Does a US host badly affect seo/google places?
- Thread starter ryan4444
- Start date
A lot of people say that hosting location effects local seo, however I haven't experienced this and have tested.
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S
ScottBaxter
Hi Ryan,
I was a a big believer in that it didn't matter where your host was it just mattered on link building and good content.
Until I started working for a client who was in Manchester and there host was in LA - I managed to get them to the first page within a month but I could get them to budge after that - I then moved from a LA host to a Manchester Host and now they are 3rd.
I really do think it helps!
I was a a big believer in that it didn't matter where your host was it just mattered on link building and good content.
Until I started working for a client who was in Manchester and there host was in LA - I managed to get them to the first page within a month but I could get them to budge after that - I then moved from a LA host to a Manchester Host and now they are 3rd.
I really do think it helps!
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Are you sure it wasn't a matter of links being crawled or aged? Did you halt work for at least 4-6 weeks before moving host to assess the impact of moving host.
Also are you sure it was nothing to do with the other sites being hosted on your old host? Maybe there were some bad sites there and you had a minor point against you.
Unless your methods aren't very good, or the keyword is very uncompetitive I find it hard to believe you would jump up from 10th to 3rd just by moving host.
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I also don't believe it makes a difference. Google's aim is provide users with the most relevant results. Considering the majority of data centres are in the US it wouldn't make sense for them to use server location as part of their algorithm.
Just my 2 cents
Jack
Just my 2 cents
Jack
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The location of the hosting server can make a huge difference. A .com hosted in the US (or elsewhere) targeting the UK only will struggle to rank well in a UK search engine.
Google has stated a number of times that the tld then the IP address are taken into account when determining the target location of a website.
Of course you can use the webmaster tools to geotarget the site but it's not as efficient and hosting the site locally.
Remember as well that access speed is almost certainly a ranking factor. Faster loading sites often do better than slow loading sites. Hosting a UK targeted site in the UK often means faster loading.
Not sure you can say most of the data centres are located in the US. There are more servers outside the US and all of the major UK hosts have their servers in the UK except for 1and1 (who host in Germany).
Google has stated a number of times that the tld then the IP address are taken into account when determining the target location of a website.
Of course you can use the webmaster tools to geotarget the site but it's not as efficient and hosting the site locally.
Remember as well that access speed is almost certainly a ranking factor. Faster loading sites often do better than slow loading sites. Hosting a UK targeted site in the UK often means faster loading.
Not sure you can say most of the data centres are located in the US. There are more servers outside the US and all of the major UK hosts have their servers in the UK except for 1and1 (who host in Germany).
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2 issues here
1. seo. yep it can and does affect it, along with the backlinking footprint. i.e. if you have a us host and lots of us based inbound links it can drag you off target geo wise. Domain extension is also a massive indicator, .uk is the best for uk. Content, use bricks and mortar addresses on the site, use postcodes and complete country addresses. ie. my road, my town, my county, my country, united kingdom. postcode.
2. google local. this is pure and simple geospatial technology, the hosting is not a factor in your local rankings, it is not even considered in the algorithm.
1. seo. yep it can and does affect it, along with the backlinking footprint. i.e. if you have a us host and lots of us based inbound links it can drag you off target geo wise. Domain extension is also a massive indicator, .uk is the best for uk. Content, use bricks and mortar addresses on the site, use postcodes and complete country addresses. ie. my road, my town, my county, my country, united kingdom. postcode.
2. google local. this is pure and simple geospatial technology, the hosting is not a factor in your local rankings, it is not even considered in the algorithm.
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sad, but I agree in regards to hosting locally - I have tested and currently been looking to buy some cheap hosting in UK (again) exactly for the same reasons as stated by fisicx and oldwelshguy.
the tld seems less important once you geo-target your site in Google Webmaster and have the proper backlinks to support it. I might be wrong when it comes to bricks and mortar, though.
with these said, my experience with 2 UK hosts last year is less than stellar - huge prices, poor support - not generalizing, but if someone can recommend whoever their happy with, I would give it a try.
the tld seems less important once you geo-target your site in Google Webmaster and have the proper backlinks to support it. I might be wrong when it comes to bricks and mortar, though.
with these said, my experience with 2 UK hosts last year is less than stellar - huge prices, poor support - not generalizing, but if someone can recommend whoever their happy with, I would give it a try.
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With SEO I have noticed a difference when using US and UK hosting. I am nowhere a guru or expert but I have moved a site from my UK hosting to US hosting and it has jumped up the rankings on google.com as it was a US targeted site.
