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Here's my dilema. I want to target a niche market that is qualified in search terms with a geographic term. For example, if somebody is searching for my service 'widget service' they will type in 'New York widget service' or 'Chicago widget service'.
Now, my plan is to dedicate a section of my website to each city that I'm targeting. For example, www.widget-service.com/NewYork/, www.widget-service.com/Chicago. I want these urls to appear in the SERPS (not www.widget-service.com).
Is there a strategy that I should be following? It it wise to optimize www.widget-service.com/NewYork/, for example and not www.widget-service.com? I really don't expect anybody to ever come in through the root of the site because the competition is too high without geographic qualification. My concern is that I will have a hard time getting the subsections of my website indexed and listed in Google when the root of the site has no real relevance, importance (or might not even be indexed at all). Are these concerns warranted?
Thanks Guys!
-Mark
[edited by: pageoneresults at 5:01 pm (utc) on June 5, 2003]
[edit reason] Delinked Examples [/edit]
Firstly, as the content of the different regions will be based around the same subject (your service) I would use directories instead of sub-domains. This would fit in with a pyramid design scheme and often search engines view subdomains as completly different sites.
Secondly, by all means have the homepage give the options for geographic location but don't leave it at that. Good content in the root will boost your sites position no end.
Chris
