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When I create an add-on domain in cPanel, a subdomain is automatically created.

  • How does this affect the SEO of the website and does it also affect other websites that are hosted on the same server?
  • When it has an effect, will that effect be positive or negative and is there a way to decrease the effect?
  • Are search engines like Google treat the content on the subdomain as duplicate content?
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  • If you mean by add-on domain as adding another domain name, I caution you that this is generally not a good idea. It does not add value- but dilute it, confuses things, and costs money. Otherwise, I think for someone to help you, we would need to know what software you are using (such as cPanel) to do this and how you are creating the add-on domain to understand why you are getting a sub-domain.
    – closetnoc
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 14:24
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    @closetnoc An Addon domain in cPanel (the question is tagged cpanel) allows you point an additional domain to a subdomain of the main account. The idea is to be able to host a sub-site (separate domain) within the one hosting account.
    – MrWhite
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 14:55
  • @w3d Thanks! Your expertise helps me understand. I do not know cPanel at all so I am not sure of it's features/behaviors. I know that some folks use the term add-on for adding another domain name to the parent domain and so far I have not seen any value to that logic at all. Is there value from your perspective to adding another domain name as the OP describes??
    – closetnoc
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 15:08
  • @closetnoc "adding another domain name to the parent domain" - cPanel calls that a "parked domain". "Is there value in... Addon domains" - yeah sure, although naturally you want to avoid the duplicate content. You can use it for marketing purposes or to simply host a separate sub-site. Some developers will use it to host (what appears to be) entirely separate sites without paying for additional hosting.
    – MrWhite
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 15:50
  • @w3d Thanks for your expertise! I will often differ to those still in the field for their expertise. So much has changed since the days I was heavily into this stuff. Back then, sites were much simpler and search marketing less involved. Today, it seems like a very delicate balancing act that if a little off, can really have a negative effect. I know some things really well and like to just stick to these here for the most part. As well, I am a heavy metrics guy. So sometimes I speak with metrics (sometimes unique) in the background. Thanks again!!
    – closetnoc
    Commented May 25, 2015 at 16:05

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How does this affect the SEO of the website and does it also affect other websites that are hosted on the same server?

Just the generation of a subdomain wouldn't affect the website. A cPanel add-on domain is unlikely to have an effect on another domain which are in general completely scoped from each other.

When it has an effect, will that effect be positive or negative and is there a way to decrease the effect?

When you use hyperlinks from the website to the subdomain it can potentially have a negative effect when the exact same content is served. When you don't point out or use the created subdomain (using hyperlinks), it will be unlikely to have an effect on search engine optimization.

Does Google treat the content on the subdomain as duplicate content?

The duplicate content subject is kind of complicated, when it comes to Google. As far as I concern Google sees duplicated content when it is duplicate content. As simple as that. When the exact same website is served on a subdomain, Google (and other search engines) can potentially see it as duplicate content when it gets indexed.

You can just avoid that from happening or choose a preferred domain in Google's webmaster tools.

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