Server location and Google indexing

Server location and SEO is a repeatedly discussed topic in SEO forums : whether it has any importance on Google indexing or not. Just like many things about Google’s ranking algorithm and SEO factors, it is not very clear. Still, we will try to discuss the topic to come to a conclusion.

The information we gathered about server location from different SEO forums are:

• Searching with a keyword in Google search in US yields the results favors websites hosted on US as server location in among the top results.
• For non-US countries (India for example), server location of that country are preferred if the website has  different versions : like Apple India website with country specific top level domain name.
• For non-US countries (again India for example), server location of that country are preferred if the website has no different versions with country specific top level domain name.
• For non-US countries, server location of that country are preferred if the website has no different versions with no country specific top level domain name. However, if not appropriate results are found, results from US based server locations are displayed.

So, for the companies based on an non-US country, suppose from India, may be using host from server location of US with good CDN yield better result than a server from India.

Tips for bloggers on choosing host based on server location

• If you live in non-US country and your target is from the country you reside, you might choose a server location nearest to you, that is of that country. Possibility of getting better page speed without using a CDN for your target visitors.
• If you live in non-US country and your target is US or majority of the visitors are from US, choose a server location in US. For getting better page speed you can use a CDN.
• If you live in non-US country and visitors are from US as well as other countries, choose a server location in US. For getting better page speed must use a CDN.