A subdomain is the easiest and, at the same time, fastest way to create a new web address. A website’s unique address is known as a domain, so what exactly is a subdomain, and when is it worth using one?
What is a subdomain?
A subdomain is a web address created under an already existing primary domain. Subdomains function as separate web addresses and can be linked to different services than the ones found on the main site. They’re mainly created to run new projects that don’t need to be registered as new domains, so you avoid the extra cost of doing so.
When do we create subdomains?
You can create a subdomain once you already have a domain hosted with a given provider. This involves hosting your site on hosting or a VPS server — a service that keeps your site visible online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s on the basis of your primary domain that you create further web addresses, separated from the main address by a dot. Once you have a domain, you’re free to create as many subdomains as you like. The best way to illustrate this is with an example. Imagine your main site is the domain hotel.com. After a while, your business grows and you now have hotels in several cities. You can add subdomains to the site, such as: katowice.hotel.com, wisla.hotel.com, or ustron.hotel.com.
The benefits of a subdomain
Subdomains have many benefits and can be used in a wide range of situations. Their main advantage is how easy they are to create. Once you have a domain, you can create an unlimited number of subdomains, with the only limitation being uniqueness. Subdomains occupy a designated part of the server, which doesn’t necessarily have to relate to what’s running under the main name. Subdomains can be used in the following situations:
- different language versions – adding a prefix that signals the language lets you expand into other countries
- separate branches – using a subdomain to keep local branches separate, directing visitors from different cities or regions to the pages relevant to their area
- different types of pages – you can use subdomains when your pages serve different purposes, for example when you run an online store but would also like to run a blog about the products you sell.
Subdomains are free, which is why they’re the most popular way to create new addresses tied to your main site. Just remember that subdomains aren’t independent entities and remain dependent on the primary domain — so once your main address expires, all its subdomains will stop working too.