Can You Have Two Domains Pointing to the Same Website?

So, you’re probably here because you’re wondering if you can have two domains pointing to the same website.

The short and simple answer is yes.

There are multiple ways to do this, and they are quite easy. To have two domains pointing to the same website, you can:

• Assign addon domains to the same directory or folder.

• Park or host domains on your web hosting provider to point to the same website.

• Redirect all additional domain names to your main domain name from your domain registrar.

• Multiple domains for one website can guard against competitors registering similar names

• Increases online visibility as more domain names can lead customers to your site

• Makes your site easier to find and remember for users

The decision to use multiple domains pointing to a single site depends on your specific needs:

• If you want to protect your brand from being used by competitors.
• When aiming to improve online visibility by capturing various domain names.
• If you operate in different geographical regions, using region-specific domains can help local customers find you easily.

However, always factor in the costs and management efforts of multiple domains, as well as potential SEO implications.

Domain names function as the address of your website on the Internet. Without a domain name, clients and visitors cannot find you.

There are currently over 340 million registered domain names.

Each domain name has to have a domain name extension. Currently, there are over 1500 different domain extensions, and the most popular and used ones right now are .com, used by 52.8% of all websites, .org, used by 4.4% of all websites, and .ru used by 4.2% of all websites. These extensions are classified as TLDs or Top Level Domains.

Domain names are registered with domain registrars, and you can check if the domain you want is available by searching for it in your domain registrar’s search box.

Advantages and Risks of Having More Than One Domain Pointing To One Website

• Protects against misspelling
  By having multiple domains for one website, you make sure that customers find your business even if they misspell your name and direct them to your site instead of an error or competitor’s site.

• Helps with business expansion
  If you have started a local business but want to expand it into international markets, having multiple country-specific domains like .uk, .fr, .eu, etc., could help you expand more quickly and easily into the desired countries because these ccTLDs or country-code Top-Level Domains are ranked higher by search engines. Also, 28% of all local searches on Google result in a purchase, so having ccTLDs can significantly impact your revenues.

• Protects against competitors
  Multiple domains block competitors from using similar names, ensuring customers find you first.

• Enables you to appear in more SERPs
  Extra domain names, with relevant keywords, help your site appear more in search results, boosting visibility.

• Improves market segmentation
  Different domains target specific customer groups. Separate domains for each product type can instantly guide customers, possibly encouraging more exploration.

• Can improve SEO
  You can improve your SEO by having multiple domains that rank for distinct relevant keywords. This is an important factor to consider because better SEO can lead to increased website traffic and visibility.

• Duplicate content
  Despite the point of having multiple domains for one website being to direct users to the same content, search engines might get confused because they will not know which site to rank higher. This can result in penalties like monetary fines, and search engines might end up ranking competitors higher.

• Domain history
  Is one of the domains you buy is an old one that was previously used for ranking other content, you may run the risk of having a domain with low-quality backlinks that link to spam or other undesired content.

• Higher cost
  Having more domains will require more staff, development, maintenance, etc., which comes at a price. Also, it can be quite time-consuming to run multiple domains and can cause you to divert your focus from other things if you do not have an experienced team on your payroll.

Log into your cPanel account. After doing this, find the “domains” icon on the sidebar on the left side. Then, click “assign” from the new menu pops up.

After clicking on “assign,” you’ll have the option to either use a domain that is already associated with your account or assign a new one that is not.

If you go for the second option, i.e., you want to assign a new domain, you have to verify the ownership of the domain.

After choosing between the two, the next step is to choose between an addon or a parked domain.

• Addon: This type of domain operates as its own separate domain and website, independently from your primary domain.

• Parked: This type of domain loads the same website as your primary one.

• Unassigned: This type of domain is linked to your account, but it doesn’t point to any website or folder. You can choose this type of domain if you haven’t decided yet what you want to do with the domain you are adding.

So, after you’ve settled on addon vs. parked and say you’ve chosen addon, the next step is to choose the folder that you want the domain to point to. After choosing the folder, you need to choose a subdomain, which will only serve so that the cPanel can perform the domain assignment. You will still access your domain directly.

After doing this, you need to click on the icon that reads assign domain, assign the domain, or something similar, to complete the process.

If the process was completed successfully, then this domain will appear in the “Domains” tab.

• Keywords
  You will improve your search engine ranking by using the relevant keyword or multiple keywords in your domain name. However, avoid keyword stuffing and use 1-2 keywords in your domain name.

• Website traffic
  Having the right domain name can do wonders for website traffic. By having a short, easy-to-remember, simple to spell, and relevant domain name, you increase the chances of your website popping up in common searches for the products and services you sell.

• Branding
  It is recommended that your domain name is the same as your brand if possible. This way, users will have an easier type remembering your site so that they can come back to it again.

to Multiple Domain Names Pointing to the Same Website

If multiple domains aren't for you, consider these options:

• Subdomains
  They're part of your main domain and help organize content. For example, 'shop.example.com' can direct customers to your online store.

• Subfolders
  Also part of your main domain, they categorize diverse content. It makes your website structured, easier to navigate, and appealing.

• Content Silos
  Create well-structured sections, or 'silos', on your site that focus on a specific topic. These can rank independently in search engines.

Having two domains pointing to the same website is definitely feasible and can greatly benefit your business. Of course, there are alternative options, like using subdomains or subfolders. However, if you believe having separate domains point to your website is the right move for you, then go for it!

Getting two domains is not as hard as it might sound, and with providers like Verpex, for example, you get one domain for free with any hosting package you choose, which can greatly reduce your overall costs.