7 replies to this topic

[johnB]

Hi all,

After doing some research on here and other forums it looks like i'm suffering from hosting my site on a US server/IP along with a .com domain name. seeing as the site is specifically UK focussed I feel that i should ideally come quite high for both general and uk specific results.

SO, the question is, hows the best way of doing this. The PR of the site isn't amazing (PR 4) but it still comes in a #1 for quite a few phrases and is listed on dmoz/google etc. The .co.uk version of the domain is already taken by another company.

1) should i setup 301 redirects to the new domain and just start to promote the new domain linkswise?

2) as the site will change domain names should I alert dmoz to update its listing to point to the new domain?

3) will I have to get UK hosting or do you think that the .co.uk will be enough?

4) The current 'branding' is based around the domain name. as i can't get the .co.uk version should i rebrand the site?

5) would setting up a parked domain pointing to the .com address be sufficent to catch these 'uk sites only' visitors?

6) am I being too picky? By this I mean do many people who search on google.co.uk always check the 'uk sites only' box ( i've noticed on G and aol.co.uk its set to 'the web' by default) or do you think that the hassle of rebranding the site with a new .co.uk domain is not worth the extra visitors i'll get?

Thanks in advance for any replies

[anthonyparsons.com]

Welcome John,

I think you may be reading a little too far into it all. If your concentrating on UK customers, then you should have a .uk domain. That will then rank accordingly for a UK presence as well as global for your intended purpose.

Another solution, simply ensure you have included UK relevance within all meta, headings and content in an attempt for the SE's to capture the audience you seek, though a .uk domain is probably easier and more likely of success.

DMOZ is not a problem, simply request a change of existing listing to them.

If you take up a .uk domain and make that your presence, then yes, permanently redirect your existing .com to the .uk domain to capture you current work effort.

[Jill]

John, we've have a number of similar discussions on this topic over the past few months. If you do a quick forum search, you should be able to find them and the will give you ideas of what to do for in your particular situation.

Jill

[OldWelshGuy]

1) should i setup 301 redirects to the new domain and just start to promote the new domain linkswise?

YES that is the best way

2) as the site will change domain names should I alert dmoz to update its listing to point to the new domain?

Yes again, but the 301 will take care of this for the time ebing

3) will I have to get UK hosting or do you think that the .co.uk will be enough?

Where the site is hosted makes no difference if you have a.uk domain

4) The current 'branding' is based around the domain name. as i can't get the .co.uk version should i rebrand the site?

I would consider it, but not because you are changing name, but more because you ideally want both .com & .co.uk domains to avoid promoting the opposition. Many people remember the name not the domain ie supersingles.something they will always try co.uk first.

5) would setting up a parked domain pointing to the .com address be sufficent to catch these 'uk sites only' visitors?

NO the SE's disregard forwarding they only index the place the pages are held, so if you forward supersingles.com to freespace/yourisp.com it is this url that will go into the index


6) am I being too picky? By this I mean do many people who search on google.co.uk always check the 'uk sites only' box ( i've noticed on G and aol.co.uk its set to 'the web' by default) or do you think that the hassle of rebranding the site with a new .co.uk domain is not worth the extra visitors i'll get?

Debatable. What happens when the search engines geo target by default? you could be 3 years into business then, and the changeover would be major. Also some ISp's default to UK only including Tiscali who now provide a large % of broadband in the uk.

Hope this Helps

OWG

[glt1]

..! Starting all over again?
Seems a bit to much. For Google you dont need to have a .co.uk name just host your site on a server located in the UK and you'll be fine. Make sure you get your site on a server physically located in the Uk though, some hosting companies advertise with UK Hosting while in fact their servers are not in the UK.

[OldWelshGuy]

For Google you dont need to have a .co.uk name just host your site on a server located in the UK

Sorry this is not 100% accurate. Google often gets it wrong, and hosting comapnies often change servers. The ONLY 100% accurate way is a .uk domain host it on the moon then if you like, google will always get it right.

[johnB]

thanks to all for their replies, think i'm going to go with the .co.uk approach. OWG is right, that its probably a lot easier to be doing this now than 3 years down the line when the amount of backlinks would of increased enough to give me a heart attack trying to change them all to a new domain

[anthonyparsons.com]

Exactly OWG, same same for Australia. 100% guaranteed method for listing in .au index is a .au domain.....same for most countries.