Is a Dedicated Server Essential for AdSense Success?

[dyvel]

I'd like to know if those of you who are serious and successfull with adsense ect. are using dedicated servers or virtual servers.

I'm thinking of getting one myself. Key reasons for me is:

Better pageload times
100% control of server
Own IP adresses

I've read that faster pageload is rewarded by better placement in SERPS which would mean more trafic and higher income

100% control of my server - I know what is gooing on behind the scene and can install any application/module I want.

I don't share IP with others so don't have to be afraid of getting associated with another bad publisher on same IP (Shared webhosts)

And I guess I could think of more reasons for choosing a dedicated server, but these are obvious.

Are virtual servers any good? I can get my own server hosted for about 50$ a month + traffic.

Right now my monthly income is $3K+ My goal is $10K+ which should be achieved this year.

Any suggestions or advice to this?

[Nitrous]

Well its not a matter of mean. I put those 15 sites up 10 years ago! For fun - the original internet concept. They have loads of links from hundreds of places, to 15 different free webspace areas. Also with good rankings, mostly 6 pagerank etc. Then A couple of years ago I stuck adsense on to see what happened. Well the last three months were 3,5k 3,9k etc.

I would love to move to a real server, Even the one on my desktop, but its a bit late!

And the 20gb bandwidth was on one single text only site!

It would def have been better to have started with paid hosting but the original question was is dedicated server required for success? Well obviously not!

[donovanh]

I couldn't get by with shared, though it was my own fault for using inefficient database queries :)

Still, having optimised the site drastically, it still runs at a server load that would be an issue on a shared service. Investing in a dedicated server meant I wasn't causing other people's sites to crawl, and ensures my site now responds very quickly.

I have a few hobby sites and one big site on the server, and wouldn't go back to shared.

[jema]

I like dedicated, I am up to 3 dedicated and 2 iffy virtual servers.

It is a bit of a learning curve, find the most suitable package. I think you can do badly with the cheaper IDE disk based systems which simply do not have what it takes.

[netmeg]

I have a dedicated server. It's the last step in the hosting process.

Well, not *quite* the last step. The last step would be to own your own web hosting company, with all the servers and the bandwidth and so forth under your own control.

[jdmjayden]

You also need to consider your current and projected traffic. Not too many hosting companies are going to allow you to have 200+ online users all day and use over 300 GB of bandwidth a month LOL

Sometimes a dedicated is the ONLY way to go.

[universetoday]

Add my vote on the dedicated server. For about $100 a month, you get your own computer, that you can customize however you like. It'll be fast, and never dependent on anyone else. Going to dedicated was one of the best business decisions I ever made.

[europeforvisitors]

Sometimes a dedicated is the ONLY way to go.

Sure, and sometimes it isn't. But we need to remember that we're discussing servers in the context of: "Is a dedicated server essential for AdSense success?" So far, no one has provided evidence that the answer is "Yes."

[jema]

I say for most people the answer would have to be no, even though for me it is yes.

[jdmjayden]

europefor visitors, that is correct. It is not but, without more information, one cannot assume what type of website someone has and what kind of traffic they are getting. I'm just trying to put some other views and things to consider out there.

[donovanh]

For what it's worth, my Adsense income doubled when I improved the page response times. The dedicated server was very useful in this, and of course improved the user experience also.

If your site is busy enough that it slows a shared service, then you may see reduced adsense income. A dedicated server would then be worth considering.

[dyvel]

Donovahn: That's exactly what I have read elsewhere - I have made up my mind. I'm going for a dedicated server - now I only need to find a 2U rackserver somewhere.

[StuntasticAudi]

I see a lot of people saying that all you need is a dedicated server and its only $100-$150 a month to start with, but no one is including all the other costs that are needed when you have a dedicated server. First when you even consider playing with a dedicated server you will need a good power backup. Then if your site gets thousands of hits a day i dont think that your local consumer internet provider will be all happy that you get so much traffic coming in and out and they will probably contact you and have you change to a business ISP. Then you have to do all the updates, security checks, firewalls, etc. Thats more money that you have to think about. It's not just $100 a month for a dedicated server...it's much more.

[dyvel]

Well that might be true, but in my case I have a offer from someone in a community where i'm very active, to get my server hosted - he has 25 years experience with servers, and there will be taken backups every day, free acces to mailserver, DNS server and help with server setup. I'll only have to pay about 50$ + trafic

I think it's an offer I can't turn down... :)

[trillianjedi]

StuntasticAudi, when people talk of "dedicated" they generally mean "hosted" and not self-hosted.

It has no bearing on AdSense in my experience over a VPS, other than, as mentioned above, response time. If you're site is too slow on a VPS it's probably time to upgrade to dedicated or risk losing traffic.

TJ

[roycerus]

I went dedicated a couple of months back. I have now optimized my mysql, apache, my hard disk and installed the zend cache. It has definitely improved my website's performance and yes it has improved my earnings.

A couple of direct advantages:
1> I do not loose money due to down time.
2> Pages load faster and viewers view more pages.

The increased revenue pays for the hosing cost. But a point to think about is whether you need a dedicated server. I needed to go dedicated because I run four busy forums and I have mailing scripts and other automated scripts that need a lot of resources.

[longen]

a dedicated server you will need a good power backup...

With a Managed Dedicated Server all the security and other stuff is carried out by your host. If you dont want to get involved you can get just treat it like an ordinary shared hosting account - leaving you free to concentrate on your site.

[jema]

If anyone here is truly doing their own hosting I'd be amazed.

My dedicated servers are all tucked away in a datacenter several thousand miles away, with a service level agreement that costs a bit, but gives me pease of mind as well as full root access to do what the heck I want with them.

[europeforvisitors]

I don't know who wrote the subject line for this thread (the OP or the moderator), but most of the thread is unrelated to AdSense.

As long as we're off-topic, I'll say that many Webmasters have a tendency to look for magic solutions like dedicated servers, content-management systems, etc. to help them achieve their business goals. It's easy to get caught up in technical minutiae when the real challenge is far more basic yet more difficult: build content, traffic, and revenues.

[JoeS]

I say use the cheapest, most reliable option out there.

I don't have dedicated server but am only concerned about reliability. The site has to be up 100% of the time or it will cost you big money!

[knowwhatpeoplewant]

I love my host. They acutally have some of thier own websites spread over all thier webservers so they are on top of everything. If one server has an issue they know about it immediately. We used to host years ago on servers ran by a "business man" but they were more worried about making sure they were receiving payments long before they worried if thier servers were humming along.

[netmeg]

If anyone here is truly doing their own hosting I'd be amazed.

I am. I own a web hosting company.

[Nitrous]

I tried it with my desktop computer via a cable modem and advanced server 2000. Its easy enough, works just fine. I would still do it but I had rather a lot of stuff on there for a cable connection! This was not for adsense but business sites.

[FourDegreez]

I host some sites from home on an SDSL line. It's worth the experience.