Note that older versions of cPanel used the term, “Parked Domains” rather than “Aliases.” Functionally they are the same thing. Only the name has changed.
Alias domains point to the same site as the primary domain, Addon domains (typically) point to a different site than the primary domain.
Alias Domain
An Alias domain is when two domains resolve to the same site. So when ggexample.com is the primary domain for your website, the site is also available using ggexample.net, the Alias domain. Whether a visitor enters ggexample.com or ggexample.net, they will go to the same page(s) on your website.
Note: When an Alias domain is used to access a site, the browser address bar will display the primary domain. So in the example above, if a user enters the Alias domain ggexample.net into their browser, they will be redirected to ggexample.com, and the ggexample.com domain will remain in the browser address bar. If you want a site to be available under more than one domain name, set up the additional domain as an Addon domain (see below).
If you want additional Alias domains, you can purchase them from GreenGeeks or another domain registry.
Addon Domain
The typical use for an Addon domain is to add a second domain to your account that you want to be a completely separate, independent site. So when ggexample.com is the primary domain for your website, a completely different site is available using ggexample.net, the Addon domain. When a visitor enters ggexample.com or ggexample.net, they will go to two separate websites.
Additionally, Addon domains can be used to make a single site available under multiple domain names. So when ggexample.com is the primary domain for your website, ggexample.net, the Addon domain, displays the same website.
Note: When an Addon domain is used to access a site, the browser address bar will display the Addon domain. So even if both domains point to the same website, if a user enters the Addon domain ggexample.net into their browser, the Addon domain, ggexample.net, will remain in the browser address bar.
If you want additional Addon domains, you can purchase them from GreenGeeks or another domain registry.
If you have any questions regarding Alias or Addon domains, please open a ticket in GreenGeeks, and an agent can discuss options with you.
A Note About Google and Addon Domains
If you point multiple domains to a single site (using Addon domains), you should consider using rel=”canonical” tags to let Google know which domain is “preferred,” or primary. It is not mandatory to do so, but duplicate content—the same site available at two different domains—can have a negative impact on your site’s Google search ranking if rel=”canonical” tags are not implemented.