how best to split up the uk? Counties or Larger areas

i have a directory of sorts and i am having trouble deciding how to split areas of the UK.

I have considered counties which would end up with 86 seperate categories which i think is too much

The next option is to go with a generalisation of areas such as northwest, northeast, west midlands, east midlands, south east, south west, london, wales, scotland

this gets down to 9 total areas which is much more sensible however i am wondering if i should give more options for this.

What are your opinions on how best to do this.

Also i need to do the same for Europe, possibly parts of Asia and Australia/NZ

I look forward to your answers.

 

I would go for the 2nd option it would have the same effect but with less work involved.

 

I have to agree with Mikey1090, a lot depends on what you want to do with the results.

If your directory is for a topic that is searched for by locality then I would split into counties so you would end up with something along the lines of:

UKJaguarDealers.co...>>Lancashire>>Freds Jags

Where someone would search for Jaguar Dealers in Lancashire.

(IMO)

 

Start with regions and as you populate them start adding counties as needed when you have a few links for a particular county. If it's mainly a UK directory I'd say you need at least counties to make it look relevant.

 

The trouble with that (again IMO) is that you are then another click away from the result - so if you are looking to get advertisers to pay for the links, the nearer the index page as far as clicks are concerned the better.

86 Links on a home page, 1 click and a user gets your link is better than 9 or so links on a home page but with 2 clicks to the result.

 

I would go for regions, you missed Northen Ireland btw.

 

Maybe, but what is the result? I'd say for a submitter and a directory owner it's to have the link on the most relevant page.

As a directory owner I wouldn't be looking at my submitters as paying advertisers but as people who want their site to be found where searchers will look for it.

 

Id say 9 regions on the homepage then with the option to divide more on the results page.

 

What's the results page

 

Here are the states within Aus , would love the full list of regions > counties for the UK if any one has them

AUSTRALIA AUS
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY ACT
NEW SOUTH WALES NSW
NORTHERN TERRITORY NT
QUEENSLAND QLD
SOUTH AUSTRALIA SA
TASMANIA TAS
VICTORIA VIC
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 

List of UK counties http://www.abcounties.co.uk/counties/list.htm

 

I agree with Mike as I just set up a client site for him which uses the counties then cities then business categories which makes more sense as a business might be located in a certain city and people would look for instance Restaurants Miami Dade or Restaurants in Hialeah Miami-Dade Florida

 

Thanks Pipes, for a sun slapped aussie can you explain why some regions have 2 titles ?

ex. 42. Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon ? In Wales , would it be listed as that or would that be broken down to 2 seperate regions ?

edit one more Q

if the top level is united kingdom then these below would be the next level ?

Table 5. Column 8: Country/Region
E Mids East Midlands
East'n Eastern
London London
N East North East
N West North West
S East South East
S West South West
Scotld Scotland
Wales Wales
W Mids West Midlands
York&H Yorkshire and the Humber

 

Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon - it's not 2 regions - it's the same region in 2 languages, English and Welsh.

 

Thats correct downunder, and fortunately magda answered your other one because i didn't know that myself.

 

thanks for all the quick replies

I have decided to go with regions for the UK as for my directory that is sufficient it is a industry where people are more likely to travel for quality or a specific style.

i also had forgotten NI thanks for the heads up.

if anyone feels like having a quick looka and giving me some critique then please do

it is here


all opinions welcome.

I decided to go with states for the USA as that seems to be the most accepted form

 

just to let you know I got a

you may need to rebuild your category count so you can click the links

 

lol

i moved the page last night

didnt think about the fact i hadjustput up this link just before

It is now here

 

i can suggest you to put region as we have 60 branches across the uk...i will pass you region details..