The question of whether to spell the name of the New Zealand river and city as “Wanganui” or “Whanganui” has been a subject of debate for many years. And it has interesting implications for online marketing!
The Māori name for the river is “Whanganui,” which means “long river.” However, the English spelling has varied over time. In the early days of European settlement, it was often spelled “Wanganui.” This spelling became more common in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Whanganui River (James Shook)
A timeline of significant events in the name debate:
- 1960s: The Māori language began to experience a resurgence, and the correct spelling of Māori words became more widely recognized. This led to increased calls for the use of “Whanganui.”
- 1990s: The Whanganui River Claims Settlement Act was passed, recognizing the river as a legal person with its own rights. The Act included the Māori spelling “Whanganui.”
- 2017: The Whanganui River Claims Settlement Act came into force, officially recognizing “Whanganui” as the correct spelling of the river’s name.
- 2018: The city of Wanganui officially changed its name to Whanganui, aligning with the river’s name.
Whanganui, New Zealand (Jared Pellow)
The change to “Whanganui” is seen as a significant step towards recognizing the importance of Māori culture and language in New Zealand. It also reflects a growing understanding of the historical and cultural significance of the Whanganui River.
Impact on Digital/Online Marketing
While the change has been in place for some years now, it’s taking time for people to adjust to the new spelling. Even though the city is officially called Whanganui, many people still search for services using the old spelling, ‘Wanganui’.
This creates a unique challenge for local businesses trying to be found online, such as plumbers.
Although Google treats both spellings—Wanganui and Whanganui—as meaning the same place, more people still search for plumbing services using the old name. On Google it works out as:
- Plumber Whanganui = 110 searches per month
- Plumber Wanganui = 480 searches per month
For a plumber in Whanganui, it’s essential to recognise both the cultural importance of using the correct spelling and the current search behaviour of potential customers. While ‘Whanganui plumber’ aligns with the official spelling, optimising content to also reflect ‘Wanganui plumber’ helps ensure no potential customers are missed during this transition period.
This means businesses need to be smart about how they make sure potential customers can find them, whether they’re using the new spelling or the old one.
For example, a plumber in Whanganui might choose to use both spellings on their website. They could mention both ‘Wanganui plumber’ and ‘Whanganui plumber’ to ensure they show up for everyone, regardless of which spelling people use when searching.
They might also include both versions of the name in their Google listing and other online places where their business appears, so no matter how people search, they can easily find the right business.
This approach helps make sure that as more people start using the correct spelling, the plumber’s website will still be visible to both old and new searches. It’s a way to respect the new name while also recognising that habits take time to change.