Answer
Sep 13, 2024 - 04:10 PM
Some ecommerce platforms make it very easy to put your Q&A knowledge base on a subdirectory like yoursite.com/answers (like Shopify enables this through their "shopify proxy" with just the click of a button)....but then other ecommerce platforms don't enable that (like Bigcommerce doesn't support a proxy, so you have to put it on a subdomain in that case). In both cases....just know that the most important thing is that the most valuable thing is not the technical aspect of where the content lives...it's the value of the content itself, so your priority should be that you have content that is servicing your customers and potential customers with quality content that satisfies their informational needs. So, depending on your ecommerce platform's flexibility here....you should just support whatever is possible and ensure that you're creating/distributing the content. Now, if you do have a choice and can do either.....Google has repeatedly said "whatever is easiest"....but the "SEO norm" is to get it on a subdirectory if you're able. If not, a subdomain will work just fine and we've seen notable performance on both.
Regarding what Google has said about this specifically regarding subdomain vs subdirectory, Google has repeatedly said just do what you prefer and whatever is easiest. They have two specific videos about this topic..the first posted awhile ago with Danny Sullivan here:
John Mueller at Google addressed it again in this video:
So, they've made it pretty clear to just do what makes sense for you....they don't really care.
Even since those videos were posted, Google created what's called a "Domain Property" in Google Search Console which has been available since 2019...where it will recognize all of our content underneath your domain property and recognize that as one property. When you set that up you can see how they communicate that here:
As noted above, Google has clearly communicated that it doesn't care and to do what is easiest and best for you. Answerbase gives the option to manage either way, and you can see that available in your customization section under "Customization > Domain Name" and you'll see the option for either as shown here:
Answerbase hasn't seen any evidence that Google is perferring one over the other that we can point to, we've seen the Q&A content notably grow in either case. Google's core ranking systems primarily work on the page level so the key to performing well on Google and what will be "evergreen" SEO is just making sure that you satisfy the intent of the question with great content that demonstrates what Google refers to as "E-E-A-T" which means Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It comes down to, service the customer as best you can with great information that gives them a great experience as that content demand is fulfilled. Businesses who do that have always grown organic traffic over time based on what Answerbase has seen through the Q&A content generated and published through our platform.
Regarding what Google has said about this specifically regarding subdomain vs subdirectory, Google has repeatedly said just do what you prefer and whatever is easiest. They have two specific videos about this topic..the first posted awhile ago with Danny Sullivan here:
John Mueller at Google addressed it again in this video:
So, they've made it pretty clear to just do what makes sense for you....they don't really care.
Even since those videos were posted, Google created what's called a "Domain Property" in Google Search Console which has been available since 2019...where it will recognize all of our content underneath your domain property and recognize that as one property. When you set that up you can see how they communicate that here:
As noted above, Google has clearly communicated that it doesn't care and to do what is easiest and best for you. Answerbase gives the option to manage either way, and you can see that available in your customization section under "Customization > Domain Name" and you'll see the option for either as shown here:
Answerbase hasn't seen any evidence that Google is perferring one over the other that we can point to, we've seen the Q&A content notably grow in either case. Google's core ranking systems primarily work on the page level so the key to performing well on Google and what will be "evergreen" SEO is just making sure that you satisfy the intent of the question with great content that demonstrates what Google refers to as "E-E-A-T" which means Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It comes down to, service the customer as best you can with great information that gives them a great experience as that content demand is fulfilled. Businesses who do that have always grown organic traffic over time based on what Answerbase has seen through the Q&A content generated and published through our platform.
