Multiple language site optimisation

[sherlock]

If anybody can give me some good advice regarding how is it more advantageous to optimise a website dedicated in let's say three languages.
Is it more advantegeous to have separate URL addresses for each language or a single one?

Thank you

[malekov]

Yes, separated URL's, in subdomains or folders, as u wish. Keep the original language on the main domain and alternative domains out of there.

http://domain.com and for example
http://spanish.domain.com or http://domain.com/spanish/

[sherlock]

thank you malekov

[bhartzer]

I highly suggest that you stay away from having multiple languages on the same domain.

You need to establish a 'local presence' in the country where the site is hosted and where you're doing business. This way other Italian web sites will link to your Italian site--they will not link to your site if it's in multiple languages. (The still might link, but having a site in multiple languages is a strong deterrent.)

If your site is in Italian then you can get listed in the Italian versions of major diretories such as the Yahoo! Directory.

If you host an Italian site in Italy and have local whois/domain ownership in that country the search engines give you preference in that country's search results (e.g., [link] ).

I've been optimizing sites in over 8 languages for over 4-5 years now and the benefits of having one language per domain name far outweighs the 'ease' of having multiple languages on the same domain. Personally, I would never ever have more than one language on a domain.

Unfortunately, if you're in Canada, it's much more difficult because I understand that there's a government requirement to have a 'landing page' on the home page of the site to ask visitors which language they prefer (there's two official languages in Canada). So, you must have your site in both French and in English. There are better ways of setting it up (like setting up additional TLDs for Canada), but that's the way they chose to do it. Perhaps someone more familiar with the Canadian web site rules could expand on this?

[Andy AtkinsKruger]

The reason this domain question keeps on coming up is because it is confusing.

You CAN optimise a site successfully on a single domain (eg a .com) and you CAN do it with folders or sub-domains.

People who have done this successfully will post here on this forum and tell you that they did it and had no problems.

The point is how competitive is your site?

If it's at all competitive - then the most effective route is to use a local country domain for each language (don't forget they are NOT language domains but country...)

Multiple language sites often fail because of:

- several languages mixed on a single page
- javascript enabling the switch between languages
- page titles in English - even when the body is in another language
- no language links
- IP recognition to direct visitors to the 'right' language or country site
- The home page serves ONLY to select the language and has no other content

I have yet to see proved the idea that hosting a site locally has any serious impact - but I'm open to suggestions....!

[amabaie]

Hello Bhartzer. Your statement about Canada is misinformed:

Unfortunately, if you're in Canada, it's much more difficult because I understand that there's a government requirement to have a 'landing page' on the home page of the site to ask visitors which language they prefer (there's two official languages in Canada). So, you must have your site in both French and in English.

Only people whose physical place of business is located in the province of Quebec are governed by any language law. For those people, French must be at least equal to or greater than any other language in prominence on the home page. Even that law applies only if the website sells to Quebeckers. The website can be unilingual English or Arabic or Russian, as long as it refuses all sales from Quebeckers.

[sherlock]

I highly suggest that you stay away from having multiple languages on the same domain.

You need to establish a 'local presence' in the country where the site is hosted and where you're doing business. This way other Italian web sites will link to your Italian site--they will not link to your site if it's in multiple languages. (The still might link, but having a site in multiple languages is a strong deterrent.)

If your site is in Italian then you can get listed in the Italian versions of major diretories such as the Yahoo! Directory.

If you host an Italian site in Italy and have local whois/domain ownership in that country the search engines give you preference in that country's search results (e.g., [link] ).

I've been optimizing sites in over 8 languages for over 4-5 years now and the benefits of having one language per domain name far outweighs the 'ease' of having multiple languages on the same domain. Personally, I would never ever have more than one language on a domain.

Unfortunately, if you're in Canada, it's much more difficult because I understand that there's a government requirement to have a 'landing page' on the home page of the site to ask visitors which language they prefer (there's two official languages in Canada). So, you must have your site in both French and in English. There are better ways of setting it up (like setting up additional TLDs for Canada), but that's the way they chose to do it. Perhaps someone more familiar with the Canadian web site rules could expand on this?

OK, let's say I want to launch a website available in three languages.
Should I have three different domains hosted in those three different countries
like this:

1. www.xxx (in italian).it (Hosted in Italy) can it be .com also??
2. www.xxx (in german).de (Hosted in Germany)
3. www.xxx (in english).com (Hosted in US)

Of course this way my hosting costs would be higher.

What do you think about this?

[bill]

The local hosting aspect can be debated if you can use a ccTLD. It's best to look at this on a market by market basis rather than use the blanket requirement for local hosting which seems to be sweeping the SEO/SEM market now. It's true that local hosting is necessary in some situations, but in many cases you can do just as well without. As long as you have either local hosting or a ccTLD the SEs should be able to determine your focus on a local market.

[Olney]

I also have yet to see the hosting prove to be something that held a site's ranking back in Google, Yahoo, or MSN.

My clients have targetted Japan, China, Korea & all sites were hosted in the US.

I'm not sure about Europe so like Bill said it's probably better to examine that particular market...