What is a subdomain?

A subdomain is a prefix added to your main domain name to create a separate section of your website. Subdomains are useful for organising content and applications under your primary domain.

Subdomain examples

  • blog.yourdomain.co.za - Blog or news section
  • shop.yourdomain.co.za - Online store
  • support.yourdomain.co.za - Help desk or documentation
  • dev.yourdomain.co.za - Development/staging environment
  • mail.yourdomain.co.za - Webmail access
  • portal.yourdomain.co.za - Client or employee portal

Subdomain vs addon domain vs subdirectory

Type Structure Best for
Subdomain blog.yourdomain.co.za Separate applications, staging sites
Addon Domain anotherdomain.co.za Completely separate websites
Subdirectory yourdomain.co.za/blog Content sections (better for SEO)

When to use subdomains

  • Running different applications (WordPress blog + custom app)
  • Creating staging or development environments
  • Separating services (shop, support, portal)
  • Using different technologies per section (different PHP versions, Node.js apps)
  • Organizing large websites into logical sections

When to use subdirectories instead

  • Better SEO: yourdomain.co.za/blog passes authority to main domain better than blog.yourdomain.co.za
  • Simpler SSL: One certificate covers all subdirectories automatically
  • Easier analytics: All traffic tracked under one domain
  • Content sections: Blog, portfolio, services pages

SEO recommendation: Use subdirectories (yourdomain.co.za/blog) for content that should benefit your main domain's search ranking. Use subdomains for completely separate applications or services.

Step 1: Create a subdomain in DirectAdmin

  1. Log in to DirectAdmin
  2. Go to Domain Setup
  3. Click Subdomain Management or Subdomains
  4. Click Create Subdomain

Configure subdomain settings

Fill in the subdomain creation form:

  • Subdomain Name: Enter the prefix (e.g., blog for blog.yourdomain.co.za)
  • Parent Domain: Select the main domain from the dropdown
  • Custom Document Root: Leave default or specify a custom folder path

Click Create. The subdomain is created immediately with automatic DNS configuration.

Step 2: Upload files to the subdomain

Each subdomain gets its own folder for website files.

Default subdomain folder location

Files for blog.yourdomain.co.za are stored in:

/domains/yourdomain.co.za/public_html/blog/

Or if using separate document root:

/domains/blog.yourdomain.co.za/public_html/

Uploading subdomain files

  1. Use the DirectAdmin file manager or FTP
  2. Navigate to the subdomain folder
  3. Upload your website files (index.html, index.php, etc.)
  4. The subdomain will load the uploaded content immediately

Step 3: Verify subdomain is working

  1. Open your web browser
  2. Go to https://subdomain.yourdomain.co.za
  3. You should see your uploaded files or a DirectAdmin default page

If the subdomain does not load, wait a few minutes for DNS propagation and clear your browser cache.

Managing existing subdomains

Viewing all subdomains

  1. Go to Domain Setup → Subdomain Management
  2. You will see a list of all subdomains with their folder paths and URLs

Modifying a subdomain

To change the document root or other settings:

  1. Go to Subdomain Management
  2. Find the subdomain you want to modify
  3. Click Modify or the pencil icon
  4. Update the document root or other settings
  5. Click Save

Deleting a subdomain

  1. Go to Subdomain Management
  2. Find the subdomain to delete
  3. Click Delete or the trash icon
  4. Confirm deletion

Warning: Deleting a subdomain removes its DNS record and may delete its files (depending on folder structure). Back up files before deleting.

SSL certificates for subdomains

Subdomains need their own SSL certificates or must be covered by a wildcard certificate.

Option 1: Individual subdomain certificates

  1. Go to SSL Certificates in DirectAdmin
  2. Select the subdomain from the dropdown
  3. Request a Let's Encrypt certificate
  4. The subdomain will have HTTPS enabled

Option 2: Wildcard certificate

A wildcard certificate (*.yourdomain.co.za) covers all subdomains automatically. Contact 0724 Hosting support for wildcard certificate setup.

See our SSL certificate guide for more details.

Email addresses for subdomains

You can create email addresses using subdomain names (e.g., info@blog.yourdomain.co.za).

  1. Go to Email Manager → Email Accounts
  2. Click Create Account
  3. In the domain dropdown, select your subdomain
  4. Enter the username and password
  5. Click Create

Note: Using the main domain for email (info@yourdomain.co.za) is more professional than subdomain email addresses.

