Web Design Forums

jekie · 11-06-2007, 09:43

Hi All,

Which type of URLs make better sense from a branding perspective?
Subdomain URLs, like finance.yahoo.com or Directory URLs, like digg.com/podcasts.

Subdomains seem to be commonplace, but I wonder if it would be better from a brand perspective to use directories. Using directories, the customer would associate the brand before the content - yahoo.com/finance as opposed to finance.yahoo.com.

I'm not saying either is the correct way, I'm just curious to see if anyone else out there has thoughts on this.

Thanks~
j

freelancr · 11-06-2007, 10:00

The "bbc.co.uk" has done well using directories rather than subdomains. Entering in subdomains confuses a lot end users.

I always get asked by clients "do I type the http://www.". And every time without fail I want to ram their head through the monitor. But I don't, I just say no.

In my mind subdomains are better left for other services which use other ports. Like

mail.domain.com
pop3.domain.com
smtp.domain.com
ftp.domain.com
irc.domain.com

Maerk · 11-06-2007, 10:21

BBC and directories you say eh? - BBC NEWS | News Front Page ?

freelancr · 11-06-2007, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maerk

BBC and directories you say eh? - BBC NEWS | News Front Page ?

D'oh!

jekie · 11-06-2007, 10:43

freelancr, i agree about the use of subdomains. I'd love to hear why some businesses have adopted them into their URL strategy instead of directory based URLs.

funkyprem · 11-06-2007, 10:49

personally, i used subdomains for development sites eg client.mysite.co.uk so the client could see the site developing in a 'live' environmment. no other use really.

freelancr · 11-06-2007, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by jekie

freelancr, i agree about the use of subdomains. I'd love to hear why some businesses have adopted them into their URL strategy instead of directory based URLs.

Might be because they can point them to different servers. Like you could have your website in ASP.NET hosted on a windows server, then have your php forums hosted on a linux server.

www.domain.com -> Windows Server
forums.domain.com -> Linux Server

vannova · 13-06-2007, 03:23

Hi
I would suggest you for Subdomain URLs, like finance.yahoo.com than Directory URLs, like digg.com/podcasts.

Limbo · 13-06-2007, 04:21

Vannova. That's a really vacant habit you have there.

funkyprem · 13-06-2007, 09:13

i wouldn't mind so much if it led to a nice site!

let's face it, annoying as it may be, it's just the same as slapping a link in your signature.

Larixk · 13-06-2007, 10:29

the problem is the guy's only offering marginal advice most of the time.

back ontopic:
I wouldn't mind seperate subdomains for clearly distinct sites within the same domain. If there's no overlap between the functionality on the different domains and people usually don't navigate between them in a single visit it shouldn't be a problem.

Agricola · 13-06-2007, 11:05

Why dont you offer both? theres nothing to stop you having subdomain and directory just have one set up as a redirect. BBC does this rather well,, type in bbc. co.uk/news and you get redirected to news.bbc we all do things slightly different and there are people around who can barely understand the concept of webaddresses , having to enter sub domains is confusing to them etc. so offering a folder option is good.

nightingale2k1 · 16-08-2007, 03:52

sub domain or directory, basically it depends on how your web application. Web application usually will use directory approached..
for example: news.google.com and google.com use different web application therefore they use subdomain instead directory.

but i love to use subdomain if possible

it easy to remember.
the cons: I have to add more configuration if the user misstyped subdomain (because it will produce ungly web page) and if i use directory based, i could just use .htaccess to redirect to somewhere

just my opinion

11-06-2007, 09:43	#1 (permalink)
jekie Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12	URLs and Branding - Subdomain vs. Directory Hi All, Which type of URLs make better sense from a branding perspective? Subdomain URLs, like finance.yahoo.com or Directory URLs, like digg.com/podcasts. Subdomains seem to be commonplace, but I wonder if it would be better from a brand perspective to use directories. Using directories, the customer would associate the brand before the content - yahoo.com/finance as opposed to finance.yahoo.com. I'm not saying either is the correct way, I'm just curious to see if anyone else out there has thoughts on this. Thanks~ j

11-06-2007, 10:21	#3 (permalink)
Maerk Doodler. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,348	BBC and directories you say eh? - BBC NEWS \| News Front Page ? __________________ sreski & scrapbook.sreski

11-06-2007, 10:49	#6 (permalink)
funkyprem For all your goober needs Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Coventry, UK Posts: 1,468	personally, i used subdomains for development sites eg client.mysite.co.uk so the client could see the site developing in a 'live' environmment. no other use really. __________________ Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the one thing that he can’t afford to lose. - Thomas Edison prem ghinde

13-06-2007, 03:23	#8 (permalink)
vannova Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 47	Hi I would suggest you for Subdomain URLs, like finance.yahoo.com than Directory URLs, like digg.com/podcasts. Last edited by gray : 05-07-2007 at 12:09.

13-06-2007, 09:13	#10 (permalink)
funkyprem For all your goober needs Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Coventry, UK Posts: 1,468	i wouldn't mind so much if it led to a nice site! let's face it, annoying as it may be, it's just the same as slapping a link in your signature. __________________ Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the one thing that he can’t afford to lose. - Thomas Edison prem ghinde

11-06-2007, 10:00	#2 (permalink)
freelancr Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,097	The "bbc.co.uk" has done well using directories rather than subdomains. Entering in subdomains confuses a lot end users. I always get asked by clients "do I type the http://www.". And every time without fail I want to ram their head through the monitor. But I don't, I just say no. In my mind subdomains are better left for other services which use other ports. Like mail.domain.com pop3.domain.com smtp.domain.com ftp.domain.com irc.domain.com

11-06-2007, 10:43	#5 (permalink)
jekie Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12	freelancr, i agree about the use of subdomains. I'd love to hear why some businesses have adopted them into their URL strategy instead of directory based URLs.

13-06-2007, 04:21	#9 (permalink)
Limbo Baskin' Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 5,309	Vannova. That's a really vacant habit you have there.

13-06-2007, 10:29	#11 (permalink)
Larixk Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Utrecht, Netherlands Posts: 992	the problem is the guy's only offering marginal advice most of the time. back ontopic: I wouldn't mind seperate subdomains for clearly distinct sites within the same domain. If there's no overlap between the functionality on the different domains and people usually don't navigate between them in a single visit it shouldn't be a problem. __________________

13-06-2007, 11:05	#12 (permalink)
Agricola Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: England Posts: 213	Why dont you offer both? theres nothing to stop you having subdomain and directory just have one set up as a redirect. BBC does this rather well,, type in bbc. co.uk/news and you get redirected to news.bbc we all do things slightly different and there are people around who can barely understand the concept of webaddresses , having to enter sub domains is confusing to them etc. so offering a folder option is good.

16-08-2007, 03:52	#13 (permalink)
nightingale2k1 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 9	sub domain or directory, basically it depends on how your web application. Web application usually will use directory approached.. for example: news.google.com and google.com use different web application therefore they use subdomain instead directory. but i love to use subdomain if possible it easy to remember. the cons: I have to add more configuration if the user misstyped subdomain (because it will produce ungly web page) and if i use directory based, i could just use .htaccess to redirect to somewhere just my opinion

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