In a previous blog post, I mentioned considering two domain structures. Further research revealed the existence of ccTLDs. Since domain address setup is crucial for multilingual websites, let's explore all three methods.
1. Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs)
The advantage of ccTLDs is that they emphasize the association with a specific country. This makes it easy to gain trust in that region and is the most advantageous method for local search engine optimization. However, managing domains separately for each country can be complex, increasing maintenance. Above all, it's the most expensive option. If you want to operate a website in 10 languages, you need to purchase 10 domain addresses.
- https://durumis.kr (Korea)
- https://durumis.fr (France)
- https://durumis.vi (Vietnam)
2. Subdomains
The advantage of using subdomains is that they can be managed under a single main domain, making it convenient. It's easy to distinguish content by language and country. The downside is that it requires more manual domain configuration. (You need to register each one separately with Search Console.) Also, search engines may recognize the main domain and subdomains separately, potentially impacting SEO. One subdomain might perform well, while others may fail to achieve visibility.
- https://kr.durumis.com
- https://jp.durumis.com
3. Subdirectories
This is the durumis approach. The advantage of using subdirectories is that all content can be managed with a single domain, resulting in high SEO efficiency and easy maintenance. However, it's difficult to emphasize a strong identity by country or language.
- https://durumis.com/jp/ (Japanese)
- https://durumis.com/hi/ (Hindi)
- Search engine visibility advantage:
1 > 2 > 3 - Maintenance and cost:
3 > 2 > 1
If you want a strong, region-based brand, using country-specific domains (ccTLDs) is ideal. (This method is suitable for multinational corporations or companies with a market capitalization of over 1 trillion won.)
If you want efficient management, you should choose subdirectories!
Subdomains are also a good choice if you want moderate management costs and scalability!
Ultimately, the choice of structure depends on the nature of the business, target countries, management resources, and SEO strategy. After much deliberation, considering the critical nature of the initial setup!
We've decided on the subdirectory method.
Multilingual website creation progress: 89%!!
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