Top Ten SEO Factors

[robert_allen1]

1. Title Tag
2. Description Meta Tag
3. Keywords Meta Tag
4. Alt Tags
5. Header Tags
6. Link Text (Anchor Text)
7. Site Map
8. Relevant Inbound Links
9. Your Content
10. Avoid Cheating

Thanks
PlanningYourTax

[PointandStare]

Hi Robert. Are you a Tax or SEO 'specialist'?

[LibertyMarketing]

Meta descriptions stopped being much of an influence on Google years ago. I think that some of the more technical issues, such as making sure your hosting is in the right country, putting 301 and 404 redirections in place, and canonizing URLs are more important.

[sirearl]

Hi Robert. Are you a Tax or SEO 'specialist'?

Obviously a tax specialist.

How else are we going to win if we don't cheat a tad.?:|:rolleyes:

Earl

[satch]

making sure your hosting is in the right country
Definitely agree with that, it seems to be getting more important as time goes on with the web going more local all the time as well.

Domain name is also an important factor imo, especially for highly competitive terms.

[JustOneUK]

making sure your hosting is in the right country.
Definitely agree with that, it seems to be getting more important as time goes on with the web going more local all the time as well..
Interesting that. So where would you host a .com?

[satch]

So where would you host a .com?

Choose based on where you're customers are. So if you are targeting the UK despite being a .com, then on a UK host, however if it is USA/worldwide go with a US host.

Also in Google sitemaps you can now specify to them the 'Geographic Target'. It will definitely help a site being on a host in the targetted country and with the specified country target in Google Sitemaps.

[JustOneUK]

So as a worldwide site you'd recommend a US host?

[satch]

So as a worldwide site you'd recommend a US host?
Yes, in my experience you definitely should.

[davidshaw89]

So as a worldwide site you'd recommend a US host?

I would have thought a worldwide site would be best hosted in the US, with links to the respective country websites, or automatic redirects based on geographic location - just like when you type 'google.com' from the UK you get redirected to google.co.uk.

[QVA - Emma]

Choose based on where you're customers are. So if you are targeting the UK despite being a .com, then on a UK host, however if it is USA/worldwide go with a US host.

Also in Google sitemaps you can now specify to them the 'Geographic Target'. It will definitely help a site being on a host in the targetted country and with the specified country target in Google Sitemaps.

Hi - ok so i may get this muddled but bare with me :p

I thought .com meant company not US? Therefore surely it doesn't matter where a .com is hosted?

Feel free to correct me!!

Emma

[JustOneUK]

I would have thought a worldwide site would be best hosted in the US, with links to the respective country websites, or automatic redirects based on geographic location - just like when you type 'google.com' from the UK you get redirected to google.co.uk.

Oddly enough... If you go to Google.co.uk and do a search you will get set of results (let's call them A), you then go to Google.com and do the same search and you get results (B)... however if you are in the USA then you get a completely different set from Google.com :) set C. This is because Google knows where you are searching FROM. Try searching through a US proxy and you'll see what I mean. alternatively ask one of your USA buddies to search for your keyword on Google.com and see where you rank. I think it's impossible to rank worldwide... or at least becoming so.

Bottom line is that you THINK you rank well on Google.com...but really you don't :p Well not from everywhere.

This is of course open to discussion.............. :)

[davidshaw89]

Oddly enough... If you go to Google.co.uk and do a search you will get set of results (let's call them A), you then go to Google.com and do the same search and you get results (B)... however if you are in the USA then you get a completely different set from Google.com :) set C. This is because Google knows where you are searching FROM. Try searching through a US proxy and you'll see what I mean. alternatively ask one of your USA buddies to search for your keyword on Google.com and see where you rank. I think it's impossible to rank worldwide... or at least becoming so.

Bottom line is that you THINK you rank well on Google.com...but really you don't :p Well not from everywhere.

This is of course open to discussion.............. :)

That's interesting. I always thought results B and C would be the same wherever I searched from, and that only A was different.

[satch]

I thought .com meant company not US? Therefore surely it doesn't matter where a .com is hosted?


In this situation it is not really about the domain extension (it could have been .net, .org etc, same would apply), it is about where it is hosted affects your rankings. So a website hosted on a US server, will make the search bots think it is US targetted.

Of course; A .com can be hosted in whatever country you want it to be. But the point is that if your customers are in the US then it is better to have that domain on a US host.

Hope it is clear, apologies if it isnt :redface:

[satch]

This is of course open to discussion..............

As I understand it you are correct. It's why webmasters on digitalpoint will say their site is showing as No#1 for them but they ask others where it shows for them. And then they get replies saying things like 'showing #4' for me, 'showing #7' here etc etc.

