Should I create multilingual site or subdomain?

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

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  Hunter Van Ry: Jackin Mathis I typically would advise against subdomains. I would probably just use subfolders for the various languages i.e. abcd.com/es/page-name
  
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  Richard Hearne: Group expertTake about 10 steps backward... do you have the resources to create and support your content and business in those languages? Localising content is just one small part ot the equation. There`s a real reason most sites don`t go multilingual, despite operating in multiple locales - it`s hard.
  
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  Jackin Mathis: Richard Hearne Can you please let me know what does it mean? - "despite operating in multiple locales - it`s hard."....and can you share any example.
  
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  Richard Hearne: Group expertVery simple - say you`re mother language is English. You have a good product, and want to sell it in France. If you`re buyer doesn`t speak English, and you don`t speak French, there`s then a language-barrier. It`s more/less severe depending on how intensive a sales process is. It might be easy to localise your product web copy into French, but what happens when the potential lead wants a demo in French? Other examples include local taxation, local laws. Then there`s the difficulty of shipping, customs etc. The technology required to target a different language on the web is more-often-than-not just one small part of the overall requirements to do business with customers in that targeted locale. You might have a great product that sells itself and needs little or no fulfillment. But that`s likely the exception rather than the rule.
  
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  Jackin Mathis: Richard Hearne Thank you so much Richard Hearne for detail reply, now I want to know if I go with abcd.com/fr so 1) I can list abcd.com/fr as separate site in google search console and target to France in search console? 2) I can list abcd.com/fr as separate site in google analytic to see traffic? 3) so like my original site abcd.com again I have to start promoting abcd.com/fr from zero level?
  
  ABCD.COMABC Home Page - ABC.comABC Home Page - ABC.com
  
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  Richard Hearne: Group expert1) I can list abcd.com/fr as separate site in google search console and target to France in search console?
  
  Yes. It`s called Country Targeting, and is found under Legacy Tools inside GSC.
  
  2) I can list abcd.com/fr as separate site in google analytic to see traffic?
  
  Yes.
  
  3) so like my original site abcd.com again I have to start promoting abcd.com/fr from zero level?
  
  No. The /fr/ subfolder can inherit many signals from the parent domain. Assuming you have a good internal linking structure, you should get the benefit from the parent domain. Another item to consider is HREFLANG - this can also help with the issue you ask over.
  
  ABCD.COMABC Home Page - ABC.comABC Home Page - ABC.com
  
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