Does your web host affect search engine optimization? by Jamey Perkins
Most people will lease hosting from a company, just because they find a great deal. They don't even stop to think of the long term affects of the company's policies. Believe it or not, your web host has a dramatic involvement in your search engine rank potential.
Let's say you have a website, and no matter what you do, you just cannot seem to get high search engine rankings. You have performed all of the proper SEO techniques, yet you hardly find your website in a search engine even just by typing in the URL, leave alone keywords. Have you ever stopped to think that your host may have some involvement in it? Well, it is quite possible that your host has you on a server that has had its IP address banned or Blacklisted.
When a hosting company is careless enough to allow its clients to use unethical tactics at search engine optimization, some search engines will ban, block, or blacklist that IP address. One of the most popular reasons that this may happen is the use of certain spam tactics. This may not always be clients fault. Some websites do get attacked by hackers that use that sites email forms for spam However, regardless of whether the hosting client was to blame, or an attacker, the IP is still banned and it may be rough road to recovery.
There are things that can be done to prevent such occurrences. Things like prohibiting some types of email forms, and setting limits on emails that are sent. Things like educating clients on proper techniques, or by providing education for them are good ways to help clients. A good hosting company can stay in touch with its clients through newsletters, and a good support system.
The responsibility lies on the hosting company, and the client. It is up to the hosting company to provide the means and standards, and it is up to the client to abide by them. Finding a good hosting company is a difficult task these days. There are many out there, but knowing which ones will serve you the best is the challenge. Before purchasing from a hosting company, try checking out their support forums. You can learn a lot from their client's forum posts, as well as see how well the company responds to support requests. If the clients seem to be unhappy, or if there are many complaints, it might be an indication that you should look elsewhere.
Your website is probably intended to be a source of revenue, or just a place for fun and entertainment. In either case, wouldn't it be nice if people could find it? Don't hurt your chances of hitting it big in the search engines even before you start. Find a good hosting company, and you will at least have a fighting chance.
About the Author
Jamey Perkins has spent the last few years working in website design at www.siteexpressions.com. He is currently studying SEO techniques to further provide better service to his web design clients. You can visit his website on Search Engine Optimization at www.optimiziingwebsite.com and learn more about his techniques.
article added: 2005-12-05
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