Looking in Google Sitemaps + Analytics accounts is always the best way to see your best rankings. :)

[fisicx]

I've got a .com hosted in the UK that according to my stats from the last 30 days get 52% of it's visitors from the USA (only 1 visitor fgrom Afghansitan thought).

Google has said that they use the TLD to determine local relevance and then the server IP as an added hint. Which means you should use a .uk TLD and a UK host for the best results. If this isn't possible then just set the geographic target using the webmaster tools.

[OldWelshGuy]

I would have thought a worldwide site would be best hosted in the US, with links to the respective country websites, or automatic redirects based on geographic location - just like when you type 'google.com' from the UK you get redirected to google.co.uk.


You have to be VERY carefull using Ip based delivery of content. If you are serving up different content to people than you are to Google bot, you can get banned. it is in effect cloaking (although innocent).

Geo location is a tough nut to crack, although if it is done right from the start, google tends to get it right thereafter.

[SEO-Doctor]

keyword meta tags that high on the list, over content!!

Stick to the day job! :)

[ImproveSearchListings]

That's interesting. I always thought results B and C would be the same wherever I searched from, and that only A was different.

You can have different results within the UK based on Googles data centres.

[sirearl]

keyword meta tags that high on the list, over content!!

Stick to the day job! :)

I thought I'd put the list in its correct order of importance.

1 Who you know
2. Cheating
3. Title
4 Inbound links
5 Content
6 Description tag
7 Link Text (Anchor Text)
8. site map
9. keywords
10.Luck

Earl

[Ali-v-8]

I thought I'd put the list in its correct order of importance.

1 Who you know
2. Cheating
3. Title
4 Inbound links
5 Content
6 Description tag
7 Link Text (Anchor Text)
8. site map
9. keywords
10.Luck

Earl

You of all people.:eek:

Thought you would be more tactful.

Funny none the less (nearly true too) :D

[bobgentry]

So is a site hosted in Germany with a .co.uk URL going to rank lower than a site hosted in the UK with a .co.uk URL

[Ali-v-8]

So is a site hosted in Germany with a .co.uk URL going to rank lower than a site hosted in the UK with a .co.uk URL

afraid so.
1 and 1 tend to use servers over there

[bobgentry]

That's why as was asking my site is hosted by 1and1 in Germany.
I keep thinking about changing but would all the time and effort be worth it. Will Google improve our SERP positioning if we move to the UK?

[Ali-v-8]

That's why as was asking my site is hosted by 1and1 in Germany.
I keep thinking about changing but would all the time and effort be worth it. Will Google improve our SERP positioning if we move to the UK?

Try searching for you company on google germany (surprise surprise) you'll be higher up. ( most cases)

UK fast host are OK and reasonably priced.
Dedicated servers are the best.

[OldWelshGuy]

The other thing to consider is that google (and others) deliver SERP's based on the IP of the computer the search is being made from.

So while you might see your site at number 1 in the Serp's, someone in America might not see you anywhere in the top 100.

there is ABSOLUTELY no such thing as global search results any longer :)

[fisicx]

That's why as was asking my site is hosted by 1and1 in Germany.
I keep thinking about changing but would all the time and effort be worth it. Will Google improve our SERP positioning if we move to the UK?

Only if your content is worthy of a higher ranking.

If your site has a uk tld and your address is plastered all over the site then Google will know you are targeting the UK. The IP of the server secondary and won't make any real difference.

[fisicx]

Try searching for you company on google germany (surprise surprise) you'll be higher up. ( most cases)

I don't agree. If you are in the UK and using google.de then maybe the UK site will rank higher than using google.co.uk (but I doubt it). Move to Germany and do the same search and you will get totally different results.

As OWG says, there are no certainties.

[QVA - Emma]

Ok - so can someone please solve this riddle for me?

We have a site which is a .com the server it is hosted from is in California.

It hardly ranks in Google.com and the majority of the visitors come from the UK and a few other random countries.

Yet it is listed on page one for all bar one of the top keywords in google.co.uk (all the web) and UK only pages.

Now if I have understood what I have read (don't quote me!) this site is a bit of a "freak of nature"??:D OR is it just because the client may have selected UK target in Google webmaster? (we don't have access)

Thanks!!

[sirearl]

Yep probably plus maybe not a lot of competition from US sites.The really serious problem comes if you host a UK company on a Canadian server.

Don't ask me why,but you won't rank on google UK.

Earl

[bobgentry]

Well I have done a quick check and I do have better results in google.de for the terms "fancy Dress" and "fancy dress costumes" in the German engine but I get better results in the uk google for "egyptian fancy dress costumes.
I think I will monitor the results for a month or so before deciding whether to uproot my site and have it hosted in the UK.