I have moved UK sites to UK hosting and there has been a difference.
Can you choose where MS Live Sites are hosted though?
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Well I do agree that the location of your server has a little influence on your seo but google is smart enough to identify your real target... Its all about your content... if your business is focussing on Uk, you better have the website ext as .co.Uk... Which makes clear to any search engine that you are focussing Uk... Or choose a webhost who would change your location... For example I signed up to justhost.com... It's American... But the moment I signed up for a Uk web addres, my domain was changed to Uk.. Still I get second largest traffic from USA... So don't worry too much.. Concentrate on your content..
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Hey guys... I think it could be like this... It could be that google scans your ip address from where you upload your files... Well you can place your hosting in USA and have your content focussing Uk... But to get the real traffic you uploading ip address is equally important... In my opinion google might use your uploading ip address for cross checking...
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Gumtree is hosted in the usa, and has 50,000,000 links +
I'm not sure that large sites can be compared as the have other ways to compensate. However i still stick with UK server for UK business.
I'm not sure that large sites can be compared as the have other ways to compensate. However i still stick with UK server for UK business.
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IF you have only ever used US hosts then how can you compare?
This video says it does affect it.
I don't personally know how much difference it makes when using a .co.uk for the UK though. I have seen a US targeted .com's traffic drop a lot when moving from a US to UK host.
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M
MASSEY
I used to think hosting was a major important part of the seo of a site.
Obviously if you have a poor host package or bad host in general and the site takes a long time to load then you will fall in the ranks because time load is now a factor.
But in my experience i have a site hosted in germany that outranks uk hosted sites.
The extension of the domain is more important, if you have a .com in the uk it's harder to rank that a co.uk.
I dont think there is any hard evidence that suggests host location is a factor is there?
Obviously if you have a poor host package or bad host in general and the site takes a long time to load then you will fall in the ranks because time load is now a factor.
But in my experience i have a site hosted in germany that outranks uk hosted sites.
The extension of the domain is more important, if you have a .com in the uk it's harder to rank that a co.uk.
I dont think there is any hard evidence that suggests host location is a factor is there?
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the explanation for .com endings is quite simple, when you open google from the uk you open google.co.uk and google will first go for searches which it recognises as uk based websites and the .co.uk is like a big flag for uk websites
but the title of the thread talks about hosting which is something else
but the title of the thread talks about hosting which is something else
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I know, which is why I posted about Server Location.
I just meant I am not sure how much how it helps when paired with a domain extension.
Obviously you can't get a UK host and expect it to rank. A well SEO'd site hosted in Germany as Massey said will still outrank it.
It is probably just one of the many things in the chain...
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D
dubOnline
Having it hosted abroad wont mean it wont rank well. Its like registering a keyword rich domain - you don't have to do it but its easier if you do.
Personally when I go for a new niche I like to make sure everything is in my favour from the start. Hosted in the right place (if regional) decent traffic, low competition, low quality of competition and use keyword rich domain.
No, I don't have to do this and could do it over time with a non optimised URL, hosted in the wrong country and pick a market with heavy competition who's owners have done their home work - but it just makes life harder.
I like the quicker easier route myself.
Personally when I go for a new niche I like to make sure everything is in my favour from the start. Hosted in the right place (if regional) decent traffic, low competition, low quality of competition and use keyword rich domain.
No, I don't have to do this and could do it over time with a non optimised URL, hosted in the wrong country and pick a market with heavy competition who's owners have done their home work - but it just makes life harder.
I like the quicker easier route myself.
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personally i dont do web design or seo for a living but because ive got a background in computers someone asked me to look at his website and do some seo for him
he has a company with a multimillion pound turnover over 180 staff and is in a industry whose business depends heavily on marketing and advertising
after redesigning his website and sticking it on a i think its about £2/month hosting plan in the us
i did some seo for a few hours on a couple of days and now his company is number for the two main search terms which matter for that industry
from that experience and a couple of other personal websites i know that if you do the right things you can get a good search listing with your website even if its on a cheap usa server
he has a company with a multimillion pound turnover over 180 staff and is in a industry whose business depends heavily on marketing and advertising
after redesigning his website and sticking it on a i think its about £2/month hosting plan in the us
i did some seo for a few hours on a couple of days and now his company is number for the two main search terms which matter for that industry
from that experience and a couple of other personal websites i know that if you do the right things you can get a good search listing with your website even if its on a cheap usa server
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