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Brand & Domain Strategy (separate sites vs subdomains)
Brand & Domain Strategy (Separate Sites vs Subdomains)
Decide when to run a central hub vs. clone sites, then apply the correct canonical / linking pattern so SEO equity and operations stay clean.
What we’re deciding
Scope
- One brand vs multiple brands.
- One domain vs many (or subs/folders).
- Hub pages vs cloned sites.
- Canonical / hreflang / robots rules.
- Internal links, nav, and 301 strategy.
Patterns
Options (plain English)
- Separate domain: newbrand.tld — max autonomy, clean isolation.
- Subdomain: region.brand.com — light isolation, clearer ops split.
- Subfolder: brand.com/ca/ — shares authority, fastest SEO lift.
- Clone / Multisite: location-specific UX; shared blocks + canonicals.
- Reverse proxy: unified host; mixed backends behind the scenes.
Trade-offs
Matrix
| Pattern | SEO equity | Isolation | Speed | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate domain | Low (new) | High | Med | High |
| Subdomain | Med | Med | Med | Med |
| Subfolder | High | Low | High | Low |
| Clone / Multisite | Med | Med | High | Med |
Short phrases only in table; details live in the tabs below.
Defaults (Ameen)
Rules of Thumb
- Same brand, multi-geo: subfolders + hreflang.
- Docs/Status/Support: subdomains.
- New legal entity: separate domain.
- Franchise/20+ cities: hub with location pages; clone only for heavy local content.
- Shared articles: canonical to the source; avoid duplicates.
Pre-decision
Checklist
- Do we need legal/brand isolation?
- Is SEO equity critical at launch?
- How much local content is truly unique?
- Who will own updates & governance?
- Email/DNS implications understood?
Examples
Quick Scenarios
- US → CA/UK: hub + /ca/ /uk/ + hreflang.
- Agency network: subdomains per unit.
- Spin-off brand: separate domain; network footer link only.
- Heavily localized offers: clones with cross-domain canonicals to hub for shared content.
Goal
Outcomes
- Choose hub vs clone approach.
- Pick domain pattern: separate domains, subdomains, or subfolders.
- Apply canonical/hreflang/robots rules.
- Define internal links, nav, and redirects.
Quick guide
Defaults (Ameen)
| Use | Pattern | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Same brand, new geo | Subfolder /us/ /ca/ | Share authority |
| Function split | Subdomain status. docs. | Ops isolation |
| New brand/entity | Separate domain | Autonomy |
| Franchise/multi-location | Hub + location pages | Speed + SEO |
| Heavy local nuance | Clone site + canonicals | Unique UX |
Inputs
Decision Wizard
Recommendation
Result & Rationale
Fill inputs and click “Recommend”.
Canonical/Links Pattern
—
Canonical
Standard
<link rel=”canonical” href=”https://brand.com/path/”>
Cross-domain
Clone → Hub
<link rel=”canonical” href=”https://brand.com/solutions/widget/”>
Hreflang
Regional
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://brand.com/us/page/” hreflang=”en-us”>
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://brand.com/ca/page/” hreflang=”en-ca”>
<link rel=”alternate” href=”https://brand.com/page/” hreflang=”x-default”>
Robots
De-duplicate
<meta name=”robots” content=”noindex,follow”>
Sitemaps
Patterns
| Scenario | File | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Hub | /sitemap_index.xml | Section sitemaps |
| Geo folders | /us/sitemap.xml | Geo-scoped |
| Clones | Each domain | Cross-domain canonical |
Hub & Spoke
Internal Linking
- Hub → location pages (contextual).
- Location → hub “Learn more”.
- Footer: compact “Network” list (brand names only).
- No cross-link spam among clones.
- Use UTM for partner/ads.
Nav Policy
Header/Footer
| Area | Rule |
|---|---|
| Header | Primary brand paths |
| Mega menu | Geo selector if needed |
| Footer | Network list (no keywords) |
| Blog | Rel=canonical to source |
Redirects
Merge/Deprecate
301 map:
old: https://oldbrand.com/service-a → new: https://brand.com/service-a
old: https://city.brand.com/ → new: https://brand.com/locations/city/
DNS/SSL
Domains/Subdomains
- A records via CDN/WAF.
- ACME/Let’s Encrypt or managed certs.
- Wildcard for
*.brand.comif many subs.
Email
Deliverability
- SPF include for sender.
- DKIM per domain.
- DMARC monitor → enforce.
Infra
Patterns
| Need | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Strong isolation | Separate domain |
| Light isolation | Subdomain |
| Share equity | Subfolder |
| Mixed hosting | Reverse proxy |
Go-Live
Launch Checklist
- Decision logged (pattern + rationale).
- Canonical/hreflang/robots set.
- Sitemaps submitted.
- 301 map tested.
- GA4/Pixel/UTM plan verified.
- Core Web Vitals baseline recorded.
- Status/uptime monitors added.
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