Setting up a multilingual website is an exciting step towards reaching a global audience, but it comes with a set of technical decisions that can significantly affect your site's performance and visibility. One of the most crucial choices you'll face is how to structure your multilingual content: should you use separate domains, subdomains, or subdirectories? Each approach has its own set of advantages and challenges, and understanding these can help you make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and technical capabilities.
Understanding your options: domains, subdomains, and subdirectories explained
What each structure means for your multilingual website
When it comes to organising multilingual websites, there are three primary URL structures to consider. The first is using country-code top-level domains, often referred to as ccTLDs, which involve creating entirely separate domains for each language or region, such as example.co.uk for the United Kingdom or example.fr for France. This approach provides the strongest geo-targeting signals to search engines, making it clear that your content is tailored to a specific region. However, it can be quite costly and resource-intensive, as each domain requires its own domain authority to be built from scratch.
The second option is to use subdomains, where you place your multilingual content on separate subdomains like fr.example.com or de.example.com. This method treats each language version as a distinct entity, which can be useful if you have large teams managing different regions or if you want to test international markets without committing to a full ccTLD strategy. Subdomains can also be beneficial for organisations with separate brand identities in different markets. However, they can be technically challenging to set up and may not fully benefit from the main domain's authority, as search engines sometimes treat subdomains as separate sites.
The third and often most popular approach is using subdirectories, where you place multilingual content within folders of your main domain, such as example.com/fr or example.com/de. This structure allows all language versions to share domain authority and ranking signals across languages, making it easier to rank and manage for SEO purposes. Subdirectories are particularly well-suited for centralised website content management and are often recommended by SEO experts as the easiest method to rank and manage. Most professionals in the field reckon that subdirectories offer a good balance between technical simplicity and SEO effectiveness, especially for small to medium-sized businesses.
Weighing Up the Pros and Cons of Each Approach
Each URL structure comes with its own set of trade-offs that need careful consideration. Country-code top-level domains provide the strongest regional identity and can significantly boost local SEO efforts, but they require substantial investment in terms of both time and money. Building domain authority for each ccTLD from the ground up means that your SEO efforts are essentially starting fresh for every new market you enter. This approach is typically best suited for large brands with the resources to manage multiple domains and the commitment to establishing a strong presence in each target region.
Subdomains offer a middle ground, allowing you to keep some separation between language versions while still maintaining a connection to your main brand domain. This can be particularly useful if you're testing new markets or if different teams are managing content for different regions. However, the technical implementation can be more complex, and there's a risk that the separate subdomains won't fully benefit from the main domain's authority. Search engines may treat them as distinct entities, which can dilute your overall SEO power. Despite these challenges, subdomains can succeed with the right content management and SEO approach, particularly for organisations with the technical expertise to implement them correctly.
Subdirectories, on the other hand, consolidate authority under one main domain, which can be a significant advantage for SEO. All language versions benefit from the same domain authority and ranking signals, making it easier to build momentum across all your multilingual content. This structure is generally easier to manage from a technical standpoint and is often the recommended starting point for most businesses. The main drawback is that it offers limited regional identity compared to ccTLDs, which might be a consideration for brands that want to emphasise their local presence in specific markets. Nonetheless, for organisations looking to expand globally without the overhead of managing multiple domains, subdirectories are typically the most practical and cost-effective choice.
User experience considerations: making language selection seamless
Designing intuitive language switchers for your visitors
Creating a seamless user experience for multilingual websites goes beyond just choosing the right URL structure. One of the most common mistakes is using flags as a language selector, which can be confusing and is generally considered poor user experience design. Flags represent countries, not languages, and many languages are spoken in multiple countries. A better approach is to use language codes, such as 'fr' for French, alongside the language name in its native form. This ensures that visitors can easily identify and select the language they're comfortable with, regardless of their location.
