Google’s John Mueller provides the answer to the question of whether to create an international section within an existing site or build an entirely new site. I asked an international SEO for his thoughts on the matter, and he shared what he thinks is the best course of action for SEO.
Using ccTLDs for International Websites?
A question was asked about the best way to expand internationally.
He explained that they have a strong search presence in the US, but they want to expand to other countries.
Because the main site is so powerful, it’s thought that the site can get a head start on international versions built on the .com version of the site, since those versions aren’t created on unestablished domains.
However, there are many valid reasons to build a new site on a domain that matches the target country.
These types of domains are similar to .uk, .de, and .jp and are called country code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
Google’s John Mueller discusses international SEO
The person who asked the question recounted his situation:
“…We started expanding into Canada and the UK. We are at a crossroads today.
Should we use ccTLDs or just keep them under .com?
We are a real estate company, so our pages are very location specific.
We may end up in a dozen countries…
So it might be thought that the process would take advantage of being able to use ccTLDs for local targeting in Search Console, which I can’t do in global .com.
…so I’m just wondering, is there an advantage
Go one way or the other? Or, which way is easier for Google? “
Multiple considerations for international business development
Google’s John Mueller didn’t hesitate to answer that there were multiple considerations, and then listed them.
Mueller replied:
“I think a lot of things can come into play.
One might also be the aspect of having multiple sites vs having a really strong website… if you’re talking about a dozen different locations, maybe that’s not an issue. Maybe this will work.
Another thing is geolocation, which we use when we recognize that people are looking for something local.
So whichever way you go, I’d try to make sure we’re able to determine what geolocation the site is using.
ccTLDs are pretty obvious. So this is a good approach in my opinion.
- Subdomains are an option.
- Subdirectories would be an option. “
URL parameters representing different international segments
John goes on to discuss what not to do, calling for the use of URL parameters to indicate a partial target country.
Mueller continued:
“What I wouldn’t do is just use URL parameters or something like that, you have your main global website and you can search for a separate country. And then somewhere in the URL that country is also mentioned.
Because that essentially means we can’t geolocate the site at all. “
International expansion may depend on marketing strategy
Mueller next suggested that one way to answer which way to go is to consider what choice means to consumers and how the company is perceived by the local target audience.
The questioner mentioned that the US site has 40 million pages, while the Canadian site has about 500,000 pages. He also mentioned that because the content is very location-specific, only 5% of pages have a one-to-one match between the US and Canadian versions.
Mueller responded:
“…I think from a technical standpoint they are all equivalent. From an SEO ranking standpoint, you might gain some advantages by building on an existing domain.
But I think it also depends on what your marketing goals are.
If you want to really target these, we’re a Canadian real estate company, then you kind of want to have your own domain name.
If you want to position it as, we’re a global company and we’re in Canada, it might be ok to have it on your existing domain.
So I think from a technical point of view, all these options are open. Which path you take is almost like a strategic decision. “
SEO considerations for expanding into new countries
I asked Michael Bonfils (LinkedIn profile), a highly regarded international SEO expert, on the pros and cons of expanding internationally on an existing site or using ccTLDs. I asked Michael because he has extensive work experience in the Internet industry since the mid-90s.
Building a site on .com is a viable approach, especially since Google has an excellent ability to use the hreflang attribute to understand the language of web documents, says Michael. But he also shared reasons why ccTLDs may be more popular.
Michael shares the following insights:
“Technically, compared to ccTLDs, with .com and a great hreflang setup, both are fine and will rank.
With the technical advancements in Google’s algorithm, I wouldn’t be surprised if dot com with a solid hreflang attribute directory structure is prioritized these days, as it has a massive global flow of links. “
He set aside considerations related to Google and turned to those related to how consumers react, which ultimately determines the success of a strategy.
Michael observes:
“However, I tend to lean towards and advocate for proper ccTLDs.
ccTLDs generally foster consumer trust, so participation increases.
For example, German consumers may be wary of buying any non-German product. This makes it difficult for companies with non-German specific operations to compete.
Not only do you have to prove that you are of better quality than an equivalent German company, but you cannot risk lowering your trust signal by not having a German ccTLD.
In the example of expanding into the German market, you want to be as local as possible, as German as possible.
Beyond these trust signals, there are links. Consider linking from within Germany to your German site strongly biased towards those linking from outside Germany. “
International Expansion and Links
Michael next turns his attention to links. Links can be the foundation of a successful search and help place a website at the top of search results.
He suggested:
“Using ccTLDs to get links for publishers is much easier than .com/germany/. Using ccTLDs increases the likelihood of links.
So technically it’s easier to use hreflang, technically you can still rank and compete.
But keep in mind the goals of conversion and usability, build trust with website visitors and gain traction in international markets. “
Citation
Building a separate site when expanding internationally?
Watch at 20:20 minutes in the video
