What is the difference between a subdomain and a subdirectory?

A subdomain is a separate address within your domain, such as blog.yourdomain.com. A subdirectory is a path on your main site, such as yourdomain.com/blog. Technically a subdomain works as an independent part, while a subdirectory is part of your main site. For SEO a subdirectory is usually seen more clearly as part of your main domain.

Does a subdomain cost extra with LJPc?

No. A subdomain is part of your existing domain name, so you do not have to register a new domain name for it. It uses the space of your hosting plan. You can create several subdomains, for example for a blog, a webshop or a test environment.

How long does it take before my subdomain works?

When LJPc manages your DNS, a subdomain often works within a few minutes. If you manage the DNS yourself, a new or changed record can take up to 24 to 48 hours to work everywhere. This delay is called DNS propagation.

Can I point a subdomain to another server or service?

Yes. With an A record you point the subdomain to the IP address of another server. With a CNAME record you point it to a hostname of an external service. The subdomain then does not run on your LJPc hosting, but in that other place.

Do I need a separate SSL certificate for my subdomain?

Usually yes. A standard certificate covers only the exact names it was issued for. For a subdomain you request a free Let's Encrypt certificate in Plesk. If you want to cover all subdomains at once, you can use a wildcard certificate.

Is a subdomain bad for my SEO?

No. Google can process and index both subdomains and subdirectories. For content that should benefit from the authority of your main site a subdirectory is often handier, but for a part that truly stands on its own a subdomain is a fine choice.

Create and set up a subdomain: a step-by-step guide

Create and set up a subdomain in a few minutes in Plesk. Learn how to make a subdomain, point it with DNS and secure it with an SSL certificate.

A subdomain is a separate address within your own domain name, such as blog.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com. You use it to give a blog, a webshop, a test environment or a separate part of your site its own place. You can create and set up a subdomain with LJPc in a few minutes in Plesk, the control panel for your hosting. In this guide you learn what a subdomain is, how to create one step by step, how to point it with DNS, how to set up a wildcard subdomain, and when a subdomain or a subdirectory is the better choice.

What is a subdomain?

Your domain name, for example yourdomain.com, is your main address on the internet. A subdomain is a prefix that you add to it, separated by a dot. So blog.yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com and test.yourdomain.com are all subdomains of the same main domain. Even the familiar www is technically just a subdomain.

A subdomain works as an independent part. You can attach a separate website, folder or service to it, with its own content and its own settings. Even so, it belongs to your main domain and you do not need a new domain name for it. You pay nothing extra: a subdomain uses the space of your existing hosting plan.

What do you use a subdomain for?

A subdomain is useful when you want to clearly separate a part of your site from the main one. Common examples:

Blog or knowledge base: blog.yourdomain.com for your articles.
Webshop: shop.yourdomain.com when your store runs on a different system.
Test or staging environment: test.yourdomain.com to try changes without touching your live site.
Separate app or service: my.yourdomain.com or api.yourdomain.com for a customer portal or an integration.

Create and set up a subdomain in Plesk

With LJPc you manage your hosting in Plesk. You create a subdomain directly in that panel, not in the customer portal. Follow these steps:

Log in to Plesk. With LJPc you do that with one click through the Log in to Plesk button in the customer portal, so you do not have to log in separately.
Go to Websites & Domains.
Click Add Subdomain.
In the Subdomain name box, enter the prefix, for example blog. Plesk adds yourdomain.com after it, so the subdomain becomes blog.yourdomain.com.
Check the Document root: the folder where the files of your subdomain are kept. Plesk automatically fills in a separate folder based on the subdomain name.
Click OK. Your new subdomain now appears in the list of sites.

From that moment your subdomain has the same options as a normal domain: you can upload files to it, activate an SSL certificate on it and view statistics for it.

Which document root should you choose?

The Document root determines which files your subdomain shows. Do you want a separate website, blog or test environment? Then choose the separate folder that Plesk suggests and upload the files for that part there. Do you want the subdomain to show exactly the same site as your main domain? Then point the Document root to the same folder, usually httpdocs.

Set up SSL for your subdomain with Let's Encrypt

Like your main domain, a subdomain should work over https with a valid SSL certificate. LJPc arranges the certificate for your main domain automatically. For a subdomain you quickly request a free certificate yourself in Plesk:

First make sure the subdomain is reachable, so that the DNS is correct (see the next section).
In Plesk, open your subdomain and go to SSL/TLS Certificates.
Choose Install a free basic certificate provided by Let's Encrypt and click Get it free.

Plesk requests the certificate, installs it and then renews it automatically. You can read more about free certificates in our article on Let's Encrypt. After that, in Plesk under Hosting Settings, switch on the Permanent SEO-safe 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS option, so that visitors always end up on the secure version.

Point your subdomain with DNS: A record or CNAME

A subdomain only works once the DNS points to it. DNS is the system that translates an address such as blog.yourdomain.com into the server where the content lives.

Do you use LJPc hosting with LJPc's name servers? Then Plesk usually sets up the DNS for your subdomain automatically as soon as you create it. In that case you do not have to touch the DNS yourself.

Do you manage the DNS yourself, for example with another party or in the customer portal? Then you add the record by hand:

An A record points the subdomain to the IP address of your hosting. You find that IP address in Plesk.
A CNAME record points the subdomain to your main domain. The subdomain then automatically follows the address of your main domain. This is often the simplest choice.

Do you manage your DNS with LJPc in the customer portal? Then you add the record on the DNS records page of your domain. Our article on managing DNS records explains how that works.

Create a wildcard subdomain

A wildcard subdomain catches every subdomain that you have not set up separately, all at once. You recognise it by the asterisk notation *.yourdomain.com. That is useful when an application creates subdomains itself, or when you want to send visitors from a mistyped subdomain to your main site.

You create a wildcard subdomain in Plesk just like a normal subdomain, but in the Subdomain name box you enter an asterisk (*). Existing subdomains keep working; the wildcard applies only to addresses that do not yet exist.

Watch out with SSL: a normal Let's Encrypt certificate covers only the exact names that you specify. For a wildcard you need a wildcard certificate, and that requires an extra check through a DNS record (a so-called DNS validation). That is a little more involved. If you get stuck, contact our support and we will help you with the wildcard certificate.

Subdomain or subdirectory: which is better for SEO?

You can place content in two ways: on a subdomain (blog.yourdomain.com) or in a subdirectory of your main site (yourdomain.com/blog). For SEO there is a real difference.

Google can process and index both perfectly well. Even so, Google sees a subdirectory more clearly as part of your main site. The authority and links of your main domain then benefit those pages more easily. For content that should benefit from your main site, such as a blog or knowledge base, a subdirectory is therefore often the better choice.

A subdomain makes more sense when the part truly stands on its own: a webshop on a different platform, a separate web application, a customer portal or a test and staging environment. So choose based on the purpose. If it belongs to your main site, use a subdirectory. If it stands alone, use a subdomain.

Cannot work it out? Contact our support and we will help you create and set up your subdomain.