Multilingual URL Structure: Subdirectory, Subdomain, or ccTLD?
5 min read
Three approaches for multilingual URLs, each with different SEO implications.
Comparison
| Approach | Example | SEO Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Subdirectory | example.com/ja/ | Best for most sites — consolidates authority |
| Subdomain | ja.example.com | Treated as separate site — dilutes authority |
| ccTLD | example.co.jp | Strong geo-targeting — expensive, complex |
Recommendation
Use subdirectories unless you have a strong reason for ccTLDs. Always implement hreflang tags regardless of structure.
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