Where to host site with worldwide appeal for best SEO?

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Where to host site with worldwide appeal for best SEO?

If a site is not specific to one country, does it matter where it is hosted

theboyduck

1:03 pm on Nov 4, 2007 (gmt 0)

Hi all,

I'm working on a web site with a .com domain name that has worldwide appeal.

This web site is in English, and there are plans to eventually cater for other languages. It is a web site that is relevant to many countries and requires users from these countries.

Now I'm wondering where best to host the site. I have a virtual dedicated server in the UK that I would like to host the site on, however I am concerned about how this might affect search engine placement, especially in Google, for US-based searchers, as the US is the country with the highest proportion of users that will use the site. Would I be better off going with a US-based host in light of this? Does it matter for SEO purposes?

Best regards,

theboyduck

HarryM

1:33 pm on Nov 4, 2007 (gmt 0)

I think the most important thing is to be with a host with fast global internet connections, preferably tier 1. Many hosting companies in the UK and US do not provide this information. I run a Tracert on their home site from somewhere remote like Beijing to see how fast they are in practice.

For example to reach my site at my old hosting company took 1 hop from China to the US West coast, several hops across the US, then to London internet exchange, then into Telehouse, and then a couple more hops to the host server. But the one I moved to is far better, on one occasion a single hop from China to Paris and then another hop direct to the UK server. The average page download time recorded in Google tools (where the bot seems to be based in Eastern Europe) has halved since I moved hosts. However I do have to pay more for this speed. :)

The other important issue is to have the Domain name with a registrar that also provides fast global access. The one I am with is in the US but has 4 name servers spread across the US and 1 in London.

[edited by: HarryM at 1:35 pm (utc) on Nov. 4, 2007]

vincevincevince

1:42 pm on Nov 4, 2007 (gmt 0)

So; your site audience is 'anyone who can read English'. However; your revenue is likely to be more structured. Adsense advertising income, for example, is likely to attract a higher CPM from United States than other countries, for most English sites with a global focus.

If you set up your own advertising, or use another programme, you will have your own information about productive advertising markets.

Suppose you get $20 CPM from the US, and $15 CPM elsewhere. If this is the case, then host in the US and do your best for the US market as it is giving you a third extra return.