DNS records for subdomains

DirectAdmin automatically creates an A record for new subdomains pointing to your server IP.

Viewing subdomain DNS records

  1. Go to DNS Management in DirectAdmin
  2. Select the parent domain
  3. Look for the subdomain A record (e.g., blog pointing to server IP)

Pointing a subdomain to external service

To point a subdomain to a third-party service (e.g., Shopify, external server):

  1. Go to DNS Management
  2. Select the parent domain
  3. Find the subdomain A record
  4. Edit the record to point to the external IP address or create a CNAME record

See our DNS management guide for details.

Common subdomain uses

Blog subdomain

Create blog.yourdomain.co.za and install WordPress using Softaculous:

  1. Create the subdomain in DirectAdmin
  2. Go to Softaculous → WordPress
  3. Select the subdomain as the installation domain
  4. Complete the installation

Development/staging subdomain

Create dev.yourdomain.co.za to test changes before deploying to production:

  1. Create the subdomain
  2. Copy your production website files to the subdomain folder
  3. Use the subdomain for testing updates, plugins, or redesigns
  4. When ready, copy changes to the main domain

Webmail subdomain

Create mail.yourdomain.co.za for easy webmail access:

  1. Create the subdomain
  2. Set up a redirect to your webmail URL (e.g., https://webmail.yourdomain.co.za)
  3. Or use DirectAdmin's redirect feature

Client portal subdomain

Create portal.yourdomain.co.za for client login areas:

  1. Create the subdomain
  2. Install membership or portal software (WordPress with membership plugin, custom app, etc.)
  3. Configure separate database and security settings

Subdomain limits

Most 0724 Hosting plans include unlimited subdomains. Check your hosting plan details in the client area if you encounter subdomain creation limits.

Troubleshooting subdomains

Subdomain not loading

If the subdomain shows an error or does not load:

  • Wait 5–10 minutes for DNS propagation
  • Clear your browser cache (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Verify you uploaded files to the correct folder
  • Check the subdomain exists in DirectAdmin subdomain management
  • Test from a different device or network

Subdomain shows parent domain content

If the subdomain displays the main domain's website:

  • Verify the subdomain has its own separate folder
  • Check the document root is correctly configured
  • Ensure there is an index file (index.html or index.php) in the subdomain folder
  • Clear browser cache and DNS cache

Subdomain SSL not working

If HTTPS does not work for the subdomain:

  • Request a Let's Encrypt certificate for the subdomain specifically
  • Verify the certificate was generated successfully (check SSL Certificates page)
  • Wait a few minutes for certificate activation
  • Force HTTPS using .htaccess redirect if needed

Cannot create subdomain

If DirectAdmin prevents subdomain creation:

  • Check the subdomain name contains only letters, numbers, and hyphens
  • Verify the subdomain does not already exist
  • Ensure you have not reached your plan's subdomain limit (rare)
  • Contact support if the issue persists

Best practices for subdomains

  • Use descriptive names: blog, shop, support (not subdomain1, test123)
  • Enable SSL for all: Request Let's Encrypt certificates for every subdomain
  • Separate staging from production: Use dev.yourdomain.co.za or staging.yourdomain.co.za for testing
  • Consider SEO impact: Use subdirectories instead of subdomains for content that should boost main domain SEO
  • Organise logically: Group related functionality under clear subdomain names
  • Document subdomains: Keep a list of what each subdomain is used for
  • Back up separately: Include subdomain files and databases in your backup routine
  • Monitor resources: Subdomains share hosting account resources

Subdomain vs folder: SEO considerations

Search engines treat subdomains as separate entities from the main domain. This has SEO implications:

Subdomains (blog.yourdomain.co.za)

  • Pros: Separate identity, can rank independently, good for distinct services
  • Cons: Does not pass link authority to main domain, requires separate SEO effort

Subdirectories (yourdomain.co.za/blog)

  • Pros: All content strengthens main domain, easier to rank, shared link authority
  • Cons: Everything under one domain identity

SEO recommendation from 0724 Hosting: Use subdirectories for blogs, portfolios, and services. Use subdomains only for truly separate applications (online stores, member portals, staging sites).

Getting help with subdomains

If you need assistance creating subdomains, configuring DNS, troubleshooting subdomain issues, or planning subdomain structure, contact 0724 Hosting support. We can help with subdomain setup, SSL configuration, and website organisation.