Subdomain or different domains?

[busweb]

I am designing a new site for an international company. They would like to have versions for the site in English, German, French. I was thinking that I have few options to do this:

1 - create directories for translations:

http://www.mysite.com/en/...
http://www.mysite.com/fr/...
http://www.mysite.com/de/...

2- create subdomains for every translation:

http://en.mysite.com/...
http://fr.mysite.com/...
http://de.mysite.com/...

3. I could buy the local domains:

mysite.com
mysite.de
mysite.fr

I think the last one would be the best. But I am not sure. Any advices?
Thanks a lot.

 

[Micky]

I am designing a new site for an international company. They would like to have versions for the site in English, German, French. I was thinking that I have few options to do this:

1 - create directories for translations:

http://www.mysite.com/en/...
http://www.mysite.com/fr/...
http://www.mysite.com/de/...

2- create subdomains for every translation:

http://en.mysite.com/...
http://fr.mysite.com/...
http://de.mysite.com/...

3. I could buy the local domains:

mysite.com
mysite.de
mysite.fr

I think the last one would be the best. But I am not sure. Any advices?
Thanks a lot.

well it depends.Whats gonna be your host domain? If you are buying last one, are you gonna do all optimization, content writing on it as well. I don't actually like the approach of multi-domains. Instead, i would like to take one domain and give my full potential to get it popular.

Do i answer your question? Or, you mean something else?

 

[techvixen]

I would say directories simply as they are easier to manage in my experience.

 

[Thei7]

Oh well, if the company is not short in budged I would actually go with the ccTLD version and in addition to find the hosting server located in that same country (and IP's too) if you intend to separately optimize each "section" (well in this case website) of the company.

However if they want to cut on budged and spare the new servers and domains (well domains could always be useful and forwarded) then I would really go with sub directories rather then sub domains (search engines, mainly Google doesn't treat anymore sub domains as NEW site, but it gives the same value of the sub directory). Well actually at this point (or option) I would say you can pick which one is more user friendly (for you as webmaster and the visitors).

 

[Micky]

I would say directories simply as they are easier to manage in my experience.

What do you mean here? He is talking about domain and subdomains. There is no sign of directories??

 

[mikesgroovin]

What do you mean here? He is talking about domain and subdomains. There is no sign of directories??

I think that the reply was directed at the quote here from the first option....
In which case, doesn't involve any subdomains, just links for a translation from the main site index.

1 - create directories for translations:

http://www.mysite.com/en/...
http://www.mysite.com/fr/...
http://www.mysite.com/de/...

 

[joeljonathan]

Have you considered using some type of automated translation plugin like Google Translate or something similar?

 

[aldernon]

just make folders in your root directory. en for english, fr for french, ect.

Theres no point in wasting time and money to accomplish such a simple task. Look at how google handles different languages (same way).

With my experience, companies love cheep, quick and simple. The easier u make this build on them, the happier they will be, and the more they will recommend you to their friends =D

 

[Spit-wad]

From an end user point of view, #3 would be the nicest, but #2 would be fine as well.

 

[digitalelectronics]

if you make subdomains than it is completely starting from scratch again but if you make it a page in your site your main page will pass some rank and such and traffic so it really depends on how you want to approach it.