Strange Results in Google

lightyear · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 11:32 AM

Hi

Our site Rackmount Servers | Storage Servers | Rack Mount Server Storage Solutions is hosted in the USA.

I have some strange results when I type in some key phrases.

When I do a search in google.com for the term intel rackmount servers we show up in position 31 out of 1.55m results. When I do the same search on google.co.uk and only select the web (not .co.uk) we show up as #1 and #2 out of 1.55m results. Even if I do the same search in google.com.au we are in position #2

This is not the only search term this happens for example using the search term storage servers we are in position 76 on google.com but are in position #3 when using google.co.uk and selecting the web.

I can confirm that the site is hosted on a server in Texas, can anyone throw some light on why this is happening.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

bluemi · #2 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:10 PM

I see your site on position 3 in google.com for this search. Try on another computer, or log out from your Google Account first and then try the search again.

galide · #3 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:11 PM

Hi lightyear,

Local results are based on IP or domain names: if your site is hosted in the UK, or has a .co.uk domain name, it will be displayed in google.co.uk search results (this is what's happening here, your .co.uk site is showing up, not your .com)

Local search results are different from main search results. That's why your .co.uk position in google.co.uk is different from the position of your .com site in google.com

Does it answer your question?

Emmanuel

ami_iss · #4 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:17 PM

.For your information, you are number 3 for Intel rackmount servers in Google when searched from Israel. That doesn't mean it is the same in USA from what I understand. It seems that it matters from where the search is done, and not so much what Google domain is used. A site that is linked to a UK site may have a better chance in the UK.

Localization is tricky and appears to change. If anyone has definitive information on what goes into Google localization decisions - it would certainly be very useful!

soonguy · #5 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:24 PM

I have the same problem in reverse. I live in UK, site is hosted in US. One broadband provider allows any google search to google.com. The other forces it to google.co.uk.

A search in google.co.uk (even though not specifying uk sites) ranks the site at 21, whereas in google.com it is 6.

Maybe some reference to UK in the footer or elsewhere would pump up the UK ranking, but I would not want to lose the US ranking!

Best wishes

Tony

murphypj · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:25 PM

The scenario itself is certainly not new, Mark. I had several top 5 positions, across all Google variants, which were hit when they applied the Geo-filter, must be about 2 years ago? I maintained my positions on 'web' searches from google.ie, .co.uk, .ca, .sg, .com.au et al, but dropped to lower first page, even some page 2 serps.

I did think that, although my site has no Irish-specific content, that the fact that it was hosted in Ireland was accepted by the experts here as the main reason. Advice in previous similar posts was to move hosting to the US, but you've already done that.

Site text and content seems to cover both sides of the pond. I would suggest you sign up for Google Webmaster Tools ( if you haven't already ), and check out the Tools->Overview->Set Geographic Target. I'm stymied on this one because of my .IE domain, but you might have the option of declaring for Uncle Sam!

I'm sure there will be more valuable help forthcoming from the excellent moderators here - I'll certainly be following the thread with interest, for purely selfish reasons!

Best of luck with improving the G.com SERPs

PJ

lightyear · #7 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluemi

I see your site on position 3 in google.com for this search. Try on another computer, or log out from your Google Account first and then try the search again.

Thanks, I just logged out and yes we are at #3, I am originally from the UK using my google UK login and I was signed in so that has explained the results, I am going to try from another computer than has always been in the US and see what happens, thanks for you help

**jawn_tech** · #8 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:44 PM

Hey welcome to WPW lightyear.

From Pennsylvania -- I'm seeing the exact same results you are lightyear, for google.com, uk and au. Same exact positions you mentioned...

Re: what others have seen in number 3 -- are you sure it's lightyear's site you're seeing in number 3? I'm seeing another site in #3 that also has "Rackmount" in the title, but it's not lightyear's site. Just making sure...

Anyway, lightyear, just a question as well as a guess, perhaps you have some very strong links coming from uk and au sites that would suggest to the algo a regional relevance. That would be my first guess without knowing your ibl history.

lightyear · #9 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawn_tech

Hey welcome to WPW lightyear.

From Pennsylvania -- I'm seeing the exact same results you are lightyear, for google.com, uk and au. Same exact positions you mentioned...

Re: what others have seen in number 3 -- are you sure it's lightyear's site you're seeing in number 3? I'm seeing another site in #3 that also has "Rackmount" in the title, but it's not lightyear's site. Just making sure...

Anyway, lightyear, just a question as well as a guess, perhaps you have some very strong links coming from uk and au sites that would suggest to the algo a regional relevance. That would be my first guess without knowing your ibl history.

Hi, it is definately us at #3 now I have logged out of Google with my UK account, our index page is sitting at #4.

Searching · #10 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 05:54 PM

I use this tool: Top 100 Rankings Position Check many countries Google search engine results position (SERP tool) SEO web tools

It shows you your rankings for all the google geographic locations - co.uk, .es, .de etc

A quick look at your site shows you have pos. 3-4 SERPS for just about every region except google.com which is at pos. 40.

You've got this far - I'm sure you can make it to the front page!

