What is a Subdomain? 

A subdomain is an offshoot of your primary domain. It is a segment or subsection of a larger domain. There is no need to register for this domain because it is not a distinct website address. A subdomain is more like a second web address, with distinctive files, but without a separate domain name.

With subdomains, you can navigate to specific IP addresses or directories in your hosting account without registering a new domain name, thus sending visitors to a distinct web address.

Users set up subdomains to separate or arrange various parts of their websites, giving the impression that they are separate addresses.

A subdomain can be created if you want to add a “forum” area to your website. Your website’s forum section might benefit from a subdomain address like ‘forum.hgexample.com‘ to indicate to visitors that the forum is a subsection of the main website.

Do I need to use a subdomain?

Subdomains can be used in many ways, but they are commonly used for risk-free testing of new plugins, themes, or updates. Other reasons why you may need subdomains are:

See also: How to Host Multiple Websites on One Server

What is an Addon Domain?

The term “add-on domain” refers to a specific domain with its distinct domain name and content. You can host several websites with addon domains on the same web hosting package. Each should be considered a separate site with its themes and content. You can add a domain to your account, but the primary domain’s website will appear.

Using your control panel, you can build an add-on domain, which is an entirely operational domain.  This add-on domain allows you to host multiple domains from a single control panel by hosting a brand-new, unique website in a new subdirectory on your account. The account’s add-on domain can receive email addresses, forwarders, and other things, just like its primary (main) domain.

To host an additional domain, you need to register a new domain name and add it as an add-on domain in your control panel.

Do I need to use an Addon Domain?

The vast majority of website owners use add-on domains for a variety of purposes. 

  • Using add-on domains eliminates the need to open up additional hosting accounts to create many websites under different domain names.
  • It is beneficial if you wish to develop or manage a website that receives little traffic and doesn’t require a separate hosting provider.
  • The add-on domain feature is convenient and straightforward to use
  • It saves you money in the long run.

What is a Parked Domain?

A parked domain, also known as an alias in a cPanel account, is a domain that redirects to the primary domain. A parked domain does not make a website unique. It functions more like a website alias and forwards visitors to the primary domain name on your account.

Most websites have one URL or domain name that points to them. However, you can use parked domains, with numerous URLs, to point to a single website. You can use a parked domain if you have common misspellings in your registered domain name or if you have more than one domain in your control panel that you would like to have pointing to your primary domain.

For instance, if books.com is your primary website, you can buy books.net and designate it as a parked domain name. In this scenario, visitors to books.net could then be redirected to the same webpage as those who typed books.com. The primary and parked domains will point to the same index page.

Do I need a Parked Domain?

You can use a parked domain for different purposes like:

  • Ensuring that your website may be reached even if your principal domain name is often misspelled 
  • Enrolling your primary domain in several Top-Level Domains (TLDs)
  • Putting quality brands in storage to sell them later
  • Establishing other email addresses using your alias to forward emails to your primary domain

Conclusion

Once you’ve carefully considered the benefits of using a subdomain, add-on domain, or parked domain, you can then find ways to better leverage the domains you own. If you’re looking for web hosting services or more information on how to host multiple websites on one server, consider booking a free consultation with us today.

ServerMania is a server hosting company that offers server solutions tailored to meet your needs.