Guides domain structure decisions for multiple products or brands: subfolder (subdirectory), subdomain, or independent domain. Covers brand architecture (Branded House vs House of Brands) and Hub-Spoke principles when multiple domains coexist. See
domain-selection
for initial domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD);
website-structure
for single-domain page planning;
rebranding-strategy
for domain change and migration;
multi-domain-brand-seo
for brand search optimization.
When invoking
On
first use
, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On
subsequent use
or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Initial Assessment
Check for product marketing context first:
If
.claude/product-marketing-context.md
or
.cursor/product-marketing-context.md
exists, read it for product portfolio and growth goals.
Identify:
Product count
Single product vs multiple products/brands
Brand strategy
Unified brand vs distinct brands
Current state
Planning from scratch vs consolidating existing domains
Constraints
Tech stack, team, budget
Domain Structure Options
Structure
Example
SEO Authority
Brand Independence
Typical Use
Subfolder
company.com/product-a
Shared with main domain
Low
Products under one brand; SMB; content consolidation
Subdomain
product.company.com
Treated separately by Google
Medium
Separate product experience; tech isolation; support/docs
Independent domain
product.ai
None shared
High
Acquired brands; different markets; distinct brand identity
When to Use Each
Choose
When
Subfolder
Products share value proposition; want to strengthen main domain; SMB; blog, tools, features under one brand
Subdomain
Need separate tech stack (e.g., app vs marketing); support portal; docs; distinct UX but same brand
Independent domain
House of Brands; acquired company; different audience; different TLD (e.g., .ai for AI product)
SEO consensus
Subfolders typically outperform subdomains for most cases—authority flows to the main domain. Subdomains require separate SEO effort.
Brand Architecture
Model
Description
Domain Tendency
Examples
Branded House
One master brand; products use functional descriptors
Subfolder or subdomain
Google (google.com/search, google.com/maps), FedEx
House of Brands
Each brand independent; parent hidden
Independent domains
Unilever (dove.com, axe.com)
Sub-brands / Endorsed
Sub-brands with parent endorsement
Subdomain or independent
FedEx Express, Marriott Bonvoy
Decision factors
Business strategy, market positioning, product overlap, resource availability.
Hub-Spoke (Multiple Domains Coexist)
When company main site (company.com) and product site (product.ai) both exist:
Role
Domain
Focus
Hub
company.com
Brand, About, Research, product matrix; brand queries
Spoke
product.ai
Product features, pricing, signup; product queries
Principles
:
Hub links to Spoke (Products section); Spoke links back (About, Footer, "A [Company] product")
Spoke avoids competing for brand queries in Title; Hub avoids competing for product keywords
See
multi-domain-brand-seo
for brand search optimization.
Output Format
Recommendation
(subfolder / subdomain / independent) with rationale
Brand architecture
fit (Branded House / House of Brands / Sub-brands)
Domain mapping
(e.g., product A → company.com/product-a)
Hub-Spoke
guidance (if multiple domains)
Related
next steps (website-structure, rebranding-strategy)