markd - 8:52 am on Apr 13, 2004 (gmt 0)

<<< The geotargeting features of site match will make sure your results are only delivered to specific regions. I can't comment on how those sites will rank. However, if it's appropriate content for the regional search you should be fine. You can always try it with a limited number of URLs to test the waters. >>>

Mike, I sincerely thank you for your responses it is much appreciated.

However, I understand fully that 'geotargeting features... make sure your results are delivered to specific regions'
What I want to know is if there are any inherent, 'built-in' disadvantage factors for engines within the Yahoo network I should be aware of when selecting geotargeting for certain sites that will, in effect, make it pointless to target a particular geographical region.

For example, there is no point in me selecting a US option for a .co.uk site, hosted in the UK if inherently this will be placed below sites which use a .com, hosted in the US - REGARDLESS of its relevance to the search and the engine in question. Same for a .com, US hosted site to target the UK.

This is what I want to know so I can target budget effectively.

With respect, my company offers marketing consultancy to clients as well as using your services ourselves. I can't (and IMHO opinion shouldn't need to) suggest they 'test the water' and spend money to assertain something which is fundamental to their ROI and your services. Yahoo has now moved to a pay for click model - advertising with editorial relevance in any other language and this information should be a core part of your Terms of Inclusion.

For me not to be able to answer a simple question like 'who will see my site and where', when you are paying for the privilege to appear, makes Yahoo seem less than credible as a serious contender for marketing budget.
It's a bit like saying that you can advertise in a magazine and should your ad meet the editorial standards the media owners can't say where the magazine will be viewed or distributed - just try it and see!
I would be rightly laughed out of the door if I proposed this as a course of action for spending budget, and so would the media organisation itself which is suggesting this.
I am almost compelled to conclude that Yahoo cannot answer this question definitively. If this is the case please say so and we can all make our decision. But I am bound to say that this flies in the face of your laudable determination to be 'relevant to searchers', as by implication a huge amount of money will be wasted by your clients delivering pages which are either inappropriate or not relevant to the searcher.

Answering this question will in no way compromise the integrity of SE's in the Yahoo network or give away 'secrets'. Surely, it will merely enable your clients to spend more money because their ROI will be greater.

Isn't this a benefit to everyone concerned?

[edited by: markd at 9:15 am (utc) on April 13, 2004]