A Shopify client was stuck on page 3 in Germany and Spain despite solid content and correct hreflang tags. Four months after switching to a subdirectory structure, local rankings jumped 18% and Spanish organic traffic was up 35%. Here is exactly what changed and why.
Hreflang tells Google which version of your content is meant for which language or region. That is all it does. It is a signal, not a structure. A signal without structure is like a road sign pointing to a city with no roads leading to it.
If you are scaling into multiple regions Shopify store, B2B SaaS, multilingual blog hreflang is not optional. But it is also not enough. The brands that consistently rank locally combine hreflang with a subdirectory structure that gives Google clear, crawlable, regionally grouped content. This is the foundation of any serious international SEO growth strategy.
The case study: what happened when structure matched intent
A Shopify client I worked with was active in Germany and Spain. Hreflang was implemented correctly. Content was solid. They were still sitting on page 3 in both markets. The problem was not what they were saying. It was how the site was organised.
After transitioning to a subdirectory setup, /de/ for Germany and /es/ for Spain, and pairing that with proper on-page localisation, the results came in over four months:
Results — Shopify client, DE and ES markets
+18%
Local rankings in top 10
Within 4 months
+35%
Organic traffic from Spain
Post-migration
Cleaner
Crawl paths in GSC
Confirmed via Screaming Frog
Subdirectories work not just for bots but for users too. A clean URL like domain.com/es/ builds trust with the person reading it, not just the crawler indexing it.
The three site structure options and which one to use
When expanding internationally you have three structural options. Most teams default to whichever is easiest to implement. The right choice is the one that gives you the most authority, the most control, and the least maintenance overhead as you scale.
Site structure comparison
Three options. One clear winner.
Most teams default to what is easiest to implement. The right choice is the one that scales without splitting your authority.
| Structure |
Example |
Verdict |
Why |
| ccTLD |
domain.de |
Use carefully |
Strong geo-signal but requires separate domain authority per market. Hard to scale beyond 2 to 3 countries. |
| Subdomain |
de.domain.com |
Avoid |
Google treats subdomains as separate sites. Authority is isolated. You are effectively building two domains instead of one. |
| Subdirectory |
domain.com/de/ |
Recommended |
Shares root domain authority. One codebase, one sitemap, one analytics setup. Scales cleanly to any number of markets. |
The subdirectory approach is not just easier to manage. It is structurally stronger. Every regional page benefits from the authority your root domain has already built. When you add /fr/ or /nl/ you are not starting from zero. You are inheriting years of trust. For a full technical breakdown of how to implement this correctly, the hreflang implementation guide covers every edge case including x-default, self-referencing tags, and sitemap formatting.
Migration checklist
Three steps before you change anything
A migration done in the wrong order costs rankings. Do these three things first.
Step 1
Audit your current international visibility
Use GSC to break down sessions and rankings per country. Use Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find cannibalised or misindexed pages. A technical SEO audit surfaces the exact crawl issues your migration needs to solve first.
Step 2
Do market-specific keyword research
Your German buyer does not search the same way as your UK visitor. Before you build a single subdirectory page you need market-specific audience research to know what they are actually searching for and in what language.
Step 3
Migrate with 301s, sitemaps, and hreflang together
Set up 301 redirects from old URLs, update all internal links, revise your XML sitemap, and implement hreflang tags pointing to the new subdirectory paths. Done in the right order, migration is a short-term dip for long-term gain.
Migration checklist
Three steps before you change anything
A migration done in the wrong order costs rankings. Do these three things first.
Step 1
Audit your current international visibility
Use GSC to break down sessions and rankings per country. Use Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find cannibalised or misindexed pages. A technical SEO audit surfaces the exact crawl issues your migration needs to solve first.
Step 2
Do market-specific keyword research
Your German buyer does not search the same way as your UK visitor. Before you build a single subdirectory page you need market-specific audience research to know what they are actually searching for and in what language.
Step 3
Migrate with 301s, sitemaps, and hreflang together
Set up 301 redirects from old URLs, update all internal links, revise your XML sitemap, and implement hreflang tags pointing to the new subdirectory paths. Done in the right order, migration is a short-term dip for long-term gain.
Why it works
Three reasons subdirectories outperform hreflang alone
01Google gets a clear crawl path per market
Subdirectories group regional content in a way Google can efficiently crawl and index. Hreflang tells Google what the content is for. Subdirectories tell it where to find it. You need both signals pointing in the same direction.
02Authority flows across all markets from day one
Every new regional subdirectory inherits the trust your root domain has built. A new /de/ page starts with far more authority than a new domain.de ever would, especially in the early months when you are competing against established local players.
03Localisation becomes a content decision, not a rebuild
With a subdirectory structure, adding a new market is a content and hreflang task, not a development project. You do not rebuild the site. You add a folder, localise the content, and update the signals. For brands entering UAE and MENA markets, this makes the difference between a six-week launch and a six-month one.
International SEO is not about translation. It is about intention. Show Google you are serious about a market with the right structure, the right contentm and the right signals all pointing in the same direction.
FAQ
Hreflang and subdirectories: common questions
What is the difference between hreflang and subdirectories?
Hreflang is a tag that tells search engines which language or country version a page is intended for. Subdirectories are a structural decision about how you organise regional content within your domain. Hreflang is the signal. Subdirectories are the architecture. Full implementation details are in the hreflang implementation guide.
Should I use both hreflang and subdirectories?
Yes, always. Subdirectories without hreflang leave Google guessing which version to serve to which user. Hreflang without subdirectories gives Google the intent signal but no structural support to act on it. Together they create a coherent, crawlable international SEO setup.
Is it risky to switch from hreflang-only to subdirectories?
Done properly with 301 redirects, updated internal links, revised sitemaps, and hreflang pointing to new paths, the migration risk is low. Expect a short-term ranking fluctuation of two to four weeks. The long-term outcome is consistently stronger local visibility. The Shopify case study above saw +18% local rankings within four months.
Do I need different keyword research per subdirectory?
Yes. Your /de/ pages need German search intent, not translated English keywords. The searches, the phrasing, the seasonal patterns, and the buyer triggers differ by market. Market-specific audience research before you build subdirectory content is the step most brands skip and the main reason their local pages underperform.
Will subdirectories help me rank better locally?
Yes, especially when combined with localised content, correct hreflang implementation, and a clean internal linking structure within each subdirectory. Subdirectories alone are not a ranking shortcut. They are the structural foundation that makes every other international SEO effort work harder.
Expanding into new markets?
I will audit your international setup and build a migration plan that does not lose what you have already earned.
Technical review, subdirectory migration planning, hreflang implementation, and market-specific keyword strategy. One conversation to start.
