We have two sites for different set of countries with different Top level domains. Recently our site got penalized for duplicate content since the content on both the sites is exactly the same. Now since both are ecommerce sites running CS-cart, there is nothing much that we can change in terms of content.
Is there a way around to show Google that the sites are meant for different geographies and customers?
Markup for multilingual content - that is how Google want you to handle multi lingual sites.
You could also set up Google Webmaster Tools for both domains and set the appropriate target geographic.
[quote name='StellarBytes' timestamp='1360596826' post='154917']
Markup for multilingual content - that is how Google want you to handle multi lingual sites.
You could also set up Google Webmaster Tools for both domains and set the appropriate target geographic.
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Thanks for the tip. But there is no multilingual issue on the sites. Both sites are in the same language (English).
Ok, so you have two sites, both identical content, but have different TLD (ie. com, .co.uk, .org, etc) - you want to rank the “.com” in the USA and the “.co.uk” in the UK? If that's what you're trying to do, sorry to say it, but you're doing it the wrong way. Google will have already penalised one if not both of your sites.
You need to consider how to influence geographic location rankings for one main website, not 2 or more sites. It isn't that difficult to do, SEO is a relatively simple game to play provided you know how and have the time to do so.
Have you tried the Geo targetting
Google's Geotargeting would help for one domain, but the problem is having two seperate domains with duplicate content.
You should consider using Localisations within CS-Cart with one single store and targetting the specific regions you want to rank for using pretty basic SEO practises. With 2 domains, unless you change the content, you will have to double your marketing efforts.
[quote name='StellarBytes' timestamp='1360603995' post='154927']
Google's Geotargeting would help for one domain, but the problem is having two seperate domains with duplicate content.
You should consider using Localisations within CS-Cart with one single store and targetting the specific regions you want to rank for using pretty basic SEO practises. With 2 domains, unless you change the content, you will have to double your marketing efforts.
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Then I guess I will have to change any one website's content since I cannot use a single domain or subdomain for both the sites since the pricing, promotions, terms & conditions, return policies and even product packaging are different. Localization can be very cumbersone with the above issues. Another issues is that one domain is for the whole world except that one country which is being targeted by the other domain. I might have used the geo targeting option in the webmaster central but for the above issue.
Then use two domains, with unique content, geo-target each domain, especially in terms of link profile.