BlueSkyIS · #11 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 06:19 PM

whois shows no domain ownership or contact information for broadberry.com. google can't glean where the domain owner resides and so can't assume you are a US-based company.

Peter (IMC) · #12 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightyear

Hi

Our site Rackmount Servers | Storage Servers | Rack Mount Server Storage Solutions is hosted in the USA.

I have some strange results when I type in some key phrases.

When I do a search in google.com for the term intel rackmount servers we show up in position 31 out of 1.55m results. When I do the same search on google.co.uk and only select the web (not .co.uk) we show up as #1 and #2 out of 1.55m results. Even if I do the same search in google.com.au we are in position #2

This is not the only search term this happens for example using the search term storage servers we are in position 76 on google.com but are in position #3 when using google.co.uk and selecting the web.

I can confirm that the site is hosted on a server in Texas, can anyone throw some light on why this is happening.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

This is normal behaviour. In my opinion, Google looks differently at backlinks based on the google.--- that you choose. So if you are in Google.co.uk your uk backlinks have much more value than in google.com. (or in other words, the .com backlinks in google.co.uk are less valued.)

The .co.uk search is not just a filter, it's a different algorithmic evaluation of your backlinks as well.

rob_greenbucks · #13 (**permalink**) 05-06-2008, 06:48 PM

Hi Mark "Lightyear",

Galide and Murphypj gave you some good really suggestions. The intent by the search engines (not only Google but the other ones also) is to provide relevant results for a specific (market) area. Unfortunately not everyone will host their sites in their own home countries, nor will everyone buy a country domain outside. Note that .com is not bound to any country although often US sites. There are .us domains for that.

In any case, you can well rank high with a .com in the UK although it is a bit more tricky to get the search engine language versions to understand that you would like to rank high for example in UK. Include both language and country meta tags on your pages. I can provide you with some excellent "WHITE HAT" SEO advice, but the other UK SEO agencies and consultants would kill me if I expose everything here ; )

Mail me at seo@relevant1.com. or just try "organic SEO london" my site tops both Google.com and Google.co.uk for the phrase.

tamecrow · #14 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galide

Local results are based on IP or domain names: if your site is hosted in the UK, or has a .co.uk domain name, it will be displayed in google.co.uk search results (this is what's happening here, your .co.uk site is showing up, not your .com)

True, but .coms (and, to a certain extent, US IP-hosted sites) are able to boost their local rankings by obtaining backlinks from sites that are within the UK bracket (through IP, TLD and backlinks).

galide · #15 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 03:55 AM

Quote:

are able to boost their local rankings by obtaining backlinks from sites that are within the UK bracket

Is it relevant?

Any backlink is beneficial for..
1) increasing website's page rank
2) boosting their ranking in the SERP for keywords included in the anchor text.

..regardless the geo location of the site providing the backlink.

Do you mean that a link from a UK site has got more value than a link from a US site for UK local results? In other word a backlink transfers some information about geo relevancy of a site, which is then used somehow in the ranking algorythm?

If this is what you mean, I am a bit sceptical (never seen that mentioned anywhere else - never seen it hapenning) - could you develop?

inertia · #16 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galide

Do you mean that a link from a UK site has got more value than a link from a US site for UK local results? In other word a backlink transfers some information about geo relevancy of a site, which is then used somehow in the ranking algorythm?

That's exactly what he means. But he doesn't mean the link has higher PR or higher trust he just means that Google will use the link profile in geo-location. This is only the case for sites which Google is having trouble geo-locating so maybe you haven't seen this having an effect before because all the sites you've worked on have had the right TLD and been hosted in the correct country.

I come across many sites where the site owner has registered a .com and their site performs well in world wide searches but worse in UK only searches. The quick answer is to establish a strong UK link profile.

galide · #17 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 06:34 AM

Quote:

The quick answer is to establish a strong UK link profile.

I came across this issue many times, and always recommend to move hosting to the UK for people targeting UK population for instance. This is the cheapest solution really, and an effective one.

Your advice is sound, but stands for anyone targeting the UK really, whether they have a UK domain name and/or UK hosting, or not.

A good read.

galide · #18 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 06:49 AM

I can actually give you a real life example where moving a site to a UK server may not be the solution though in some cases..

Back in 2003, I was SEO consultant for SHOP.com.

At the time, the UK site had the following URL: shop.com/uk and was located in the US. UK natural traffic was appalling.

We talked to Google about it, and they advised us to purchase the UK domain, or to relocate the UK site onto a UK server. Sounded greated... but ...
1) the owner of shop.co.uk would not sell his domain at any price
2) For technical/logistics reason, it would have been terribly expensive to move the UK site onto a UK server (all sites were run from the same application server, which was custom - having servers in multiple locations would have turned into a maintenance nightmare).

The only option left was to buy a different UK domain: SHOP.COM UK - online shopping for clothing, beauty products, homewares, electronics, gifts and everything else with one easy shopping basket

This is what we decided to do, and traffic quickly started picking up. We lost a bit from a "brand" perspective, but gained so much traffic wise (we mutliplied natural traffic by 10 within a few months) that we were very happy with the decision we had made at the end.