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It is disappointing for many UK webmasters to note that their website would not rate higher on their home search engine, Google.co.uk. Research has found that 3.5 times as many searchers in the UK use google.co.uk as google.com, and 35-45 percent of these frequently check the radio button “pages from the UK” to narrow down their search. Therefore, ranking close to the top of these narrowed outcomes is a very significant mission for the UK-based online company!
This short essay (from the UK’s top SEO expert) addresses some of the key points that are relevant for Google.co.uk to score high (particularly for those who have a .com TLD on their existing website).
1. Use or switch to a .co.uk domain name
It can seem a little simple. Many webmasters, though, are drawn to the worldwide connotations that go along with yourdomain.com. The issue is that Google is unable to accurately classify the .com TLD’s country of origin. Although all the measures 2-8 below should benefit, there is clearly no assurance that on google.co.uk, the homepage of a .com domain will still score well. Starting without a .co.uk domain, without your queen, is like starting a chess game!
In September 2006, Google’s Matt Cutts was invited to respond to questions from UK-based .com domain webmasters (see here). He proposed this in a nutshell:
If you want to show up in the .co.uk search and you can migrate from a .com to a .co.uk easily with a 301, it might benefit you. I would try moving one directory as a test, and if that goes well, then you could migrate the whole thing.
If you’d like to attempt this but are concerned about the technicalities of how to implement, why not visit my support forum? I can help you through the necessary steps.
2. Put your site on a UK-hosted server
If you plan on using a .com domain name, it is particularly necessary for your website to be hosted in the UK. This might not be as easy as you suppose! For eg, 1and1.co.uk – one of the main hosting companies in the UK – currently has a data centre in Germany. If you have an existing domain, use the following URL syntax to find out its IP address and hosting location from Netcraft: http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site report? Domain url=http://www.yourdomain.com
I consider using Fasthosts or webhosting.uk.com if you are looking for a commercial-grade hosting provider with a UK-based datacentre. It’s much tougher in the UK to find fewer, more cost-effective providers for a home or hobbyist platform.
3. Sign up for Google Local UK
There is a way to tell Google where it is geographically situated on the website. Through uploading to Google Local UK, this is accomplished. You first set up a Google account, then add each of your websites. Google can take you to the reported address associated with the submitted site via a pin code via periodic surface mail. Your address is checked and the site is added to Google Maps & other Google Local resources after you have revisited the Google Local page for your site and added the pin code.
4. Use localised meta-data on your pages
I suggest using several primary local meta-tags in the HTML HEAD section of your homepage to re-enforce your Google Local entry (and support with other search engines like MSN and Yahoo). I recommend using (for completeness) all five of the following:
For the Houses of Parliament in Central London, the 51.5012;-0.1258 (latitude;longtitude) example references (for the geo.position and ICBM tags) are. I recommend placing your website postcode at http://www.multimap.com to get your own coordinates, then reading the coordinates from the Map Info section below the resulting map.
Although there is no great proof that today all of these meta tags make a major difference, there is a probability that in the future search engines could make better use of them.
5. Use HTML address tags in your page
Not many webmasters are either aware of the address tag – or use it. Unlike the metatags above, the content is only made on your website if the address tag (and should thus be included within the BODY section; most likely near the bottom of your homepage).
Usually, anything inserted within tags would make italics in your tab, with a line break before and after the text of the address. You need to enter these yourself if you want line breaks inside the address. So, as an example (after ‘Square’ with a line break):
This (in italics) will look roughly like this:
Parliamentary Bookshop, Parliament Square, 12 Bridge Lane.
London SW1A 2JX, Great Britain.
Again, there is no definitive proof that the use of address tags alone makes a difference, while positive outcomes from the use of these tags in combination with other interventions have been documented by some webmasters.
6. Obtain links from predominantly UK sites
There is some credible evidence that it would help boost the rating of google.co.uk by providing a greater than proportionate number of inbound connections from other UK-based websites. Webmasters may use a combination of link sharing, directory submission and link baiting tactics to access certain inbound connections.
Connection sharing means finding (generally) shared connections from other webmasters in the UK, either by personally emailing them or by signing up for a ‘dating agency’ link exchange.
Link baiting is a relatively recent concept, describing a wide variety of social networking practises intended to encourage online users to tag the page, blogs or newsfeeds or socially bookmark them.
The most reliable approach is to include unrestricted, paying and mutual directory submissions. The PR5 Abrexa, which provides a paying listing for GBP 9.95, is an example of a UK-based registry (covering both Abrexa and sister site, Limey Search).
I maintain a master list of over 100 UK-based directories (which I sell for $29.99) that offer either free, reciprocal or paying connections. You should ensure that the site works well on Google.co.uk by setting up these ties. To find out more, email me via the resource box below.
7. Have patience; it’ll take at least 6 months!
It will take at least six months from the date of domain formation for a new .co.uk site (step 1 above) for the site to start ranking on google.co.uk. In my Google Sandbox post, I discuss this in greater detail. It will take the latest inbound links (section 6 above) at least three months for an existing location to have an effect on your rankings. Other suggested actions will take up to a month to take place (depending on the PageRank of your site; which determines how often your site is crawled by Google).
A real virtue here is patience! Often people make improvements, only to undo them until they take place in frustration. Another concern is that positive things happen, but webmasters have no idea who triggered the benign impact of their actions! Trust me, have faith and you’ll see the benefits in time!
8. Consider professional support
All of the above guidance is generic and will work under certain situations. The speed and efficacy of the improvements that these activities can make, however, depends on the particular conditions of the web, including how competitive the targeted search words are! If you fail to see success on your own, the odds are that you will need professional support! Why not ask for a free proposal from the right panel in my enquiry form? I will help when some can not, as the top-ranked SEO specialist in the UK!
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