Another critical aspect of user experience is how visitors are directed to the appropriate language version of your site. Automatically redirecting users based on their IP address might seem convenient, but it can actually be detrimental to both user experience and SEO. Such automatic redirects can prevent users from accessing the language they prefer if they're travelling or using a VPN, and they can also prevent Googlebot from accessing translated URLs, which can harm your site's visibility in search results. Instead, consider using a banner prompt that suggests the appropriate language based on the user's location but allows them to make the final choice. This respects user autonomy while still providing helpful guidance.
Ensuring users can easily navigate between languages
Navigation between languages should be straightforward and consistent across your site. Visitors should be able to switch languages at any point in their journey without losing their place or having to start over. This means that your language switcher should be prominently displayed and accessible from every page, not just the homepage. Additionally, the URL structure you choose should support this seamless navigation, making it easy for users to understand where they are and how to move between language versions.
It's also essential to ensure that your multilingual website correctly implements hreflang tags, which help search engines understand the relationship between different language versions of your pages. Common errors include using incorrect language or region codes, forgetting to include hreflang tags on all relevant pages, placing them outside the head section of your HTML, or failing to include reciprocal hreflang tags. These technical missteps can confuse search engines and result in users being directed to the wrong language version of your site. Properly configured hreflang tags, combined with a clear and consistent URL structure, are crucial for both user experience and SEO performance.
Choosing the Right Solution: Budget, Audience, and Resources Matter
Assessing your organisation's capabilities and constraints
The decision between domains, subdomains, and subdirectories isn't just a technical one; it's also a strategic business decision that depends on your organisation's capabilities, budget, and long-term goals. For small to medium-sized businesses with limited resources, subdirectories are often the most practical choice. They're easier to set up and manage, require less investment, and allow you to consolidate your SEO efforts under one main domain. This approach is particularly appealing if you're just beginning to explore international markets and want to test the waters without committing significant resources upfront.
Larger organisations with substantial budgets and dedicated teams may find that country-code top-level domains or subdomains better suit their needs. If you have the resources to build and maintain domain authority for each market independently, ccTLDs can provide the strongest local SEO signals and help you establish a robust regional presence. Similarly, if you have separate teams managing different regions or brand identities, subdomains can provide the necessary separation while still maintaining a connection to your main brand. The key is to honestly assess your organisation's capabilities and constraints before committing to a particular structure.
Matching technical structure to your business requirements
Ultimately, there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to structuring multilingual websites. The best approach depends on your specific business goals, branding strategy, and technical capabilities. If your primary objective is to maximise SEO performance with minimal complexity, subdirectories are likely your best bet. If you're a large enterprise looking to establish a strong local presence in multiple markets and have the resources to manage multiple domains, ccTLDs might be worth the investment. And if you need flexibility to test new markets or manage separate brand identities, subdomains could provide the right balance.
Consider also the tools and platforms you'll be using to manage your multilingual content. For WordPress users, there are several plugins available that can help with translation and localisation, each with different features and price points. WPML, which costs around thirty-nine pounds per year, offers both manual and automatic translation with good SEO and WooCommerce support, making it suitable for content websites. Weglot, at ninety-nine pounds per year, provides automatic translation and is particularly recommended for e-commerce websites due to its ease of use and low performance impact. TranslatePress, priced at seventy-nine pounds annually, is a good choice for small websites, while Polylang, also ninety-nine pounds per year, is ideal for those on a tight budget who are willing to handle manual translation.
Whatever structure you choose, remember that consistent URL structure is crucial for SEO success. Using hreflang attributes is considered a best practice regardless of whether you opt for subdomains or subdirectories. Additionally, don't forget to carry out comprehensive keyword research that considers regional language nuances and search behaviour, as simple translations are often not enough. It's also important to claim webmaster tools beyond Google Search Console, such as Bing Webmaster Tools, Yandex, and Baidu, which are vital for reaching audiences in specific regions. Bing holds an eight percent market share in the United States, while Yandex is used by sixty-four percent of people in Russia and Baidu by ninety-four percent in China. By carefully matching your technical structure to your business requirements and considering the full scope of multilingual SEO, you'll be well-positioned to connect with diverse audiences and explore global opportunities effectively.
