Why This Decision Matters
When your business is growing, new opportunities often mean new offerings — a new product, service, or even an entirely new division. Naturally, that leads to a big question:
Should your new website live as a subdomain of your existing site (like academy.foundery.ca) or should it stand alone (like founderyacademy.com)?
It might seem like a technical detail, but this decision can significantly impact your website’s visibility and performance, brand clarity, and marketing efficiency. In this post, we’ll walk through the benefits and risks of each option to help you make the best long-term choice for your business.
Understanding the Options for Your New Website
Build a Subdomain
A subdomain is an extension of your main website that functions as a semi-independent site. For example, blog.foundery.ca or academy.foundery.ca.
A subdomain often shares the same branding and back-end infrastructure but may have its own front-end design, content, navigation, and audience focus.
Build a Separate Website
A separate site is a completely new domain, like founderyacademy.com. It operates independently from your website, with its own domain, server hosting, URLs, analytics, and authority in search engines.
Consider a New Subdirectory Instead of a New Website
A third option, often overlooked, is to build your new offering in a new directory of your main site. An example would be foundery.ca/blog/ or foundery.ca/academy/. Content added to the new directory all has the same elements of the original website, because it is built within the original website infrastructure. This would include the back-end infrastructure, URLs, analytics, and search engine authority.
It is possible (on most modern websites) to implement a separate front-end design and even separate navigation within a directory of an existing site. Essentially, this new section of the website would look distinct, but it is still the same website.
Considerations when Choosing a Subdomain
Benefits of Using a Subdomain
- Shared SEO Authority :
While Google treats subdomains as distinct entities, they can still benefit from some of the trust and authority your main domain has built. - Brand Continuity:
If your new offering aligns closely with your existing business, a subdomain reinforces brand consistency. - Simplified Management:
Using a subdomain can make management easier. Your team can host it on the same server and maintain a consistent look and feel. - Customer Familiarity:
Customers who already trust your brand are more likely to explore a new offering if it feels like part of the same ecosystem.
Risks and Limitations of a Subdomain
- SEO Segmentation:
Google often indexes subdomains separately, which can limit the SEO benefit to your main domain. - Brand Confusion:
If the new offering has a distinct audience or tone, a subdomain might blur the lines. - Technical Complexity:
Tracking performance across subdomains requires careful setup in analytics tools. - Content Competition:
Similar topics across subdomains can compete in search rankings.
Considerations when Choosing a Separate Website
Benefits of Building a Separate Website
- Distinct Branding and Positioning:
A separate domain gives you creative freedom to establish a unique identity. - Dedicated SEO Strategy:
Focus on niche keywords and content without impacting your main site. - Autonomous Growth:
Scale the site independently and update it freely. - Clear Market Differentiation:
Visitors know exactly what each brand stands for.
Risks and Limitations of a Separate Site
- Starting From Zero:
A new domain doesn’t inherit SEO authority and takes time to rank. - Double the Work
Two sites mean double the maintenance, double the content, and double the reporting. - Divided Marketing Efforts:
Each site requires its own promotion and digital marketing plan. - Risk of Brand Dilution:
If the new brand isn’t clearly positioned, it may compete with your main website.
Considerations When Choosing a Subdirectory
Benefits of Using a Subdirectory
- Full SEO Benefit:
Google treats subdirectories as part of the same domain, so any new content contributes directly to your existing domain authority. - Simpler Tracking:
Analytics, backlinks, and content management stay centralized. - Lower Maintenance:
You only maintain one site, one SSL certificate, and one content strategy. - Clear Brand Integration:
Ideal for expanding service offerings under the same brand umbrella.
Risks of a Subdirectory
- Some up-front collaboration:
Your developer and designer will likely be required to work together to create a unique design that doesn’t affect your main site. - Navigation Complexity:
Large subdirectories can complicate site architecture if not well structured. - Potential Content Overlap:
If not carefully differentiated, new content may compete with existing pages. - Less Flexibility:
If your new offering later becomes its own brand, migration can be more complex.
How to Decide Between a New Domain, Subdomain or New Directory: Key Questions to Ask
- Is the new offering closely tied to your existing business?
- Do you want the new brand to stand on its own?
- Who is the target audience?
- Do you have the resources to manage two websites effectively?
- What is your long-term vision?
What We Think
At Foundery, we guide businesses through these decisions every day regularly. The right answer always depends on your business goals and marketing strategy, not convenience.
| Factor | Subdirectory | Subdomain | Separate Site |
| SEO Authority | Full inheritance | Some inheritance | None (starts fresh) |
| Brand Connection | Fully integrated | Related but distinct | Independent |
| Maintenance | Easiest | Moderate | Most complex |
| Technical Complexity | Moderate | High | Low |
| Flexibility | Low | Moderate | High |
| Reporting | Easiest One entity with a single data source | Moderate Can be a single data source or separated into 2 | Easy but Doubled 2 distinct entities with separate reporting |
| Best For | Related services | Complementary initiatives | New ventures or audiences |
Choose a Subdirectory if:
- Your offering fits naturally withing your existing brand
- You want to maximize your SEO impact
- Minimizing traffic loss to your main website is important to your business
Choose a Subdomain if:
- The new offering complements your existing services but is distinct.
- You want to leverage existing brand equity.
- You prefer centralized management and brand cohesion.
Choose a Separate Site if:
- The new business serves a distinct audience or has a unique identity.
- You’re ready to build authority from the ground up.
- You want flexibility to evolve the brand independently.
Final Thoughts: Build for Long-Term Growth
Choosing between a subdomain, subdirectory and a separate site isn’t just a technical choice; it’s a strategic marketing decision that affects everything from your search visibility to your brand perception.
Many developers advise you to build a new website, because that is the most straightforward way for them to deliver what you ask. But new websites start from zero visibility in LLMs and search engines and are not always the best choice for a growing business.
If your goal is growth that lasts, align this decision with your business objectives, audience, and capacity. Our team can help you evaluate the options through the lens of SEO/GEO performance, brand strategy, and data-driven marketing.
Want to grow quality leads for your business? We’ve got you covered.
