Google Ranking at google.co.uk vs google.com

123andyt · 05-09-2011, 01:24 PM

I rank number one on GOOGLE.CO.UK for my main keyword which is great.
However, I rank at number 652 at GOOGLE.COM for the exact same keyword

I have been trying to figure out why this might be and would be grateful for any views.

My site is a DOT COM (not co.uk) and hosted in the UK. (I have an illogical preference for UK hosting and I do have a couple of co.uk sites on the same hosting). I have followed all the Google Webmasters recommendation for defining my site as "worldwide' and I have backlinks from other websites hosted all over the world

I have read that it shouldn't actually matter where you host if you have a dotcom and follow google webmaster guidelines, but I could not figure out why I was ranked so low on google.com especially when I see other co.uk sites which are below me on google.co.uk but rank above me on google.com

However, I think that it may be that the nameservers at my hosting company are co.uk nameservers ie; ns1.hostingnameserver.co.uk and ns2.hostingnameserver.co.uk (not real urls) which perhaps tells google that I am UK regional?

Can anybody comment on this and why I am ranked so low on google.com? I am seriously considering moving my site to a US based hosting company (although I might put my UK rankings in danger)

matt5409 · 05-09-2011, 02:08 PM

3 things spring to mind:

location of server
address on website
backlink profile (i.e. majority of links from UK based sites)

you can change your targeting settings in Webmaster Tools to a preferred country, but this won't make a tonne of difference.

I am currently trying to rank my .com (also based in the UK) in google.com - it is showing higher in google.co.uk. Will update this thread if I find a way to change this!

oneplusone · 05-09-2011, 02:19 PM

YouTube - What impact does server location have...

P.S. You should've posted this in the SEO section.

BloggingPro · 05-09-2011, 02:26 PM

I've been wondering this myself for a while (except its the exact opposite of what your trying to do), so I'm interested to see the responses. For example if I live in the United States and wanted to rank a .co.uk would I need to get a .co.uk domain AND get hosting from a provider in the UK?

123andyt · 05-09-2011, 02:27 PM

Thanks for both your replies

It's not so much the discrepancy (I would have expected that) but such a big difference between UK and COM rankings ....... ranking 1 vs 652

I am going to move my blog over to US hosting and see what happens!

05-09-2011, 01:24 PM	#1
123andyt HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NorthWest, United Kingdom. Posts: 224 Thanks: 38 Thanked 30 Times in 28 Posts	Google Ranking at google.co.uk vs google.com I rank number one on GOOGLE.CO.UK for my main keyword which is great. However, I rank at number 652 at GOOGLE.COM for the exact same keyword I have been trying to figure out why this might be and would be grateful for any views. My site is a DOT COM (not co.uk) and hosted in the UK. (I have an illogical preference for UK hosting and I do have a couple of co.uk sites on the same hosting). I have followed all the Google Webmasters recommendation for defining my site as "worldwide' and I have backlinks from other websites hosted all over the world I have read that it shouldn't actually matter where you host if you have a dotcom and follow google webmaster guidelines, but I could not figure out why I was ranked so low on google.com especially when I see other co.uk sites which are below me on google.co.uk but rank above me on google.com However, I think that it may be that the nameservers at my hosting company are co.uk nameservers ie; ns1.hostingnameserver.co.uk and ns2.hostingnameserver.co.uk (not real urls) which perhaps tells google that I am UK regional? Can anybody comment on this and why I am ranked so low on google.com? I am seriously considering moving my site to a US based hosting company (although I might put my UK rankings in danger)
	Work From Home Ideas

05-09-2011, 02:08 PM	#2
matt5409 Advanced Warrior Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: England Posts: 916 Thanks: 187 Thanked 165 Times in 106 Posts	Re: Google Ranking at google.co.uk vs google.com 3 things spring to mind: location of server address on website backlink profile (i.e. majority of links from UK based sites) you can change your targeting settings in Webmaster Tools to a preferred country, but this won't make a tonne of difference. I am currently trying to rank my .com (also based in the UK) in google.com - it is showing higher in google.co.uk. Will update this thread if I find a way to change this!
	Nothing to see here

05-09-2011, 02:26 PM	#4
BloggingPro Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,699 Thanks: 4 Thanked 423 Times in 293 Posts	Re: Google Ranking at google.co.uk vs google.com I've been wondering this myself for a while (except its the exact opposite of what your trying to do), so I'm interested to see the responses. For example if I live in the United States and wanted to rank a .co.uk would I need to get a .co.uk domain AND get hosting from a provider in the UK?
	Want to make sales? Build relationships. Think about it.

05-09-2011, 02:27 PM	#5
123andyt HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NorthWest, United Kingdom. Posts: 224 Thanks: 38 Thanked 30 Times in 28 Posts	Re: Google Ranking at google.co.uk vs google.com Thanks for both your replies It's not so much the discrepancy (I would have expected that) but such a big difference between UK and COM rankings ....... ranking 1 vs 652 I am going to move my blog over to US hosting and see what happens!
	Work From Home Ideas