.