---
title: "Domain Strategy: What to Clarify Before the Relaunch"
lang: en
type: knowledge
canonical: https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/development/domain
alternate: https://www.arocom.de/wissen/entwicklung/domain
author: "Axel Roth"
last_updated: 2026-07-27
---

# Domain Strategy: What to Clarify Before the Relaunch

The domain strategy defines how your content is addressed on the web.
Subdomain vs. subfolder, country-specific domains, [multisite decisions](https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/drupal/multisite)
and redirect planning affect SEO rankings and user navigation. Since 2012,
arocom has advised organizations on domain decisions in the context of
Drupal relaunches and has seen in over 160 Drupal projects which mistakes cost
rankings. A wrong domain decision before the relaunch can only be
corrected later with significant effort.

## Domain Strategy: What to Clarify Before the Relaunch

A domain is the address of your website on the internet. That
sounds simple, but behind the domain strategy are decisions with
long-term effects on SEO, user navigation and technical
architecture.

Before a Drupal relaunch, these questions must be answered.
Changing the domain structure afterward means redirect chains,
ranking losses and confused users.

## Subdomain vs. Subfolder: What's Better for SEO?

blog.example.com or example.com/blog? This decision affects how
search engines evaluate your content.

Subfolder (example.com/blog) passes the domain authority of the
main domain to all subpages. Search engines treat subfolders as
part of the same website. For most Drupal projects, this is the
right choice.

Subdomains (blog.example.com) are treated by search engines as
separate websites. This can make sense when you run a separate
application, such as a customer portal under
portal.example.com.

Country-specific domains (example.de, example.at) signal the
target region to search engines. Alternatively, subfolders
(example.com/de/, example.com/at/) work with hreflang tags.

arocom recommends: subfolders as the default, subdomains only
for technically separate applications, country domains only
with a strong regional brand.

## Redirect Strategy: Preserving Rankings During a Relaunch

During a relaunch, URLs change. Every old URL that leads
nowhere without a redirect loses its search engine authority
and creates a 404 page for users.

A complete redirect map is mandatory. Every old URL is mapped
to a new one. 301 redirects (permanent) transfer the link
authority to the new URL.

Common mistakes: redirect chains (A redirects to B, B redirects
to C), redirects to the homepage instead of the matching new
page, missing redirects for images and downloads.

arocom creates a complete redirect map before every relaunch
and systematically checks for 404 errors after go-live. This
protects rankings you have built up over years.

### Your next step

Planning a relaunch? The [Drupal Future Check](https://www.arocom.de/en/future-check)
analyzes your current URL structure and provides recommendations
for the domain strategy before you make decisions that are
difficult to reverse.

**From arocom projects:**

- Hopt + Schuler needs job openings on the careers page in real time, sourced from the JobCluster system. We delivered this via a custom module against the JobCluster API, vacancies appear without manual upkeep, the recruiting workflow runs centrally in JobCluster, the site reads live.
- Drupal as a dashboard platform? For marego it was exactly the right choice: editable data structures, granular roles, integrated Excel/PDF pipelines. The tool now consolidates reporting that used to live in five different tools.

### Should we use separate domains for our international website?

That depends on your brand and budget. Separate domains (example.de, example.fr) require separate SEO for each domain. Subfolders (example.com/de/) consolidate domain authority. arocom recommends subfolders with hreflang tags for most international Drupal projects.

### What happens to our rankings during a domain change?

With a proper 301 redirect strategy and Search Console migration, rankings are largely preserved. A temporary ranking loss of 2-4 weeks is normal. Without a redirect strategy, you can permanently lose rankings.

### Do we need a separate domain for our blog?

No. A blog under example.com/blog benefits from the authority of the main domain and simultaneously strengthens it with fresh content. A separate domain (blog.example.com) splits the authority and increases administrative effort.

### How many domains can we manage with Drupal?

Drupal multisite allows managing multiple domains from a single installation. Alternatively, you redirect alias domains to your main domain. arocom advises you on the right architecture.

## Read more

- [Planning a Website Relaunch](https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/development/relaunch): The arocom guide for the relaunch
- [GDPR and Drupal](https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/development/gdpr): Data protection requirements for your domain
- [Deployment Strategies](https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/development/deployment): Domain configuration as part of deployment