What Are Subdomains? Uses and Setup Guide

In today’s digital landscape, every business strives to have a strong online presence, whether through a website or social media. Outperforming competitors and achieving high profits is the ultimate goal. However, securing domain hosting for your website is only the beginning of your online journey. The real challenge arises when you need to scale your site to accommodate business growth and new sections, such as a blog, store, or product pages.

Many people, including myself when I first started, make the mistake of scrapping the existing content and redesigning the website from scratch. But there’s a better way: subdomains.

Subdomains let you add distinct sections to your website without having to purchase new domains or hosting. In this article, we’ll explore what subdomains are, how to use them effectively, and how to set them up.

What Is a Subdomain?

A subdomain is an additional part of a website’s domain name that helps organize and categorize different sections of a site.

For example, imagine your primary website is “instance.com,” and you want a dedicated section for a forum. You might create a link like “forum.instance.com.” In this case, “forum” is the subdomain, placed before the main website’s name.

In simple terms, anything that appears before the first dot in a website URL is a subdomain. While a primary domain is the main address visitors use to reach your site, a subdomain is a way to organize your content into different sections without buying new domains. For instance, “www” is a common subdomain, though it functions slightly differently from other subdomains.

In this article, we will focus on practical subdomains like “shop,” “blog,” or “support,” and show how they can enhance your website.

Common Uses of Subdomains

Subdomains serve several important functions. Here are some common ways to use them:

1. Client Portals

A client portal is a secure area for customers to manage their orders, track shipments, and access promotions. Creating a subdomain for your client portal, like “portal.example.com,” keeps your main website uncluttered while providing users with easy access to personalized services.

2. Website Optimization

A website’s performance across devices is crucial. If your site performs poorly on mobile, it could result in lost customers. You can create a mobile-friendly version of your site on a subdomain, ensuring users get the best experience on their smartphones. For example, “m.site.com” could be optimized specifically for mobile users, helping boost e-commerce sales.

3. Location-Based Customization

If your online store targets customers in multiple countries, you might want to show specific products or pricing based on the user’s location. A subdomain can help you create separate sections for different regions, like “us.store.com” or “uk.store.com.” Additionally, subdomains can cater to different languages, improving accessibility for non-English speakers.

4. Blog Creation

If you prefer to separate your blog from your main website, you can set up a subdomain dedicated solely to your blog. This allows you to customize the blog’s design, content management system (CMS), and functionality, without altering the primary website. It’s a great way to expand your site without overhauling its main structure.

5. Testing Websites

You can create a test environment using a subdomain, allowing you to run tests and troubleshoot issues without disrupting your live website. This ensures that your main site stays operational while the test site is being developed or fixed.

Subdomain Examples

Here are some common examples of subdomains:

• E-commerce sites: shop.example.com or store.example.com
• Community forums: community.example.com or forum.example.com
• Customer support: support.example.com or help.example.com
• Region-specific pages: us.example.com or uk.example.com

How to Create a Subdomain

The process of creating a subdomain can vary depending on your web hosting provider. Below, I’ll guide you through creating a subdomain using Bluehost as an example.

Step 1: Access the Subdomains Section

First, log into your Bluehost account. From the left navigation bar, click on “Domains,” then select “Subdomains” from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Create the Subdomain

Once in the Subdomains section, enter the name of your desired subdomain (e.g., “blog” or “shop”). Then, select the domain from the dropdown menu. Next, specify the document root (a folder where the content for your subdomain will be stored) and click “Add Subdomain.”

It’s important to choose a subdomain name that reflects its function. For example, “support” for a customer service section or “shop” for your online store.

Final Tip

While Bluehost is a great option for hosting, there are other providers like IONOS, which offer 24/7 support and additional features to help you manage your subdomains. Regardless of which hosting service you choose, subdomains are a powerful way to expand and organize your website without additional costs for new domains.

By using subdomains, you can break your website into specialized sections, each with its unique focus. Whether it’s creating a mobile-friendly version, expanding into new languages, or adding a blog, subdomains offer a flexible solution for growing your online presence.