Iguana mentioned:
I just checked a days logs and I found that 38 out of 49 google.co.uk searches were done using the UK only filter.
I would guess that overall this option is used less frequently, but:
What are US-webmasters thinking of doing about this possible trend when also seeking UK visitors?
One option would be to start a .co.uk site hosted in the UK, but mirrored content penalty issues come to mind? (for once a disadvantage of speaking the "same" language, or will US versus UK spelling not count as duplicate content?;)).
Another would be to host your .com site in the UK :o, as I understand that for the moment Google has no "search for US sites only" option button in America?
Added; Maybe I am too paranoid on this localising Google feature:
Just checked and Google.co.uk always reverts back to the "the web" option when reloading or refreshing the page, even when saving preferences..
Well dinner-time for this European.
On the other hand there are some downsides, there is a transatlantic lag caused by bandwidth. Hosting over here is more expensive than the US.
I would add that if I go to google.co.uk it is only ever to use the UK only option, I tend to use .com via the toolbar most of the time.
"One option would be to start a .co.uk site hosted in the UK..."
Just a .co.uk version, even hosted in the US would qualify for UK search only.
"Google has no "search for US sites only" option button in America? "
Try www.google.com/unclesam . It is US only, but as very few sites can be found with .us it is useless!
Try www.google.com/unclesam . It is US only, but as very few sites can be found with .us it is useless!
MHes,
Actually you are mentioning my real paranoia.
The vice-versa situation:
Loosing US visitors if such an option would come into place.
I was under the impression Google looks where a site is hosted as well (the providers IP), for determining "only sites from a country". And not necessarily only the country code's tld. Check for example google.de with that option for english terms and you will see .com's listed as well.
I would add that if I go to google.co.uk it is only ever to use the UK only option, I tend to use .com via the toolbar most of the time.
Ian,
Its not advanced searchers like you who I am scared of loosing.
I am scared of loosing the UK equivalent of the ordinary Joe/Sally Sixpack searcher.
I wonder which percentage of Google users has the toolbar installed and also uses it.(I tend to install it unasked when I use friends computers ;).
We have a site hosted in the states and .co.uk domain only. No problems with 'uk sites only', we rank higher than global search. They seem to narrow the search for the UK by picking .co.uk and/or UK ip address, with no apparent priority given to a site with both .co.uk AND UK ip address. This would cause problems for us and many others! However, you have got me thinking.... although we rank very highly for very competative keywords, perhaps having a US ip does have a tiny negative effect. Many US sites have taken the .co.uk version to try and get into yahoo on the cheap. It probably hasn't worked for them but it does screw up the 'uk sites only' serps in google.
Will there ever be a search facility for US based ip addresses only? Too many foreign sites host there for many different reasons. We were initially very worried about hosting in the states but all seems fine. If a 'US only' button was included on google.com then realistically only .com domains with a US ip would be applicable, but the results would be deeply flawed and loose google its credibility. Thinking long term, there will be a demand for this as other countries catch up with the states. It has always amazed me how few foreign language sites do not appear in the serps for major keywords on global searches. If I was a French site selling wine, I would also target English words. Just checking the serps for 'french wine' and their are no french sites! So when they wake up to the internet, a searcher in the states will have to sift through world sites before they find a US one. Then, somehow google will have to do a 'states only' search. But how? The only real way is to have a .us domain search and encourage companies ro register sites accordingly. Perhaps we all ought to start buying up these domains?!
thanks for that info.
Concerning your concerns on Google localising further, even on State level:
check out the winner, Daniel Egnor, of the Google programming contest: its all about that feature.
[webmasterworld.com...]
If that ever works out it will be less IP oriented, but just a simple address on your webpage.
I am sure that the majority of searchers will use Google "classic", even in the years to come, because its easy, its default, and its the quickest.
I am just being overconcerned that if too much localising becomes the custom with users, part of the beauty of the WWW gets lost. The Web, more or less out of default, finally took people out of their local village towards people, information and companies they would otherwise never have thought of finding.
Just imagine the amount of website-administrating to be done if your audience is world-wide and you have to host individual sites in all your important business areas..or will there be address cloaking/redirects as next spam ;)
barely noticable to most people these days with 56k modems, DSL and other high speed connections.
>>Hosting over here is more expensive than the
>>US.
i've yet to see a US host that charges £25 ($40) per year with everything included. bandwidth is still more expensive over here, but shop around and it gets cheaper
