What is a Subdomain & How Is It Used?

Are you looking to increase your website's reach and better organize its content? If so, understanding a subdomain might be a great place to start. People often overlook subdomains as many do not have the knowledge or the time for them. But with just a little bit of understanding, subdomains can benefit small eCommerce stores and large enterprises. This blog post will explain these domain divisions and how you can use them effectively on your site!

What is a Subdomain?

A subdomain is a domain that is a subset of a bigger domain and is frequently used to arrange and differentiate various website areas or functionalities. This article will cover subdomains in more detail, along with their creation, applications, and implications on website security.

Understanding the Structure of Domain Names

Understanding a domain name's structure is essential to comprehend subdomains. A domain name has two or more components that are separated by dots. The top-level domain (TLD) identifies the type of organization or geographic location of the website. TLDs contain domain extensions like .com, .org, and.net. The second-level domain serves as the website's primary domain name.

A prefix is added to the primary domain name and divided from it by a dot to establish a subdomain. If the primary domain name is "example.com," for instance, you can add the prefix "blog" to create the subdomain "blog.example.com."

What is it Used For?

Below are some of the uses of subdomains;

• Content Organization − One of the most common purposes for subdomains is to structure the material on a website. This makes it lighter for the visitors to locate the content they are interested in and makes it easier for website owners to manage and update their content.

• Development and Testing − Subdomains may also be helpful for development and testing. Before adding new features or designs to the main website, owners can test them at a subdomain like "test.example.com." So they can make adjustments without having an impact on the primary website.

• Support for Different Languages − A website can support many languages by using subdomains. A website might have "fr.example.com" for French material and "en.example.com" for English content. This allows users to select their preferred language while enhancing the website's search engine rankings in each language.

• Differentiating Services − You can use subdomains to distinguish between a website's various products and services. In addition to making it more straightforward for users to find the services they need, this enhances the website's ranks in search engines for each service.

• SEO Purposes − subdomains can be utilized for SEO. By separating a blog from the main website and making it simpler for search engines to index the content, for instance, adopting a subdomain like "blog.example.com" might benefit a website's search engine rankings.

How to Create a Subdomain?

The procedure of creating a subdomain is relatively simple. The first step is to log in and view the domain control panel at your domain registrar or web hosting company. The IP address of the server hosting the subdomain can then be referenced in a new DNS record that is created from that point. A subdomain can be used to host content independently of the primary domain once it has been made. A subdomain can have its own website, content management system, and branding.

Depending on the domain registrar or web server, several steps are required to create a subdomain. While some may have a straightforward interface for generating subdomains, others could demand more technical expertise. Strictly follow the instructions of your hosting company for correct configuration and hassle-free operation of your subdomain.

Now, below is a step-by-step guide on how to create a subdomain for your website.

• Name your subdomain

Choose a subdomain name that best describes the section of the website you are assigning first. The subdomains are often used: blog, shop, store, support, and events.

• Log in with your cPanel

Go into your hosting company's file manager, which is probably cPanel, to create your subdomain. Every hosting company's cPanel login and settings are different.

• Navigate to and enter your subdomain

You should now click Subdomains or Add Subdomains. You can start entering your preferred subdomain from this point. Make sure to choose your primary domain name before adding the subdomain.

• Make a new DNS record

You must add a new domain name system (DNS) record after creating the domain. Go to DNS and choose Add (or a similar command). Choose the IP address linked to the target hostname, server name, or wildcard domain your subdomain should connect to.

• Click Create and wait for your subdomain to resolve

To finish, click Create or a similar button and wait for your subdomain to resolve. Your subdomain will typically take 30 minutes to 24 hours to implement and become operational on your website.

Subdirectories Versus Subdomains

A subdirectory is an organizational folder that nests inside a domain, although search engines view a subdomain as distinct from its domain. Instead of separating content under a subdomain, a subdirectory shows search engines that the parent domain is supported. Thus, a subdirectory would serve your purposes better than a subdomain if you have a complicated part of your website that improves the overall.

Things to Keep in Mind

Subdomains are not the same as separate domains. It is crucial to remember this. A separate domain is an entirely different website with its domain name and hosting, whereas a subdomain is a portion of a bigger domain.

Think about the primary objectives of your website if you're unclear about whether to publish a certain page under your www subdomain or a different subdomain. Pages relating to this objective should be placed under www, and other pages should be placed under a special subdomain if they make up a significant portion of your site. A small collection of pages most likely doesn't require its own subdomain.

The impact of subdomains on the security of websites must also be taken into account. Subdomains might possibly be attacked separately from the main website because they are treated as separate domains. Thus, website owners must ensure that a unique SSL certificate and other security tools protect every subdomain.

Remember, you can easily avoid the potential dangers of a compromised subdomain. Ensure the subdomain is created using a different user account or group.

Conclusion

All in all, subdomains are a great way to separate information on your website and keep it organized. They personalize your site for different users and make specific niche content super accessible. You don’t have to use them right away. But understanding what they are can give you insight into how web servers work. It will also help you optimize your site’s structure and add continued customization over time. So, if you have the power within reach, it might be beneficial to get familiar with their dynamic capabilities!