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Should a .com to target the US market be hosted in the US?

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  • 19-08-2010 11:16pm
    #1
    Andy_Black
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭


    Hi SEO types.

    I'm a Paid Search dude so normally don't worry about where my sites are hosted, but I'm starting a new project that I would hope can generate organic SERP traffic as well as my paid traffic.

    If it's a .com domain, does it matter where it is hosted, or should I host it in the US?

    Your thoughts much appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Andy


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    #2
    PaulPinnacle
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭PaulPinnacle


    Andy_Black wrote: »
    If it's a .com domain, does it matter where it is hosted, or should I host it in the US?
    The IP address (so where it's hosted) is one of the factors that SE's consider, so having it hosted in the US will 'help'.

    It isn't going to make or break the site (it's one of a number of factors), but as with all things SEO every little helps.


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    #3
    jmcc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭jmcc


    If you are mainly dependent on Google for the organic traffic, you can set the locale of the site in the Webmaster Tools. Geolocation is still a problem with some search engines so it might be better to host a US targeted .com on US IP space.

    Regards...jmcc


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    #4
    PaulPinnacle
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭PaulPinnacle


    jmcc wrote: »
    ...you can set the locale of the site in the Webmaster Tools. Geolocation is still a problem with some search engines so it might be better to host a US targeted .com on US IP space.
    Even if just considering Google and already using GWT to set your geotargeting, they consider various signals in their algorithm so having a US IP (or a relevant ccTLD) still carries benefits.


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    #5
    Andy_Black
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Andy_Black


    OK, thanks for your responses. It seems it's best to host it in the US to be on the safe side.

    My hesitation was that it's a site about Ireland that I will target the US market with... it made my brain hurt thinking about it.

    Cheers,
    Andy


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    #6
    jmcc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭jmcc


    Andy_Black wrote: »
    OK, thanks for your responses. It seems it's best to host it in the US to be on the safe side.

    My hesitation was that it's a site about Ireland that I will target the US market with... it made my brain hurt thinking about it.
    The important thing would be to get links from US tourist sites. From watching that video clip, it seems that Google still uses IP based mapping for much of its geolocation. This is based on lists of IP ranges and there associated countries. It is possible for a hoster to have a range of IPs designated as being US or GB rather than IE. I know that some of them do this so it might be possible to keep the hosting in Ireland but the site would appear on a US IP.

    Regards...jmcc


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    #7
    Shaneod21
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭Shaneod21


    Google do not take in to account where the site is hosted. They released a video a while back where they said that this. All my sites are hosted from two different hosting companies in the US and a few of my sites target the spanish market and also the irish market. If this was the case my sites wouldn't be number 1.


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    #8
    PaulPinnacle
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭PaulPinnacle


    Shaneod21 wrote: »
    Google do not take in to account where the site is hosted. They released a video a while back where they said that this.
    I'd be very interested to see that video and see/hear exactly what was said. I'd be very surprised if they said "it's not taken into account", simply as they never give signals that clear and always hint/give the impression of numerous factors being taken into account (whether or not that is the actual case none of us can know for sure). It goes against their normal style comments (if I had wanted another dozen links there are hundreds out there all of the same vein - ccTLD followed by IP/GWT for gTLDs, commonly suggested in that hierarchical order and normal discussed by google as a 'factor' with suggestions that all be employed where possible).

    They might well have said "it's not necessary" or "you don't need to worry about it" (both of which are 100% true), but that doesn't mean it's not a 'factor'.
    Shaneod21 wrote: »
    If this was the case my sites wouldn't be number 1.
    Something adding a benefit doesn't mean that not having means you can't be number one, not even close.

    Do keywords in a URL help? Yes.
    Does a blog help with fresh/relevant content? Yes.
    Do keywords in h1's help? Yes.
    Does a backlink from DMOZ (or any well respected directory) help? Yes.
    Are there hundreds of other factors that help? Yes.

    Does that mean you can't rank first, even for competitive terms, without ticking each and every box? No.

    I certainly wouldn't 'worry' about having a targeted IP, but if there's no overwhelming reason NOT to have it, I'd certainly look to use it and pick up the benefits it might bring.


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    #9
    link8r
    Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭link8r


    I'm with Shane on this.

    Google is a multi-national company. They understand and have helped usher in Globalisation. You don't need to host in the US to target the US, same as Google does most of their hosting in the US when targeting the rest of the planet.

    @OP - .COM is not ".USA" - it's for Commercial. IE for example, is almost only Irish.

    Good stuff from Shane, Paul and JMCC but if you're fretting about hosting location - maybe this will help: You have a hundred other things that will have more effect. There are millions of sites in the US that dont rank in the US :-P


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    #10
    PaulPinnacle
    Registered Users Posts: 447 ✭✭PaulPinnacle


    link8r wrote: »
    You don't need to host in the US to target the US, same as Google does most of their hosting in the US when targeting the rest of the planet.
    +1. I agree completely.

    Perhaps I worded my response poorly and put too much emphasis on it. You certainly don't "need" to host in the US, at all, but all else being equal (in terms of cost, logistics if you have a number of sites with an existing host here in Ireland, etc.) it would be 'preferable' to host in the target country. Even ignoring the (potential) SEO benefits, it will provide an improved performance (all be it an almost negligible one) for the users.


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    #11
    RedCardinal
    Registered Users Posts: 145 ✭✭RedCardinal


    Shaneod21 wrote: »
    Google do not take in to account where the site is hosted. They released a video a while back where they said that this. All my sites are hosted from two different hosting companies in the US and a few of my sites target the spanish market and also the irish market. If this was the case my sites wouldn't be number 1.

    Sorry. Rubbish.

    Google considers these factors in this order:
    1. ccTLD
    2. GWT Geotargeting setting
    3. IP
    4. "magic signals"

    To some other comments - if the OP thinks he can host his .com in Ireland, without using the GWT tool, then I suggest he not invest too much time/money into his site.

    As for Google hosting their content in the US, that's not strictly true - Google has one of the, if not the, biggest CDNs on the planet, they make extensive use of DNS Caching, and utilise ccTLD for most if not all countries they target. Not to mention the fact that they localise (although language has no bearing on geolocation).
    jmcc wrote:
    If you are mainly dependent on Google for the organic traffic, you can set the locale of the site in the Webmaster Tools. Geolocation is still a problem with some search engines so it might be better to host a US targeted .com on US IP space.

    Regards...jmcc

    That's the advice I'd act on.


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