.co.uk on US servers

[ParisEngLtd]

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Hi, I had a little problem a while ago not ranking in UK searches because I had a .com on US servers. I started using a UK host who are doing my head in and I am wondering if anyone knows if I would still rank in UK searches with a .co.uk domain on US servers.

I really want to transfer my .co.uk domains over to my main host as I have never had a problem with them but I am worried that my rankings will drop.

Ade

[DioBach]

Hi, I had a little problem a while ago not ranking in UK searches because I had a .com on US servers. I started using a UK host who are doing my head in and I am wondering if anyone knows if I would still rank in UK searches with a .co.uk domain on US servers.

I really want to transfer my .co.uk domains over to my main host as I have never had a problem with them but I am worried that my rankings will drop.

Ade

.co.uk on US servers is fine, I have many and they all rank fine in UK searches.

[tbp]

Yes, I can also confirm that a .co.uk on a US server is absolutely fine in terms of ranking in the UK results. My server is based in the UK, and I have a number of sites ranking at positions 1 - 3 in the UK results in Google.

The .co.uk tells google its a UK domain, so its included in the UK rankings. The only problem comes when you use non uk domains like .com, where you may sometimes have problems getting listed in the UK results unless there is some way google can find out that its related to the UK.

[Josh-A]

I'd recommend you to host your website on UK based server if your targeted clients are from UK. You will get two major advantages by hosting your website on UK server:
1. Search Engines categorize your website as a UK website and you get better ranking in UK.
2. Your customers from UK get better browsing speed and your websites will load much quicker in comparison with US server.

[tbp]

1. Search Engines categorize your website as a UK website and you get better ranking in UK..

You still get this if you .uk domains, I have no problems with rankings with a US server

2. Your customers from UK get better browsing speed and your websites will load much quicker in comparison with US server.

The difference is measured in milliseconds, and there is not noticeable. Pulling a site up from my US server is faster than many sites on UK servers. The amount of CPU and memory available to you on the server, and if you're on shared hosting, how many people are sharing the server, is far more important in terms of loading times than location nowadays if you get a good US host.

[Jack Russell]

Hi, I had a little problem a while ago not ranking in UK searches because I had a .com on US servers. I started using a UK host who are doing my head in and I am wondering if anyone knows if I would still rank in UK searches with a .co.uk domain on US servers.

I really want to transfer my .co.uk domains over to my main host as I have never had a problem with them but I am worried that my rankings will drop.

Ade

Any specific reason why you want to to host them on US based Servers?

[DioBach]

Any specific reason why you want to to host them on US based Servers?

Cost would be my best guess...

[tbp]

I think cost is definately a factor, you can get servers with much better specs at the same or less than you would pay in the UK.

I find the US is much more customer service based as well, because theres so much competition. My host has employed people all round the world to work remotely, so as a consqueuence there is someone available on support literally 24 hours a day. Even if its the middle of the night, I can contact my host and get a reply within minutes.

[ParisEngLtd]

Any specific reason why you want to to host them on US based Servers?

I've used the same US based host for years for my .com's and never had a problem with them. I have tried a UK host for my .co.uk addresses and I'm not particularly happy with them so I just want to change the DNS records to point to my usual US based host.

Thanks for the advise, I have made the changes today.

[Jack Russell]

I've used the same US based host for years for my .com's and never had a problem with them. I have tried a UK host for my .co.uk addresses and I'm not particularly happy with them so I just want to change the DNS records to point to my usual US based host.

Thanks for the advise, I have made the changes today.

Thats fine. Let me know if have any issues regarding hosting

[DioBach]

When you say no problem, have you ever tried looking for those US based .coms in the UK only results? They don't show up then, and increasingly if your site has a UK focus, Google automatically roots UK based searchers to the UK results. I've lost goodness knows how much UK traffic over the years for my .com results not showing up in the UK Serps.

[channel5]

The general rule of thumb is you will rank in google.co.uk for uk only searches if you have one or both of the following statements true for your site:

1): You have a UK Top Level Domain (TLD) e.g. .co.uk, .org.uk etc
2): The server that your site is hosted on is physically in the UK

There is a third case, but its effects are weaker:

3: If you get enough inbound links from other sites that Google has determined are UK sites then you can appear in the uk only results, though generally not as strongly.

A possible 4th case as now appeared:

4: In Google webmaster tools you can also now set the geographic location of you site, though its so new that i haven't seen any testing results yet as to how effective it is.

I personally would always host in the target country, and be wary as some UK hosting companies you will find actually have their servers in foreign data centres.

[jamie07051975]

All my .co.uk domains are hosted in the US because my host seems to be so much faster than other UK-based hosts I've used before, they're so much cheaper (starts at £5 per month or £10 per month to resell) and they have the best technical support I've used - ticket and chat based but available 24 hours every day and they usually respond within five minutes.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a few problems but you will always have problems - its the support which counts at the end of the day.

Big shout out for A Small Orange - Web Hosting, Software and more!!

[rshosting]

All my .co.uk domains are hosted in the US because my host seems to be so much faster than other UK-based hosts I've used before, they're so much cheaper (starts at £5 per month or £10 per month to resell) and they have the best technical support I've used - ticket and chat based but available 24 hours every day and they usually respond within five minutes.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a few problems but you will always have problems - its the support which counts at the end of the day.

Big shout out for A Small Orange - Web Hosting, Software and more!!

Your reasons are quit valid to host a site on US server when server performance and support are the best thing you get ..with the same you get bonus of low cost hosting.

[QualityNonsense]

I'm testing the Webmaster Central geolocation tool at the moment with a UK site with a US domain and US hosting. Only been a week so far, but I've seen no increase in UK traffic whatsoever. Worth keeping an eye on though.

Interestingly, Google know my blog (which is a .COM hosted in California) is a UK site, without setting the geolocation in Webmaster Central. Explanations on a postcard, please.