Does a poorly optimized main directory affect a well-optimized subdirectory in another language?

Can a Poorly Optimized Main Directory Affect a Well-Optimized Subdirectory?

Hello,

I hope youโ€™ll forgive me if my question isnโ€™t worded perfectlyโ€”I’m not an expert in technical SEO.

I’m currently involved in drafting a project overview for a website’s local language version, which will be structured as a subdirectory. A technical SEO audit is in progress, and its findings and recommendations will be applied to this local language version. However, these improvements cannot be implemented on the main website, mycompany.com.

My question is: Will the suboptimal technical SEO performance (such as load speed and mobile optimization issues) of mycompany.com negatively impact the performance of the SEO-improved version located at mycompany.com/de/?

I would greatly appreciate any insights or suggestions to enhance and clarify my query.


2 responses to “Does a poorly optimized main directory affect a well-optimized subdirectory in another language?”

  1. Certainly! Your question touches on an important area of SEO concerning the relationship between a main directory and its subdirectories. Let’s break it down.

    Main Directory vs. Subdirectory SEO

    Independent Performance

    1. Separateness of Directories: Generally, search engines like Google treat subdirectories as part of the same domain. However, the optimizationsโ€”such as load speed, mobile friendliness, and structured dataโ€”are often assessed on a page-by-page basis. This implies that improvements made specifically in a subdirectory (e.g., /de/ for a German version) can positively affect just that section independently of the main directory’s performance.

    2. Localized SEO: As your focus is on a local language version, and assuming the content in the subdirectory is unique, relevant, and optimized for local SEO practices, this could indeed help the subdirectory to perform well in local search results despite shortcomings in the main directory.

    Interdependent Factors

    1. Root Domain Authority: The overall authority and reputation of the root domain (mycompany.com) will still play a significant role. A poorly optimized main directory might lower the perceived trustworthiness or authority of the whole domain, and this can have an indirect effect on the subdirectory’s performance.

    2. Crawl Budget: If the main site is inefficiently using resources (slow loading, lots of errors), it can affect Google’s crawl rate. Ideally, a well-optimized subdirectory may not completely offset these issues, but keeping the /de/ site as clean and efficient as possible will maximize its chances to be effectively crawled and indexed.

    3. Link Equity: Internal linking structures and external backlinks to the root domain should be maximized. An increase in high-quality backlinks to the main site can transfer link equity to subdirectories, potentially boosting their SEO performance.

    Recommendations

    • Localized Optimizations: Ensure that structures such as hreflang are correctly set up to show the siteโ€™s multilingual context to search engines, aiding in appropriate geographical searches.

    • Content Quality: Ensure that your subdirectory has high-quality, unique content tailored to its audience. Content should be appropriately localized, including aspects such as cultural references and keywords.

    • Site Map: Maintain a clear, updated sitemap for /de/ to facilitate easier crawling and indexing of that subdirectory by search engines.

    • Monitoring and Analytics: Use tools like Google Search Console and analytics software to

  2. Hi there,

    That’s a great question and one that many website owners and SEO professionals grapple with! The short answer is that yes, a poorly optimized main directory can indeed impact the performance of a well-optimized subdirectory, albeit indirectly.

    Search engines typically assess a website’s overall authority and user experience when determining rankings. If your main site (mycompany.com) has technical issues such as slow load times or mobile usability problems, these factors can tarnish your website’s reputation in the eyes of search engines like Google. As a result, even with a well-optimized subdirectory (mycompany.com/de), it may not rank as effectively due to the poor performance of the parent site.

    Additionally, user behavior plays a crucial role in SEO. If users navigate to your main directory and have a negative experience, such as long load times or difficulty accessing content, they might leave the site quickly. This could lead to higher bounce rates, which search engines may interpret as a sign of low-quality content across your entire domain, affecting both the main and subdirectories.

    One potential strategy to mitigate this impact would be to focus on internal linking between the main site and the subdirectory. By creating high-quality content on the main site that links to the subdirectory while addressing the main site’s technical issues, you could help direct relevant traffic and improve user experience on the subdirectory.

    To sum up, while you may be limited in how you can optimize the main site, being aware of these connections and implementing strategic linking

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *