What is a Subdomain? Simple Explanation

Last Updated November 14, 2025

Navigating a website, you might have noticed the URL in the search bar changes as you move from one page to another.

For instance, navigating from the homepage of ‘example.com’ to the blog section might change the URL to ‘blog.example.com’. Although the URL has changed slightly, you are still on the same website. This guide will explore the part of the URL that changes, known as the subdomain, and why it is important.

Understanding Subdomains

A subdomain is an additional part added to the beginning of a domain name, allowing websites to organize content for specific functions, such as a blog or an online store, separately from the rest of the website.

A domain name usually consists of two parts: the top-level domain (TLD), which is the extension (e.g., .com, .org), and the second-level domain (SLD), which is the unique part of the domain name, often a business or brand name. For example, in ‘example.com’, ‘com’ is the TLD, and ‘example’ is the SLD.

The subdomain appears before the SLD. The most common subdomain is ‘www’, which stands for World Wide Web and contains the homepage and most important pages of a website. However, subdomains can be used to separate different sections of a website, such as ‘blog.example.com’ for the blog section and ‘shop.example.com’ for the online store.

Why Use Subdomains?

Subdomains help organize different functions of a website, making it easier for users to find what they need. For example, a restaurant chain with multiple locations could use ‘www.myrestaurant.com’ for general content and ‘nashville.myrestaurant.com’ for the menu of the Nashville, Tennessee location.

Subdomain Examples

Separating Blog from Main Website: ‘www.example.com’ could focus on the main services of a company, while ‘blog.example.com’ contains articles that may not necessarily relate to the company’s products. This separation keeps everything organized and helps visitors find what they need.
Localized Content: ‘www.myrestaurant.com’ could provide general information about a restaurant chain, while ‘nashville.myrestaurant.com’ provides information specific to the Nashville, Tennessee location.
Different Language Versions: Wikipedia uses subdomains to denote language. For example, the ‘en’ subdomain indicates the article is in English, while ‘es’ indicates Spanish.

Creating a Subdomain

Creating a subdomain involves the following steps:

Name Your Subdomain: Choose a name that describes the part of your site you are assigning, such as ‘blog’, ‘store’, or ‘support’.
Log into Your cPanel: Access your hosting provider’s file manager, likely to be cPanel. Many domain registrars will have a custom interface that should be fairly easy to use to edit the DNS.
Navigate and Enter Your Subdomain: Go to ‘Subdomains’ or ‘Add Subdomains’ and enter your chosen subdomain, ensuring your primary domain name is selected.
Create a New DNS Record: Add a new domain name system (DNS) record, selecting what you want your subdomain to connect to (e.g., an IP address, server name, or wildcard domain).
Click Create: Wait for your subdomain to resolve, which typically takes 30 minutes to 24 hours.

Conclusion

Subdomains are a useful way to organize your website and make it easier to use. You can use them to separate your blog from your main site, offer content for different regions, or add an online store.

Subdomains help keep your website clear and simple to navigate. Choose subdomain names that are short and descriptive, and reach out to your hosting provider or web developer if you need help setting them up.

How is a subdomain different from a normal page on my website?

A subdomain is a separate section of your site with its own address, like blog.example.com, while a normal page is just a part of your main domain, like example.com/blog. Both belong to the same brand, but a subdomain looks and acts more like its own mini site.

Subdomains have their own folders, settings, and sometimes even their own design. This makes them useful when you want to clearly separate content, such as a blog, support center, or online store, from your main website.

A normal page is usually better for content that should feel fully connected to your main site. A subdomain works best when you want a clear boundary between different parts of your online presence.

If you plan your site structure well, both subdomains and normal pages can be easy for visitors and search engines to understand. The key is to keep names simple and descriptive, like blog, shop, or support.

Are subdomains good or bad for SEO?

Subdomains are not automatically good or bad for SEO. Google can index subdomains just like normal pages, as long as they are well organized and have quality content.

Subdomains can help SEO when they group related content together. For example, a clear subdomain like support.example.com can build authority around help content, while blog.example.com can focus on articles that bring in search traffic.

The downside is that subdomains may be treated a bit like separate sites. This means you might need extra effort to build internal links and authority between your main domain and each subdomain.

Using smart internal links from your main site to your subdomain content, and tracking performance with tools such as SEO reports, can help you see what is working and adjust over time. Quality content and clear navigation matter more than the exact URL format.

When should I use a subdomain instead of a folder like example.com/blog?

Use a subdomain when a section of your site feels like its own project, such as a knowledge base, store, or course area. A subdomain gives you more freedom for different designs, tools, or even a different platform.

If the content is tightly connected to your main site, a folder like example.com/blog is usually enough. Folders keep everything under one domain, which can make SEO and analytics a bit simpler.

Subdomains are helpful for different locations, languages, or apps that need their own setup. For example, fr.example.com for French content or app.example.com for a web app.

Think about your long term plan. If the section might grow into its own brand or needs different settings, a subdomain is a strong choice. If it is just part of your regular content, a folder is often easier.

How can RightBlogger help me create and manage content on a subdomain, like blog.example.com?

RightBlogger helps you fill your subdomain with strong, search friendly content so it is not just an empty URL. You can use the AI Article Writer to quickly draft blog posts for blog.example.com that match your topic, keywords, and target readers.

Once your articles are written, you can use built in SEO tools and reports to refine titles, headings, and internal links. This makes it easier for both people and search engines to understand what each page on your subdomain is about.

If you publish a lot, features like autoblogging and scheduling help keep a steady flow of new posts without extra manual work. This is especially useful when your blog lives on a subdomain and you want it to grow into a trusted resource.

RightBlogger also offers learning resources and courses that explain SEO and content strategy in simple terms. These can guide you as you decide which content belongs on your main domain and which belongs on a subdomain, so your whole site structure works together.