Effect of content delivery like Akamai on US, UK, and CA rankings

[tekkie]

(Moderator Note: This thread has been moved into Google Search from another forum. I've changed the title to broaden how the question relates to Google... which is how content distribution networks might affect Google's perception of geo-location.)

I posted this initial question and got some good advice, I have a followup question to ask.

Initial Question:

I have a question about the location of your servers as it relates (or does not) to search engine rankings with Google. We operate 3 websites (US, UK, CA) that are almost identical and if I search for our main keyword on Google.com it gives me a lesser organic ranking for our site than if I search on Google.ca for the exact same keyword. Our servers are all located in Canada. Does this make any difference?

Follow up:
Would using a system such as Akamai eliminate the need to move your server to the US to achieve a better .com ranking within Google or would the SE simply bypass Akamai and go right to you physical location?

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 6:56 pm (utc) on Oct. 13, 2007]

[bwnbwn]

"(US, UK, CA) that are almost identical"

I think this will keep them from ever ranking due to duplicate content no matter were it is you have duplicate websites so that in itself is a disaster...

I have a US based website hosted in Canada never had an issue with the server orgin...

[tekkie]

Thanks for the advice, my bad for saying they are almost identical. They are the same in visual appearance, but the content is different and they cater to different markets. But the SE rate my .com site differently on Google.com vs Google.ca hence my thinking that moving the .com site to the US will result in better organic ranks.

[bwnbwn]

It might make a difference but a .com is a universal domain.

There may be a host of different varables but one is more competition in the US with the .com domain is what I would consider the biggest ranking difference.

I do a one word search in google.CA (canada search) returs 1.8 million do in do same search but select (web) returns 58 million so this is the reason for the difference to me not the host server...

I really don't think moving into a US server will make much if any difference and believe it just takes more work to rank a .com on the web search.

I have been doing some searches in the "canada search only" man there are some horrible sites ranking for good terms. What's the deal is there really not that much competition in Canada or what.

[Robert Charlton]

As noted above, this thread has been moved into Google Search from another forum. I feel that the question relates to how content distribution networks might affect Google's perception of geo-location.

It's assumed that Google considers hosting in relation to other localization factors to determine whether actual international presence is involved. There are also other factors that Google considers regarding dupe international sites in English. Here are a couple of threads that might be of help...

Linking a .ca to a .com with same content
[webmasterworld.com...]

Duplicate Content on Localised Search
[webmasterworld.com...]

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 6:52 pm (utc) on Oct. 13, 2007]

[DamonHD]

In my case with mirrors in 7 locations, though slightly different default localisation in some of them, I don't think I get penalised for the 'duplication', G just may just pick *one* that it thinks is best.

Often (but not always) G picks one that's close to where I'm searching from geographically.

This seems to fit what Matt C et al say. If you don't mind that G may only pick one to show the user, and you don't mind which one, then a content-delivery mechanism with good geographical distribution is likely to benefit the user in terms of responsiveness, which should be the motivation for doing it in the first place.

As a further point: my main site's main URL is a round-robin in DNS between well-connected US and UK sites. That main URL is often the one selected when searching in G from hosts whose Internet connection lands in the UK or US.

Rgds

Damon