introducing new language version

what is better? new domain, subdomain, directory?

[idolw]

Hi,

We have a website that is all in English and are going to do more language versions of it.

My question is: what is best way of doing it?

New domain with another language version, e.g. www.example.de?
Subdomain on existing domain, e.g. de.example.com?
Directory on existing domain, e.g. www.example.com/de/?

I like the first version most, but am not sure if complete interlinking between two or more domains (being in fact two or more language versions) would be treated as healthy by search engines like google.

What are your opinions and experience?

Thanks

[Getit]

Hi idolw

I am in the exact same situation and need the same question answered.

Since my site is old and has good inbound links I would rather not start a new one to cover the Spanish version.

Somebody help us.

Thanks.

[tedster]

I've had some good results with subdirectories when an English site began to add translations -- /de/, /es/ and so on. I have never used another approach, so I cannot compare. Good results were good enough for this site.

[jetteroheller]

I have all 3 versions

example.com/index.htm
example.com/index_g.htm for the German version

theme.example.com
thema.example.com (themA is themeE in German)

theme-example.com
thema-example.com

The subdomain example has sinc June 27th a roller coaster ride in Google, but I do not think, that this is the reason.

[tedster]

One reason I chose not to use subdomains was that I knew spammers were using subdomains at that time, and I thought that a new subdomain might have more trouble establishing trust with Google. It was not important to this project that each language version be seen as a "stand-alone" website. In fact, the opposite was true. I wanted the relationship between the different translations to stand out and be obvious.

[chrisv1963]

I have an established site (5 years old) and when adding a new language I always use a new directory on the existing domain. I get good and fast results, without the sandbox effect.

[idolw]

we use subdomains already (for each country we cover) and adding a subdomain would make it look like: www.de.subdomain.example.com

do you think new domain for each language version and crosslinking may be dangerous?

[chrisv1963]

This looks spammy. I wouldn't do it.