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Ella Pybus
- 4 Min Read
- Blog, SEO
How To Choose The Right International SEO Site Structure
Do you want your website to be visible in more than one country? Your site structure could make or break your international SEO success.
Getting your international SEO right is important, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you’re expanding your business into more countries, the way you set up your site can have a huge impact on how easily people can find your site.
SEO typically focuses on one country, so it’s easier to know what people are searching for.
International SEO means dealing with different countries, languages, and search habits – and that makes everything more complex.
Your approach needs to change depending on where and who you’re targeting.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the options you can take when it comes to international SEO.
What is an international SEO site structure, anyway?
In simple terms, your international SEO site structure is how your website is set up to serve people in different countries or who speak different languages.
That could mean using a different domain (for example, yourwebsite.fr or us.yourwebsite.com) for each country, or just creating separate folders on your main site. Each option sends a signal to Google about who your content is for.
If your site structure isn’t clear, Google might not show you content to the right people – or at all.
The main ways to structure an international site
There are a few different ways to structure an international sire. Each has its pros and cons, depending on what you’re looking for and how many markets you’re targeting.
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Country Code Top Level domains
Example: yourbrand.fr or yourbrand.uk
These are country specific domains that instantly tells Google and users “This site is for France” or “This site is for the United Kingdom”
Why it works:
- People trust local domains
- Google understands which country or region you’re targeting
- Good for local branding by targeting a dedicated location
What to watch out for:
- You may need to build SEO authority from scratch for each domain
- It can get expensive and time consuming
- You’ll be managing multiple websites
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Subdomains
Example: fr.yourbrand.com or uk.yourbrand.com
A subdomain is a separate section of your website that’s still connected to your main site.
Think of it like a mini website under your main brand. It can have its own layout, purpose, or content, but it still shares the main domain. Subdomains give you flexibility to organise different parts of your site while keeping everything under one digital roof.
Why it works:
- Subdomains help you split your website into clear sections, which is useful if you’re dealing with a lot of content every day.
- You can use subdomains to target certain keyword topics more directly and reach a more specific audience.
- Subdomains work well for international content. For example, using us.example.com or uk.example.com helps show which country you’re targeting and makes it easier to speak to different regions.
What to watch out for:
- Google says that subdomains work just fine, but they treat them like separate sites, so SEO efforts may be effectively doubled.
- Your main domain could rank really well but subdomains won’t automatically share the same success. Each subdomain has to earn its own rankings, effectively, from scratch.
- If you’re not careful, subdomains can cause accidental duplicate content. If the same or very similar content appears on different subdomains, it can confuse search engines, weaken your SEO, and might even lead to penalties.
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Subdirectories
Example: yourbrand.com/fr/ or yourbrand.com/uk/
This is the simplest option and often the most effective for SEO – especially if you’re just getting started.
Why it works:
- All content in subdirectories is part of the same site, so any SEO power or backlinks help the whole domain.
- Subdirectories keep your site easy to navigate, making it easier for users to find everything in one place.
- It’s easier to look after one site with subdirectories than to handle lots of separate subdomains.
- Subdirectories help keep related content and keywords grouped together, which boosts relevance for search engines.
What to watch out for:
- If subdirectories aren’t well organised, your site can start to feel cluttered, making it harder for users to find what they’re looking for.
- Changing something in one subdirectory can sometimes impact other parts of your website, so it’s important to be careful when making updates.
Curious how this all fits into an SEO strategy? Check out our blog on International SEO Strategy for Multilingual Sites
So, how do you choose the right site structure?
There’s no right answer when choosing an international SEO site structure. However, there is a best fit for your business, based on a few key questions.
- How many countries or languages are you wanting to target?
- Do we have the team and budget to manage multiple sites?
- Are local search rankings critical for success?
- Do we plan to grow quickly into new regions?
We’d highly advise speaking to a specialist agency before you take next steps with your international SEO strategy.
Final Thoughts
Your international SEO site structure is more than just a technical setup — it’s your global visibility. Making the right call now can save you a ton of time and stress.
Start with what’s realistic for your team and brand, and build from there. The good news? You can always evolve your structure as you grow.
Want to learn more? Explore more tips and insights on our blog about the real benefits of international SEO to help you navigate. Alternatively, look at our International SEO service so we can help you succeed smoothly.
