Is a Subdomain Bad for SEO? What the Data Shows
Direct answer: A subdomain is not inherently penalized by Google's ranking algorithm, but sites on a shared builder subdomain (like yourname.wixsite.com) typically accumulate trust and backlink signals more slowly than a dedicated root domain, since links and mentions are diluted across every other site sharing that same domain.
What Search Engines Actually Say
Google has stated that subdomains and subdirectories can both rank well, and there is no blanket penalty for using one. The practical disadvantage comes from shared-domain dilution and branding, not an explicit algorithmic demerit.
Why Shared Subdomains Still Underperform in Practice
When thousands of unrelated sites share one root domain (like wixsite.com or blogspot.com), any authority signals accrued by that root domain are spread across all of them, diluting the practical SEO benefit of any single subdomain within it.
When a Subdomain Is Perfectly Fine
For a brand-new site with no existing traffic or backlinks, starting on a subdomain costs little, since there's minimal authority to dilute yet. The tradeoff becomes more relevant only once a site starts gaining real traction.