[Ali-v-8]

Well I have done a quick check and I do have better results in google.de for the terms "fancy Dress" and "fancy dress costumes" in the German engine but I get better results in the uk google for "egyptian fancy dress costumes.
I think I will monitor the results for a month or so before deciding whether to uproot my site and have it hosted in the UK.

I think from my experience, the evidence that i have for my clients clearly proves this issue.
UK servers for UK Google. Hence it is called google.co.uk.

[JustOneUK]

So is a site hosted in Germany with a .co.uk URL going to rank lower than a site hosted in the UK with a .co.uk URL
It makes no difference so don't worry about it.

As I said in an earlier post (and echoed by Old Welsh Guy) the results are based on where you are searching FROM, NOT where your site is hosted. Google has moved on somewhat from the old skool days of where your site was hosted is where it was meant for.

I have many .com's and many .co.uk's hosted with 1and1 in Germany and I'm all over Google.co.uk results like a rash! :) Moving to a UK host won't make any difference for your site as far as I'm concerned.

James.

[Ali-v-8]

It makes no difference so don't worry about it.

As I said in an earlier post (and echoed by Old Welsh Guy) the results are based on where you are searching FROM, NOT where your site is hosted. Google has moved on somewhat from the old skool days of where your site was hosted is where it was meant for.

I have many .com's and many .co.uk's hosted with 1and1 in Germany and I'm all over Google.co.uk results like a rash! :) Moving to a UK host won't make any difference for your site as far as I'm concerned.

James.

I have to stand firm on this one.
Google cashes severs and one neat little trick i learned........
sorry cant disclose, but lets just say i have many clients that went straight to page one and many who showed massive jumps when changing the server to a uk one.

[JustOneUK]

No problem. :)

Out of interest which Country were they previously hosted?

regards
James.

[OldWelshGuy]

I am not saying it is one or the other, I am saying that among the ranking factors that detarmine the SERP's site order is
1. server location
2. Ip address of person carrying out the search
3. Domain extension.

ALL of them have an affect.

[fisicx]

According to google, domain extension takes priority over the server IP.

[sess4561]

Here is my view on ranking in other countries.


Local Domain
Buying a local domain will give you preference over a domain that is not from the country you are trying to rank in. Fact.

Local Hosting
Google and other search engines do still check hosting providers to find out the ip address where you site is hosted. This is nothing new, and its not set in stone that if you host with a company in Germany that you will rank there. But every little helps.

Meta Tags
This one is usually overlooked by Google, but other engines still use it, and it doesn't hurt to have it in. eg <meta name="language" content="en-uk">

Semantics
This is one of the main factors in ranking abroad that should not be overlooked. Googlebot is very intellegent, it can link keywords to the content of your body text. It can search based on what the meaning behind your keyphrase is, not just bring up a load of websites.

One particular example would be if your wanting to rank in the US, use American spelling 'eg color', and American words in your content.

Hope this helps.

[sirearl]

. Googlebot is very intellegent,



That assumption is the downfall of many an SEO.

My cat is intelligent.

Yet he still can't make a cup of tea.:rolleyes:

Earl

[An Oasis]

My cat is intelligent.

Ah but we have not yet defined intelligence!

I can’t make a cup of tea but my servants can. Does that make me intelligent for being able to employing servants who can?

Back to the topic surely obfuscation via CSS is a prerequisite to add to your cheaters top 10?

[sirearl]

Back to the topic surely obfuscation via CSS is a prerequisite to add to your cheaters top 10?

Now you have really confused me.:|

Earl

[An Oasis]

Now you have really confused me.:|

Earl

Oh Good!!!:D

[UKSBD]

Like this? but keyword stuffed instead
http://www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/Counties/hidden.html

[Ali-v-8]

Ah but we have not yet defined intelligence!

I can’t make a cup of tea but my servants can. Does that make me intelligent for being able to employing servants who can?

Back to the topic surely obfuscation via CSS is a prerequisite to add to your cheaters top 10?

?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????? :p

I hope my response helped

[ImproveSearchListings]

obfuscation via CSS


Is this cloaking, or have I misunderstood?

[fisicx]

Is this cloaking, or have I misunderstood?

Cloaking is the delivery of different pages to the SE and normal visitor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaking

All you do with CSS is let the SE see the whole page and use CSS to hide parts of the page from your visitors. Doesn't work very well though because Google also checks your CSS to make sure you aren't doing this.

[ImproveSearchListings]

Okay, thanks for clearing that up?