Add-on domains are one option to adding another domain name to your Web hosting account. This article explains how add-on domains work, tips on creating add-on domains, offers the advantages to add-on domains, and pros and cons of domain add-ons.

In many cases, you might be interested in adding another domain name to your Web hosting account. This can be a good idea if you want to set up another Web site for some reason, or if you have some other information that you want to get out there. In these cases, it is a good idea to see about getting add-on domains. Before you get an add-on domain, though, you need to check with your Web host. You may not be allowed to add these. Many hosts, though, will allow add-on domains. You’ve just got to make sure you go through the process properly.

Creating add-on domains

It is important to realize that an add-on domain, while it shows a different Web site, actually creates a sub directory in your main Web hosting directory. It will be part of your main hosting account, and use up bandwidth and disk space. Therefore, if you plan to use add-on domains, you should make sure that it won’t put too much stress on your bandwidth and how much disk space you have. You will have to manage add-on domains from your main hosting manager.

The first thing you need to do in order to set up add-on domains is to register your desired domain name with an accredited and approved registrar. It is important that you do this first. If you want a new domain name, you will have to register it properly, since it won’t show up as part of your existing domain.

Next, you will need to get the domain name server from your Web host. Your new add-on domain name information should point to the same domain name server as the Web host of your current account. This could take between 24 and 48 hours to properly propagate. It is probably a good idea to give it the 48 hours in order to make sure.

After the propagation has taken place, you should be able to get into your Web hosting manager and add the domain name. Add-on domains can usually be found in an option that is clearly labeled. This is especially easy if your Web host has cPanel. When you click on the option for add-on domains, you will need to fill in the desired information:

• The “New Domain Name” field should be yourname.com. There should be no use of www or http://. Just put in the Web site name.
• Username/directory/subdomain should be a field with just the name, such as yourname. This one shouldn’t even have a .com or any other suffix at the end of it.
• Next, enter a password of your choosing in the appropriate box.

After you follow these steps, you should be able to access your new add-on domain from your main Web hosting manager. It will be a sub folder in your public_html folder. Once you have everything squared away, it is possible to start adding pages, indexes, images and anything you want to use to build this site.

Advantages to add-on domains

Creating add-on domains can have a number of advantages. Some of the ways that you can benefit from add-on domains include:

• Use the same Web hosting account to create multiple domains. This can allow you to easily manage all of your domains in one place.
• Save money. Because you are using the same Web hosting account, you can save money since you will not have to set up another account and pay for it.
• All of the resources are shared.
• The add-on domain gets its own stats, FTP manager and other trappings automatically. You can also upload desired forums, scripts and images in your add-on domain sub directory.
• You can promote different Web sites on one hosting account with different keywords.

In the end, you have to decide whether it is worth it to use add-on domains. You will still have to pay regular prices for domain name registration, but you won’t have to pay for additional hosting, although if your add-on domains get enough traffic it might be worth considering upgrading your hosting package.

Related Article: Registering Domain Names >>