How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

[Collectors-info]

Hi, is there some good rules or guide lines if you want to aim a site at a particular country.
IE:
If it was a UK site should I have a domain .co.uk to help
Should I push the M/tags words towards the UK/England.
Should I host the site in the UK.
Or any suggestions that may help.


Thanks.

[motoxxx]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

I would think that using the .uk, meta data and keyword targeting would be a great place to start. Other than that.......good question....

[limebrook1]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Not sure of the answer, but I am from the UK, and when I want to find goods to buy I always add UK into my search, otherwise I keep getting American shops etc. I also scan through and choose .co.uk addresses as I know they will be UK ones.

So, no technical answer I'm afraid, but advice from a user perspective.

[Collectors-info]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Hi, I know search engines are getting a lot cleverer in the way they deal with a search/request, to the stage that I am not sure if they maybe even using your ip to target local sites to you.
If this is so, I was wondering if I can help them in some way.
(Besides giving them a wheelbarrow full of cash)
As you say! Even if you put in a search & tick the UK only box, you still get a very high percentage of US sites. Which is not a lot of help when shopping.
(Sorry USA! But a lot of your stuff wont work over here.)

[Bethers]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

As for se's - where you host won't make any difference at all.

First, getting the domain name for your country - that will help.

If you are ONLY targetting that country - then put the information into your title and make sure you say so on the page. This will insure that the people searching using UK or England etc - will find you. If you don't have that on the page anywhere (or in the title) - the se's can't know it either.

The rest of the meta really doesn't effect how the se's pull you up. So, you can put it in the description, but it won't really effect you in the searches, except that some of the se's might use your description when they give your site to someone's search request and they can see it and know that you're what they're looking for.

The absolutely best thing you can do for yourself, is to write the site - ALL of the site - so that it answers the questions your audience wants to hear. If one of those questions is - Are you in the UK and service UK - then that needs to be answered.

[Collectors-info]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Hi Beth, Sorry! I didn’t explain very well. When I say IP, I was referring to the ip I am connected to for my local broadband connection. The funny thing is my ip is in a place call Eealing in west London. And I am surprise on how many Google adds come up on sites that I visit relate to west London. So I believe Google ads have thought this one out to start targeting a certain percentage of there adds.
So at the end of the day. You have to really write your pages & word your links very carefully. (Not easy to please your visitors & SE’s.)

Thanks

[Bethers]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

You're probably getting the ads for "local searches" - which they can do with ads.

Also, if you really write to please your visitors - that WILL please the se's - as the se's only know what the visitors are typing in the search boxes - so they are trying VERY hard to please your visitors when they send them to you. They can't do it if you don't do the research to know your visitors though.

[Collectors-info]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Good points.

Thanks.
Oohps! that should of been Ealing. Oh well.

[Collectors-info]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Beth! Slightly off subject, but haven’t I heard mentioned that links from the same server is not a good thing to do as SE’s may take this as someone trying to improve there own link statues using multiple sites & multi reciprocal links between sites.
If so is it a case of being careful on whom you link with at vodahost & making sure they are not on the same shared ip address as your own site. Or am I not reading this right.

Thanks.

[Bethers]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

I think it's more important that you link based on whether or not the link is worthy to your target audience - no matter what server it's on. If it's not, it's not a link you should have. I also wouldn't recommend exchanging links with anyone who doesn't do them in a good fashion - if they use links pages, the pages need to be categorized and organized - and they still have to relate to your customers. Two way links keep losing more and more importance - but they bring traffic if done right and don't have NO importance - as long as you have good anchor text and keep them relevant.

So, don't worry about if they are or aren't on Voda. But if they are or not related - is their site professional - is the way they display their links profesional - is it truly someone you would want to have recommend you, or you them?

[Collectors-info]

Re: How do you set a site up to aim at a particular country.

Ah! That’s a bit clearer. I will get a little fussy. But not too much. lol

Many thanks.