Unlocking international sales by choosing the right domain structure for your Shopify store.
As an e-commerce enthusiast and someone deeply involved with Shopify, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible potential of expanding beyond local borders. The world is your marketplace, but reaching customers in different regions effectively requires a thoughtful approach, especially when it comes to your domain strategy.
Many merchants I speak with dream of global reach, but they often get stuck on the technicalities of how to present their store in multiple languages, currencies, and with localized content. This is where a robust domain strategy comes into play.
Shopify has made significant strides in simplifying international selling, particularly with its ‘International Domains’ feature. This functionality is a game-changer, allowing you to tailor the shopping experience for customers based on their location.
My goal with this article is to demystify the options available to you and help you choose the best path for your business. We’ll explore the different domain structures and discuss their pros and cons from my perspective.
Essentially, when you’re looking to serve multiple regions, you have three primary domain strategies you can implement with Shopify: dedicated domains, subdomains, and subfolders. Each has its own set of advantages and considerations.
Let’s start with what I consider the most robust, albeit sometimes the most complex, option: dedicated domains. This means having a completely separate domain for each region, such as ‘yourstore.ca’ for Canada, ‘yourstore.co.uk’ for the UK, and ‘yourstore.com’ for the US or global audience.
From my experience, the biggest pro of dedicated domains is the strong local signal they send. Customers in Canada will instantly recognize and trust a ‘.ca’ domain, and search engines often favor country-specific TLDs (Top-Level Domains) for local search results.
This approach can significantly boost your local SEO efforts and build a strong sense of regional identity for your brand. It truly feels like a local business, even if you’re operating from afar.
However, the cons are also significant. Managing multiple distinct domains can be more expensive due to registration fees, and it can feel like you’re running several separate stores, even if they’re all connected through Shopify’s backend.
You might also find that building domain authority for each new TLD takes more time and effort compared to consolidating it under one primary domain.
Next, let’s look at subdomains. This strategy involves using a prefix before your main domain, like ‘ca.yourstore.com’ for Canada or ‘uk.yourstore.com’ for the UK. Your primary domain remains ‘yourstore.com’.
I find subdomains to be a good middle-ground solution. They are generally easier and cheaper to set up than dedicated domains, as you’re not registering entirely new TLDs.
They still offer a clear indication of regional targeting to both users and search engines, and they allow for distinct content and currency settings for each region.
The main drawback I’ve observed with subdomains is that they don’t always carry the same strong local SEO weight as a dedicated country-code TLD. While Google generally treats them well, some argue they don’t convey the same level of local relevance.
Finally, we have subfolders. This is often the simplest and most common approach I see merchants adopt, especially when they’re just starting their international expansion. Here, your regional content lives in a folder within your main domain, like ‘yourstore.com/ca’ for Canada or ‘yourstore.com/uk’ for the UK.
The biggest advantage of subfolders, in my opinion, is the consolidation of domain authority. All your SEO efforts contribute to the strength of your single primary domain, which can be incredibly powerful.
They are also the easiest to set up and manage within Shopify’s International Domains feature, requiring no additional domain registrations beyond your primary one.
The primary con of subfolders is that they might not feel as ‘local’ to customers as a dedicated country-code domain. While ‘yourstore.com/ca’ clearly indicates Canadian content, it doesn’t have the same immediate local branding as ‘yourstore.ca’.
So, which strategy should you choose? From my perspective, it really depends on your budget, your long-term international growth plans, and how aggressively you want to target specific local markets.
If you have the resources and a strong commitment to becoming a major player in specific countries, dedicated domains offer the most localized and SEO-optimized solution.
If you’re looking for a balance between localization and ease of management, subdomains are a solid choice that provides clear regional separation.
For most merchants, especially those just dipping their toes into international sales or those with a global brand that transcends specific country borders, subfolders are an excellent starting point. They are simple, effective, and leverage your existing domain authority.
Regardless of the domain structure you choose, Shopify’s International Domains feature handles crucial technical aspects like hreflang tags automatically. This is incredibly important for SEO, as it tells search engines which version of your page is for which language and region, preventing duplicate content issues.
Beyond the domain structure, remember to localize your content. This means not just translating text, but adapting product descriptions, marketing messages, and even imagery to resonate with local cultural nuances.
Don’t forget about currency and language settings. Shopify allows you to set specific currencies for each region, and customers will see prices in their local currency, which significantly improves the shopping experience.
Shipping and tax considerations are also paramount. Ensure your shipping rates are accurate for each region and that you’re compliant with local tax regulations. Shopify’s tax settings can help streamline this.
Ultimately, my advice is to prioritize the user experience. Whichever domain strategy you choose, make sure it’s easy for your international customers to find the right version of your store, understand the pricing, and complete their purchase seamlessly.
Monitor your analytics for each region. See where your international traffic is coming from, how they’re interacting with your localized content, and identify areas for improvement. It’s an ongoing process of refinement.
Embracing a global domain strategy is a significant step towards expanding your e-commerce empire. It shows your commitment to international customers and can unlock massive growth opportunities.
I’ve seen businesses transform by thoughtfully implementing these strategies, and I believe you can too. The key is to start, learn, and adapt.
What do you think about this article? Have you implemented any of these strategies, and what was your experience?
I hope this detailed guide helps you confidently navigate the complexities of international domains on Shopify and empowers you to reach customers worldwide.
