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The example.ca ccTLD would definitely have an advantage over the example.com/ca directory. I have not heard nor experienced that there is any benefit to the .com domain with regard to ranking in other countries just because a ccTLD for that country redirects to it. However, if the ccTLD has lots of country-specific links the 301 would be applying those links to the .com domain and in this way it could help the .com domain rank better in that country. Using cross-domain rel href lang tags should have about the same effect though (i.e. consolidating link signals). It is not a best practice to have your home page exist in a sub directory (e.g. example.ca/canada) and I would instead put it in the root (i.e. example.ca/). However, if you are going to be 301 redirecting that domain to example.com/ca/canada/... it doesn't really matter. Best practice would be to put the language directory first, before the file name, such as: example.ca/en-ca/filename. Be sure to read up on recent rel href lang attribute implementation: http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=189077 For "default" pages: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2013/04/x-default-hreflang-for-international-pages.html Specifiying the language in sitemaps: http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2620865 There are so many things to consider when choosing whether to go with separate ccTLDs or a single site that it is difficult to give a clear answer regarding which is best. For this client, given development preferences, scalability issues, cost, consolidation of page-rank, consistent branding, etc... it may very well be the best choice to consolidate the sites. For another business my advice might be different. To reiterate what I started with though: All other things being equal I think a ccTLD would outrank a .com site with a country-specific directory in that country. But all things are NEVER equal. Good luck!

Answer to Question 2 first: I see why an SEO might have include /canada/ in it, but considering your domain is .ca and it's probably hosted in Canada (which it should be), it's not really needed unless you are also targeting /usa, /london and so on. Answer to Question 1: I'd do the language first. That way, all your fr-ca cities are in the same language folder. But then, it could totally be the other way around and /location/language. I would recommended /language/location I hope this helps.

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I wouldn't worry too much about those.  Just focus on keeping your site natural.

Yes, no one is going to search for the part number, you will rank for the part number anyhow,  so why use the very best place in the site for a term you are going to rabnk for anyhow. Plastics bins is the term you need to compete for, put that right at the begining of your title.

Thanks for the replies! Sometimes its harder to create great content when you are an agency and don't have control of what  your clients are doing all the time.

I don't think that there is a simple answer to this. I would study the content, current traffic, conversions and links into this site.  Then decide how all of those individual pieces can  best become assets to your primary site. It is possible that your ROI will be higher allowing both sites to survive.  Or possible that the newly acquired site is of very little value or even risky.