The thought of running a second or even a third instance of WordPress to compliment your current website might seem complicated and confusing. However, there are times when making a small portion of your site perform in a certain way might alter it too much for your liking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s where subdomains come in. Simply put, subdomains are nested hierarchically inside your site\u2019s primary domain. When you choose to install WordPress in a subdomain, you create the opportunity to build a separate and unique website that can still be tied to your main site in a meaningful way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll go over how to install WordPress on a subdomain. We\u2019ll also discuss some of the potential benefits of taking this approach. If you\u2019re ready, let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A subdomain can be considered a partner to your website\u2019s main domain. It gives you the option to use the recognizable portion of your primary domain name, while adding a new element to it. It\u2019s a bit like creating a second WordPress site.This new domain has all the opportunities any domain has, but also maintains a visible link to the primary one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, our website\u2019s primary domain is casestudies26.wpengine.com<\/em>. Let\u2019s say we wanted to run a separate WordPress installation explicitly designed to house an eCommerce store for branded merchandise. To do that, we could create a new WordPress page as a subdomain called shop.wpengine.com<\/em>, and install and configure a fresh version of WordPress on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve decided to add a new installation of WordPress on a subdomain, however, you\u2019ll want to keep a few things in mind regarding Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Google specifically treats subdomains as separate and individual websites, regardless of how closely linked they are to your main website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, you\u2019ll want to make sure you\u2019ve followed some key best practices<\/a> regarding subdomain indexing and SEO. That way, you won\u2019t harm the rankings of either site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you understand why you might want to create a WordPress page as a subdomain, let\u2019s talk about how to do it. The following five steps will take you through the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on which web host you use, creating a subdomain can be quite easy. Since subdomains use the existing domain name you\u2019ve already registered, they are usually free to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re hosting your site here at WP Engine, we\u2019ve built domain management right into our User Portal<\/a>. First, it\u2019s best to make your account a multisite account<\/a>. This is easy to enable in your User Portal under Sites > Utilities<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can add domains in the User Portal as well. Once you navigate to Sites<\/em> and select the site you\u2019re interested in using, you can find Domains<\/em> in the menu. Simply click on Add Domain<\/em>, and follow the prompts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re using another WordPress hosting subdomain provider, you\u2019ll likely have access to cPanel<\/a> or a similar dashboard. Once you log in to your cPanel, you\u2019ll see a Subdomain<\/em> option in the Domains<\/em> section of the dashboard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click on Subdomains<\/em> to access options for creating space for your new WordPress installation. You\u2019ll be directed to designate your subdomain name and select the primary domain you want to assign it to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you complete that step, you can either open your file manager within cPanel, or navigate back to your dashboard and locate any auto-installer options you have access to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose to install WordPress manually, you\u2019ll need to first download the software. You can do this by going to the WordPress website<\/a> and clicking on the Get WordPress<\/em> button. This will take you to the download page: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve downloaded the zipped file, take note of where you saved it. You\u2019ll also want to go ahead and unzip the files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll need to create a new database with users for your subdomain. You can do this in your cPanel by locating the Databases<\/em> section of your dashboard:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on your host, you might have the option to use a MySQL Database wizard. Otherwise, you can simply click on MySQL Databases<\/em>. You\u2019ll be taken to a page with information about your current databases, and the option to create new databases and users:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you set up the database and users for your subdomain, you just need to make sure you take the final step and actually assign your new users to the subdomain. In addition, you\u2019ll need to enter your database name and information later during the installation process, so you might want to keep it handy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll be uploading the WordPress installation files you previously downloaded and unzipped. You can either work within your cPanel\u2019s file manager or opt to use your favorite Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)<\/a> application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the cPanel file manager, you\u2019ll see your new subdomain\u2019s file tree:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can now upload your WordPress installation files into the public\/html<\/em> directory of your subdomain. Then, all that\u2019s left is to complete the installation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you\u2019re ready to run the WordPress installation script. You can do that by going to mysubdomain.mysite.com\/wp-admin\/install.php<\/em> in your web browser. If you did not set up your wp-config.php<\/em> file manually, WordPress will prompt you to create one now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is also where you\u2019ll need your database information. WordPress will use these details to create the wp-config.php<\/em> file for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once that is successfully completed, you\u2019ll be guided through the rest of the standard WordPress setup process. You\u2019ll create an admin user name and password, and be ready to get to work on your new subdomain site. As a reminder, you\u2019ll need to consider WordPress hosting<\/a> for your subdomain and how this may impact your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WordPress subdomains can be added to your existing hosting plan<\/a> easily. Many hosting providers don\u2019t include additional charges for adding a new WordPress page as a subdomain (or even adding multiple subdomains).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exactly how this works does vary from provider to provider, though. So it\u2019s always a good idea to check with your web host before making any changes to your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019d rather not use a subdomain, another option is to create a second WordPress site. This can be done using WordPress multisite<\/a>, so that you can manage both sites from a single dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main advantage of using a second WordPress site is domain name flexibility. You can choose whatever name you like, whereas a subdomain\u2019s address will always contain your primary domain name. The main disadvantage is cost: a second site requires a second domain name and may also involve changes to your hosting plan, both of which cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes the additions you want to make to your site just don\u2019t fit within your current theme or structure. This is an excellent opportunity to expand your site\u2019s offerings by creating a WordPress subdomain and running another instance of WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here at WP Engine, we want you to feel confident about taking on new projects. That\u2019s why we offer resources<\/a> for WordPress users and developers alike. We also have a wide variety of hosting plans and solutions<\/a> to help you create unique digital experiences for your users!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The thought of running a second or even a third instance of WordPress to compliment your current website might seem complicated and confusing. However, there are times when making a small portion of your site perform in a certain way might alter it too much for your liking. That\u2019s where subdomains come in. Simply put,…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":297,"featured_media":114212,"template":"","resource-topic":[901],"resource-role":[896,899],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-93402","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to install WordPress on a subdomain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Create a subdomain of your root domain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Download WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Create a new database and users<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Upload your WordPress installation files<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Run the WordPress installation script<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hosting a WordPress subdomain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alternative: Creating a second WordPress site<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Expand your WordPress site with WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n