Target multiple countries from Google Webmaster Tools

[nbseo]

Hi guys,

wondering on how can i target multiple countries from web master tools?

as there is an option in GWT "Geographic target" in which we can select only one country....

so if i select "unlisted" from the "Geographic target" option! does it means that GWT will consider as world wide target? or

anybody have any idea on how to target specific multiple countries?

thanx

 

[kazhkaz]

I think it is impossible to Geographically target few countries through GWT. You should try to get backlinks from those countries you are targeting for.

 

[SEOWhizz]

To target more than one country using Google Webmaster tools, you will need to geo-target sub-folders or sub-domains, for example:

example.com/ca OR ca.example.com => Set to geo-target Canada
example.com/fra OR fra.example.com => Set to geo-target France
example.com/ven OR ven.example.com => Set to geo-target Venezuela

More info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9r3PayqaZM&feature=player_embedded#!

 

[nbseo]

To target more than one country using Google Webmaster tools, you will need to geo-target sub-folders or sub-domains, for example:

example.com/ca OR ca.example.com => Set to geo-target Canada
example.com/fra OR fra.example.com => Set to geo-target France
example.com/ven OR ven.example.com => Set to geo-target Venezuela

Hey thanx for this useful post

i just watch the video and get good information but i after watching this one question comes in my mind that..

If i go with the sub folders for the each country i want to target! Does it consider as copy site ? as both urls will be different and showing the same page like..

abc.com => show u homepage of the site and
abc.com/au => will also show you the same home page

so does it consider as copy?

 

[nbseo]

I think it is impossible to Geographically target few countries through GWT. You should try to get backlinks from those countries you are targeting for.

i already did that but still not getting result..

 

[SEOWhizz]

If i go with the sub folders for the each country i want to target! Does it consider as copy site ? as both urls will be different and showing the same page like..

abc.com => show u homepage of the site and
abc.com/au => will also show you the same home page

so does it consider as copy?

If you mean that each sub-folder will be a page of the same content as the home page, then it's better to create unique content for each country specific page that you're targeting.

So in your example,
abc.com => could contain generic content.
abc.com/au => could contain country specific (i.e. australian) 'unique' content, i.e. different from the home page.

 

[Kaithe.Clarke]

Yes, if you haven't selected any geographic location, Google will consider it for global ranking. But there are few other factors that can decide your geographic location like, your domain extension, backlinks from a specific country, keywords in content that are popular in specific country.

 

[miguel_costa]

nbseo: about duplicated content: search this on google "google duplicate content" and check the first result


you can target different countries from webmaster tools, and you can even target different countries with meta tags.

All depends on the on the inbound links and the language.
It's not easy to help without knowing more info what are the countries? how are setting up the internal link building? are you using canonical links? are you using good seo content? are you using translated sef urls?

 

[SEOWhizz]

...All depends on the on the inbound links and the language...

Not quite. Geo-targeting should be used for targeting locations not languages.

See from approx. 3.00 mins of the video above and here:

The tool handles geographic data, not language data. If you're targeting users in different locations—for example, if you have a site in French that you want users in France, Canada, and Mali to read—we don't recommend that you use this tool to set France as a geographic target. A good example of where it would be useful is for a restaurant website: if the restaurant is in Canada, it's probably not of interest to folks in France. But if your content is in French and is of interest to people in multiple countries/regions, it's probably better not to restrict it.

Source: http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=62399

 

[miguel_costa]

Not quite. Geo-targeting should be used for targeting locations not languages.

you don't expect anyone to target users in Spain using English content? You can set them as a geographic target.. but you wont get very far in any SERP.
That is why I said:
"All depends on the on the inbound links and the language" (language from the content linking to your site and your site language)

Most of my clients (or their consultants) think that by using geo-targeting google will give them a boost or any kind of special treat in the serps, but that is incorrect.
Good content in the native language of the targeted countries and good inbound links from sites with the same language are the best geo-targeting strategy