Does Web Hosting (location) matter for SEO or SERP ?

Hello, I just have this simple question.

Does Web Hosting and server location matter for SEO and better search engine result position ?

Let's say my site has English content, and my target people for marketing are Americans. If I switch to an American server (hosting), will this help for better SEO ?

 

Just as an example let’s say that you live in the UK and you’re trying to rank in the UK. You get your hosting from the USA, someone like bluehost who do webhosting in USA won’t be good if you’re targeting visitors in the UK.

While bluehost will be fast for people in the USA, it won’t be fast in the UK.

Google now considers load time of a webpage a ranking factor.

I would always choose hosting in the country that you are trying to rank for.

 

What if my site it's good for everyone and has no geo targeting, since I'm only offering information and not trying to sell anything ?

 

Like i said load speed is a ranking factor, and webhosting in different countries affects load speed.

If you set your geo targeting to the USA, and have hosting in the USA, you'll have a better chance of ranking in the USA

You can rank number 1 in the UK for a specific keyword, but you might not even rank at all in the USA

 

That's never crossed my mind before. I will have to remember this for my future projects. Cheers

 

Don't worry about that...its only minimal. If you're worried about the loading time, don't put too many images on your posts and avoid large ones.

Start producing top quality content and drive high quality backlinks to it and you'll be fine.

Start where you are, with what you have, and with what you know.

 

in one word , YES

 

We've regularly swapped sites between US and UK and have never seen any noticeable effect on ranking. Load speed is only detrimental if it's very slow.

 

My advise if you were selling stuff would be to have different sites hosted in different countrys, so you have one for the US and one for the UK and europe maybe even.

Atleast you target the main places you want to target and then the load times will be good for all and you will also be able to do on page optimization targeted towards each country also. Thats an expencive solution but ultimatly the best option if you can.

But as your not, your just offering info, I would not worry if your info is that good its worth everybody in the world finding it then they will anyway.