{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"123 Reg Blog: Small business tips, insight and advice","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog","author_name":"123 Reg","author_url":"https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog\/author\/123-reg\/","title":"Subdomains: What are Subdomains? | 123 Reg Blog","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"HgQUE27LJs\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog\/infographics\/subdomains-what-are-subdomains\/\">Subdomains: What are Subdomains?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog\/infographics\/subdomains-what-are-subdomains\/embed\/#?secret=HgQUE27LJs\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Subdomains: What are Subdomains?&#8221; &#8212; 123 Reg Blog: Small business tips, insight and advice\" data-secret=\"HgQUE27LJs\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.123-reg.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Content-Creation-1440x460-1-scaled.jpg","thumbnail_width":2560,"thumbnail_height":818,"description":"A subdomain is an extension of your domain name that lets you create a separate section of your website under the same root address. So for exaxmple, if your website is your-big-idea.co.uk, a subdomain might look like blog.your-big-idea.co.uk or shop.your-big-idea.co.uk. They allow you to add new sections to your website while keeping everything tied to the domain you already own. \u00a0 How subdomains work Your domain name is made up of a few distinct parts that work together. The TLD (Top-Level Domain) is the ending, like .co.uk, .com, or .net. The SLD (second-level domain) is the main part of your name, like \u201cyourbusiness\u201d. Together, they form your root domain \u2014 the main parts of a web address you can register. A subdomain sits in front of the root domain, separated by a dot, and acts as its own distinct address within your website. Subdomains are created through your domain\u2019s DNS settings, and they\u2019re easy to set up in your account. See also: DNS \u2013 How Do Websites Get Found Online? \u00a0 What are subdomains used for? \u2713 Online stores: shop.yourbusiness.co.uk \u2713 Blogs: blog.yourbusiness.co.uk \u2713 Customer portals or login areas: app.yourbusiness.co.uk \u2713 Different regions or languages: fr.yourbusiness.co.uk \u2713 Testing and development: staging.yourbusiness.co.uk \u00a0 What\u2019s the difference between a subdomain and subdirectory? A subdirectory puts extra content within your main site structure, for example yourbusiness.co.uk\/blog. A subdomain separates it out as its own address. For most small businesses, subdirectories are the simpler choice and tend to keep your SEO value consolidated in one place. Subdomains make more sense when the content is genuinely separate, like a standalone web app or a distinct regional site. \u00a0 Do you need a new domain for a subdomain? No. Subdomains are created from a domain you already own, at no extra cost. If you don\u2019t yet have a domain, that\u2019s the starting point. \u00a0 Can I protect my subdomains with an SSL Certificate? Yes. If you\u2019re running a subdomain that visitors can access, it needs its own SSL certificate to keep it secure. A standard SSL certificate covers your root domain, but won\u2019t automatically extend to any subdomains you create. A\u00a0Wildcard SSL Certificate is the best solution for most businesses. It covers your root domain and all subdomains under it in one certificate, so whether you\u2019re running shop.your-big-idea.co.uk, or anything else, they\u2019re all protected. See also: What are SSL Certificates? \u00a0 See also: What is a Domain? What is a Domain Ending? What is a URL?"}