As experienced WordPress professionals who've set up hundreds of multisite installations, we recommend installing WordPress in a subdirectory when you want to run multiple sites under one domain without impacting your main site. This approach leverages your root domain's authority for better SEO performance.
Typically, you start with a primary domain like wpbeginner.com. To add more sites, choose between a subdomain (newebsite.example.com) or subdirectory (example.com/newwebsite/).
Search engines view subdomains as separate sites, limiting their SEO benefits. Subdirectories, however, inherit the root domain's authority, often ranking higher—a key insight from our years optimizing client sites.
For managed networks, WordPress Multisite is ideal. For independent sites, separate installations work best. Here's how to install in a subdirectory.
First, create a folder under your root directory (/public_html/) via FTP or cPanel File Manager. This holds your WordPress files.
Right-click and select 'Create New Directory.' Choose a name carefully—it becomes part of your URL (e.g., example.com/travel-guides/).
Download the latest WordPress from WordPress.org.
Extract the ZIP (double-click on Mac; 'Extract All' on Windows). Upload all files from the 'wordpress' folder to your subdirectory via FTP.
WordPress needs its own database. In cPanel, go to 'MySQL Databases.'
Create a database name and click 'Create Database.'
Add a MySQL user with a strong password.
Add the user to the database and grant 'All Privileges.'
Visit example.com/your-subdirectory/. Select language and continue.
Enter database details (name, username, password, host: localhost).
Confirm connection success.
Run setup, add site title, admin credentials.
Complete installation.
Log in to your new site.
A root WordPress install may cause .htaccess conflicts, leading to 404s. Edit the subdirectory's .htaccess:
# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /your-subdirectory/
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /your-subdirectory/index.php [L]
# END WordPress Replace 'your-subdirectory' with your folder name.
This guide, tested across providers like Bluehost and SiteGround, ensures a smooth setup. For more, check our beginner WordPress SEO guide. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, follow on Twitter and Facebook.