A subdomain can be an effective organizational tool for your company’s website. Learn more about what a subdomain is and when to use one here.
Whether you're browsing the Internet to find information or you have your own website, being familiar with subdomains is essential to optimize your surfing and sharing experiences. But what are subdomains?
Subdomains can be added on to a domain name in order to redirect visitors to a specific page or website section. This can be a helpful organizational tool as you build your website and design the customer journey. Read on to learn more about what a subdomain is.
A subdomain is an additional directory or location of a website that is typically used to distinguish content types or the type of information presented with each subdomain. Subdomain addresses can help improve a website's navigation, SEO, or even a website's organizational needs.
There are both top-level domains (TLD) as well as second-level domains (SLD) to help identify the type of domain you are viewing or attempting to visit. A TLD typically includes the original domain name and/or URL. For example, Starbucks.com is the TLD name. If Starbucks launches a promotion with the name of "Summertime" and creates a subdomain to reflect the promotion's name, the SLD will appear as "summertime.starbucks.com." Both domains include the top-level and original domain name, with the subdomain being placed before the original TLD.
A subdomain’s uses vary based on the type of website you own and the information you’re trying to share. A subdomain can direct visitors to a particular area of your website, such as a landing page, without crowding the main area or navigation of your TLD. Using a subdomain can help redirect users to a specific section of your website while also providing in-depth metrics and data for each SLD you create.
Segment your website, target specific demographics, and even launch individual marketing campaigns for tracking purposes with the use of a second-level domain, or a subdomain.
Before determining whether or not a subdomain is right for your own website, it is best to familiarize yourself with both the pros and cons of using an SLD, regardless of the type of site you are running. Some of the most notable benefits and advantages of using a subdomain for a website include:
Along the same line of thinking, there are also drawbacks to using subdomains to consider and account for prior to developing and launching one for your website. Some of the cons to keep in mind include:
Knowing when to use a subdomain is extremely helpful if you are creating a website for the first time. While most websites simply create new pages or blogs to represent new content, others might develop subdomains. So, how do you know when it is best to use a subdomain or if you should add content to your TLD instead? Two of the main reasons to use a subdomain are:
It is best to use a subdomain when you want to share new content types that cover different types of information with a particular group of people or prospective customers and clients. To target a specific group of demographics with unique marketing campaigns, you can use individualized subdomain names. Unique subdomains can also help you better track the overall effectiveness, engagement, and ROI of the campaigns you launch.
You can also use subdomains to balance traffic, which is often necessary for larger websites and websites that receive thousands, if not millions, of page views each day. Using different subdomains can also be extremely helpful for SEO when done correctly, as the use of subdomains is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to boost your website's SEO.
You can create a subdomain for just about any purpose. Whether you are interested in launching your own community message board, an eCommerce store, or a live chat space, you can separate each section of your site with subdomains. Subdomains segment important areas of your website while assisting users with navigating and browsing your website. You can also use subdomains to help improve your website's official sitemap, which, in turn, can boost SEO over time.
Create subdomains for just about anything, including:
It is important to note that a subdomain and a subdirectory are not the same. While a subdomain will appear before your TLD, a subdirectory link will include the subdirectory name after the original TLD. For example:
Familiarizing yourself with subdirectories versus subdomains can also help you if you are thinking of using subdomains for SEO purposes or for web crawling assistance with top search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.
If you've never created a subdomain for your website, the thought of doing so may sound daunting, especially if you are unsure of where to begin. Fortunately, Mailchimp makes it easy to create your subdomain with just a few clicks and within a few minutes. To create subdomains with the use of Mailchimp, complete the following steps:
You can use Mailchimp to create numerous subdomains for any reason once you are logged into your Mailchimp account and your account has been successfully activated.
To know what subdomains are, it is important to first consider the purpose of your website and your intended audience. Whether you are simply looking for a subdomain definition, a subdomain example, or if you are thinking of implementing subdomains for your own website, the first step is to become familiar with the concept of a subdomain. The more familiar you are with subdomains and their purpose, the easier it will be to determine if subdomains are a useful addition to your own site and online presence.
For an all-in-one marketing solution to create websites and secure domains with subdomains, use Mailchimp. Mailchimp provides the all-in-one marketing tools and solutions for any website, regardless of the type of domain and the number of subdomains you intend to create. You can even buy a domain for your company’s website through Mailchimp. To get started, visit Mailchimp to learn more about the marketing tools and services available for your website today.