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Using Subdomain Differentiation in URL Analytics
Using Subdomain Differentiation in URL Analytics

This guide explains how to use Sealmetrics' subdomain differentiation feature to gain insights into cross-subdomain user journeys.

Updated over 3 weeks ago

What is Subdomain Differentiation?

Subdomain differentiation is a feature that allows you to track and analyze user activity across different subdomains of your website. For example, you can see how users move between:

  • blog.yourwebsite.com (content subdomain)

  • app.yourwebsite.com (application subdomain)

Where to Find Subdomain Analytics

  1. Log in to your Sealmetrics dashboard

  2. Navigate to the Funnel section in the main menu

  3. Look for the new Top Pages toggle in the upper right corner

  4. Enable the toggle to see data separated by subdomain

Understanding the Subdomain Analytics Dashboard

The subdomain analytics dashboard consists of several key components:

1. Subdomain Overview

This section displays a breakdown of traffic across all your subdomains, showing:

  • Total pageviews per subdomain

  • Percentage of total traffic by subdomain

  • Traffic trends over time for each subdomain

2. Cross-Subdomain Flow Visualization

This interactive diagram shows how users move between different subdomains:

  • Arrows indicate direction of movement

  • Arrow thickness represents volume of traffic

  • Color coding indicates common paths and potential bottlenecks

3. Top URLs by Subdomain

For each subdomain, you'll see:

  • Most visited pages

  • Entry pages (where users first arrive)

  • Exit pages (where users leave)

  • Pages that drive traffic to other subdomains

Common Use Cases and How to Analyze Them

Tracking Conversion Paths Across Subdomains

Example Scenario: Your hotel website uses booking.hotelname.com for reservations

  1. In the Cross-Subdomain Flow view, examine flows from your main domain to the booking subdomain

  2. Identify which pages on your main domain drive the most traffic to the booking subdomain

  3. Check for pages with high abandonment before reaching the booking subdomain

  4. Use the Top URLs report to see which specific pages on your main site most effectively lead to booking attempts

Measuring Content Marketing Effectiveness

Example Scenario: Your company uses blog.company.com for content marketing

  1. Select your blog subdomain in the dropdown filter

  2. View the Outbound Flow report to see which blog posts drive traffic to your main site or product subdomains

  3. Sort by conversion rate to identify your most effective content

  4. Use the date filters to compare performance over time

Optimizing Educational Resources

Example Scenario: A university with separate info.university.edu and apply.university.edu subdomains

  1. Use the User Journey report to see the typical path students take before reaching the application subdomain

  2. Identify program information pages that successfully drive application starts

  3. Look for points where prospective students drop off before completing applications

  4. Compare conversion rates between different information pages to guide content improvements

Troubleshooting

Issue: Not seeing data for a specific subdomain

  • Verify that the subdomain uses the same Sealmetrics tracking code

  • Check that your DNS settings properly include the subdomain

  • Ensure there are no content security policies blocking tracking

Issue: Inconsistent cross-subdomain tracking

  • Confirm that your Sealmetrics installation is up to date

  • Verify that all subdomains are on the same protocol (HTTP or HTTPS)

  • Check for any third-party scripts that might be interfering with tracking

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