.com versus local domains

[Diana.varbanescu]

Hi all,

One of my clients has local domain websites in various parts of the world (co.uk etc. etc.) and there has always been a discussion about where a move from local domain (the current set-up) to a targeted .com domain (i.e. .com/uk) would benefit from a SEO perspective.

The main reasoning (seo-wise) that keeps coming up is that there'd only be one domain to link to which would help with link juice being passed around. Any thoughts as whether this would actually be the case or if this possible benefit would be outweighed by other cons?

Recent moves (local to .com) from a few websites (the Guardian newspaper in the UK being the most recent one off the top of my head) has made me start thinking about it again!

Diana

[simon_realbuzz]

This is very much a question we have been considering for one of our sites and I very much agree with Chammy, that it is very much a resource issue. If you have the resource to provide unique content for each separate domain, build links, do social activity for each one then local domains are perhaps the way to go.

For us, trying to maintain multiple domains would have been too labor intensive and we found that consolidating all our activity into one global .com site has had a positive benefit in that there has been an upturn in overall search traffic, likely caused by consolidation of all the ranking factors to one domain.

[Chammy]

Hi Diana

I went through this same discussion with a client of mine. Only the other way round - ie should he go to local domains rather than the .com that he has. I did a lot of research and came up with the conclusion that local domains are great IF you have lots of local resource to support the site - for local content, local links, etc. If the resource is there then the main benefit is that people in each country often favour visiting sites with a country domain.

Otherwise, If the resource is not there then you are better off with a .com domain where the focus can go towards building overall authority for just 1 site rather than many - as you say, it helps with the link juice. Languages can be placed in subfolders (/de/ etc) and that way Google will know to return the correct version in the country Google version.

Hope that helps - good luck

[garfield_disliker]

I don't think consolidation is the best path. I would take a close look at this article from Google's guidelines, and pay particular attention to their recommendations for ccTLDs and geotargeting settings in WMT.

[GPainter]

Where do you want to get most of your traffic from? If it's from the say the UK i'd say you should go with the .co.uk domain (plus you can redirect the .com to any visitors can still find you better).

Obviously there is a bit of a set up involved but I think you gain access to those local searches which can help. Still worth researching all options

Best of luck what ever you go with.