Q: What are the signals that help Google see that your site is targeting a specific country? Choose two answers.
A) You use the country’s language in your hreflang directive in the header
B) A subfolder of your website contains the country’s name
C) You use the “.com,” “.net,” or “.org” TLD
D) You use the country’s ccTLD
Correct Answer is A) You use the country’s language in your hreflang directive in the header, And D) You use the country’s ccTLD.
Explanation:
There are several signals that help Google determine if a website is targeting a specific country:
- Domain extension: The country-specific domain extensions, such as .co.uk for the UK, .fr for France, and .de for Germany, are strong indicators of a website’s target country.
- Server location: The physical location of the website’s server is another important signal for Google. If the server is located in the target country, it is a good indicator that the site is targeting that specific country.
- Local language and content: If the website’s content is written in the local language of the target country and is focused on local topics and issues, it can indicate that the site is targeting that country.
- Targeted keywords: If the website uses keywords that are relevant to the target country, such as local cities, regional events, or country-specific topics, it can help Google determine the target country.
- Linking patterns: The types of links that a website receives can also help Google determine the target country. If the majority of the links are coming from websites in the target country, it can indicate that the site is targeting that specific country.
- Google Search Console settings: The website owners can also set their target country in the Google Search Console, which is a tool that helps website owners monitor their site’s performance in Google search. This setting is another strong signal for Google.