Geo-Targeting Question

[Frank Benjamin]

My site is primarily for U.S. sports bettors. While I do have a few articles about soccer and other topics that might interest interest European bettors, my main target is the U.S. bettor.

With this in mind, should I set my geo-targeting to the United States? Or should I allow it to have a worldwide reach and let the visitors decide if it is for them or not?

[Aaz]

If your primary target is google, then i'd prefer having two different sites for two different regions. On one hand it will takes more content and links to get everything up, but on the other hand you'll be insured from geo glitches after algo changes.

[Frank Benjamin]

If your primary target is google, then i'd prefer having two different sites for two different regions.

Not sure what you what you mean by this statement and "targeting google"

[Razbet]

I will prefer to have something targeted to a specific area than to have a lot of info for the entire world. If it's primarily to "US bettors" why not targeting US only ?

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

I think you play the safe bet and protect your current traffic and rankings. Create a subdomain or two and use geotargeting for each, and leave the root alone. Use google trends and your analytics to identify your top geo-targets and set them accordingly.

[Frank Benjamin]

I think you play the safe bet and protect your current traffic and rankings. Create a subdomain or two and use geotargeting for each, and leave the root alone. Use google trends and your analytics to identify your top geo-targets and set them accordingly.

Gary, this is the site that I redirected the root to a subdomain to escape a Google Penalty. I really hadn't planned on setting up other domains that target other regions because I only follow U.S. sports. Maybe in the future I will get writers and target other locations but for now, it is simply the subdomain I made to escape Google's wrath.

With that in mind, do you have any other advise?

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

HI Frank

No not at the moment. You need to be careful with further changes until your site settles.

[Frank Benjamin]

HI Frank

No not at the moment. You need to be careful with further changes until your site settles.

Ok, sounds good Gary. All I am doing now is working on a new design and cleaning up the server - I have a bunch of old images and templates that are no longer in use. Other than that, I am working on some new content. Not doing any SEO for a month after I see where it settles.

Thanks!

[Peter_Palmer]

If you want more information on this you should research the Google Venice update. It's something that a lot of digital marketers or webmasters have failed to comment on and I'm assuming that a lot of people are unaware of it given how much talk about Google Panda and Penguin there is in comparison.

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

You already said you have an automated xml sitemap creator and uploader right?

[Frank Benjamin]

You already said you have an automated xml sitemap creator and uploader right?

Yes Gary, I have a plugin that automates the xml sitemap.

[nameeta26]

Hello dears,
I have no words to appreciate this thread for discussion ..... I'm really impressed with this thread .... I still not get my web geo targeting because I don't to how. Thanks for shearing.