My client has a UK website, targeted at the UK. She’s now able to offer the same service to the Irish market. She’s bought an .ie domain name. How am I able to target both countries? I dont want to have 2 websites (.co.uk and .ie) because Google will slap me with a duplicate content penalty. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thankyou.
As a start you can submit her website to country specific directories. Here is a link to directory critics list of UK directories. http://www.directorycritic.com/uk-directory-list.html
I would also consider a small budget to have some of her back links featured on some or most of the better directories.
Thanks. She’s now given me access to her .ie domain and supplied 4 pages (thats all she wants on the Irish version) with Irish-centric text.
My plan of action is to create a Google WMT account, submit xml sitemap, get backlinks from Irish websites (thanks for the directory list, I’ll look at that later). Other than that I’m stumped.
I suppose create Adwords campaigns targeting Ireland and pointing to that site (although she already has Irish campaign targeting the UK site - should I pause those?).
Is there anything else I should be doing (probably a lot more!).
You have done great! But of course try to search other directories focusing in UK and Ireland. For best marketing, advertise more using Social media like facebook and target people from the two countries. In that way you’ll have an easy time on about the scope of whom you’ll be needing to market the site. Other ways should be the SEO stuff but much better if it is off page like directory submissions, social bookmarking and others. 
Anyways, there are lot of directories concerning UK and Ireland.
Good luck!