Targeting Uk And Usa With One Site Options

[logos1234]

Hi,

I am thinking of starting a jewellry ecommerce site and wondered what the best way is to optimise it for both USA and UK markets. Suppose I have one site, what is the best way to do this? I can foresee that the keyword spellings will be slightly different, so I would possibly need to provide 2 sets of content. Should I use subdirectories such as en and us or should I use subdomains?

Many thanks

[qwerty]

Since the SEs are currently treating subdomains as separate domains, that strategy gives one an opportunity to take up more space on a SERP. Personally, I doubt that's the sort of advantage that's likely to last, as it should be clear to the engineers that it blocks searchers from seeing some of what's available to them. And other than that, I don't think there are really any big differences between going with subdomains and subdirectories.

In any case, I doubt that strategy would help you, as you're looking to segment your audience -- that is, you don't want Americans landing on the UK version of the site, going through the sales process and finding out they're in the wrong place (assuming the UK version won't offer the option of shipping to the US).

If the content differences between the two versions is more than the obvious jewelry/jewellery thing, you might actually be better off building two different sites and putting the UK one on a .co.uk domain, hosted in the UK.

[piskie]

Randy:
you might actually be better off building two different sites and putting the UK one on a .co.uk domain, hosted in the UK

Yes that's dead right except I have found that a .co.uk performs equally well hosted in the UK or USA. So a .com hosted in the USA and a .co.uk hosted either side of the pond would be my choice.

[Randy]

umm... Bob's gonna be offended Piskie. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hysterical.gif)

That said, I completely agree with both of you. It may well call for two different domain names because the language difference isn't all that large.

Ideally a co.uk on UK hosting might pump it up more quickly, but in the long run the uk hosting component isn't all that important.

As a bit of a warning to logos because it needs to be said. When you're using a .com domain name you're not really targeting the US market. You're targeting the entire world. It's one of those double-edged swords we Murcans get/have to deal with. In that .com is a Worldwide competition. Not a US one.

The good edge of the sword being that since pretty much all US based sites use .com (as opposed to the almost never used .us) you end up with decent worldwide rankings if you get good rankings you can see from your PC from a US location. The bad edge of the sword being that if you can't compete in a worldwide market, you're basically screwed. Then the only thing left to you is your very, very localized market.

[piskie]

Whoops, sorry Bob. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif)

[qwerty]

That's OK. I'm used to being mistaken for Randy. At least one of us takes it as a compliment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[logos1234]

Many thanks to the genius of the Highrankings members and moderators! I am always learning from the masters here.

Suppose a site already existed with subdirectories like us/en, what would be the best way ahead in that case?

Thanks