What is a subdomain?
A subdomain is a domain that sits beneath a primary domain. If you have the domain "test.dk", for example, then blog.test.dk would be a subdomain.
Subdomains are typically used for purposes different from those of the primary domain. For instance, you might have a showroom on your primary domain showroom.dk and also attach a webshop at webshop.showroom.dk. (We would not recommend this from an SEO perspective, however! Read more about this further down the page.)
How do you create a subdomain?
Depending on where your domain is hosted, the process for creating a subdomain varies slightly. Some hosting providers have the option integrated into their cPanel (control panel), while others do not.
There is, however, one method that works regardless of where your domain is hosted — namely doing it via FTP.
1. Connect to your FTP server
First of all, you need to establish a connection to your server via FTP. This is done using an FTP client such as FileZilla.
2. Create a new folder in the root of your web hosting account
Once connected to your web server, you need to create a new folder placed in the root of your web hosting account. The name of this folder will also become the name of your subdomain. So if you name your folder "blog", for example, your subdomain will be blog.yourdomain.dk.
3. Done
After these two simple steps, you have now created a subdomain on your primary domain. You can now start using the subdomain for your intended purpose — whether that is installing a CMS on the subdomain or simply uploading various files, etc.
Subdomains and SEO
When it comes to SEO, there are certain things to be aware of regarding subdomains. In general, we recommend that you do not create subdomains as a default approach. This is because search engines treat subdomains as independent domains separate from the primary domain.
This means, for example, that if you set up a webshop on a subdomain as in the earlier example, all incoming link value and general authority earned on the subdomain will not be passed on to the primary domain, and vice versa.
It is therefore always better to place additional content on your domain in subfolders of the primary domain.
In this way, you consolidate the authority earned with search engines and give yourself and your domain the best possible conditions for ranking on the terms you want to rank for.
There are, however, certain exceptions where it can make sense to create subdomains. For example, if you have a website where users can create their own pages or websites and you, as the owner, have no control over the content.
By ensuring that this content resides on subdomains, you avoid any potentially negative content on those pages having a negative impact on your primary domain.
Are you unsure how to best create and use subdomains, or do you want to make sure your SEO strategy does not suffer from the wrong decisions?
We can help you optimise your website's structure and ensure that both the primary domain and subdomains perform optimally. Fill in the form below or call us on 30 12 42 72 for a no-obligation chat!
