If you have put in a lot of effort into your search engine optimization, you might be afraid that your efforts will go down the drain if you switch hosts. So does hosting affect SEO? Yes, it does.

Web hosting for SEO is a critical factor for your rankings as it affects essential attributes such as the speed at which your site loads as well as the up and downtimes. Here are some of the changes involved when switching web hosts and how they affect SEO.

The number of internet users increased to 4.1 billion in January, 2019 from 3.42 billion users in 2016.

With so much traffic around, marketers constantly upgrade search engine optimization techniques to attract maximum users to their websites. The incorporation of the right SEO technique also plays a key role in boosting SERP ranking for websites.

Furthermore, a change in web hosting platforms has been considered important to improve website performance. An appropriate SEO-friendly web-hosting platform helps users access websites effortlessly and contributes towards improving website discoverability over search queries.

As we understand, website performance heavily depends on the web host. A smoothly operating website, in turn, ranks better on SERPs.

Does Switching Website Hosts Affect SEO?

Switching hosts can impact a few essential aspects of the website like:

• Webpage Downtime
• Server Location
• Server Quality
• Website Page Speed
• Website Structure

1.Webpage Downtime

Switching site location is accompanied by downtime. This usually happens when a website is awaiting a DNS to propagate. This process takes 24 to 72 hours. This downtime can drastically hit the ranking of websites.

To avoid this, it is best to have the website running on the old host with a duplicate of the website on the new host, till a DNS has been fully propagated. After the DNS propagation has been done, the website can be completely shifted to the new host.

2.Server Location

Google provides search results based on geographic relevance.

For example, if a search query is from the USA, Google believes to provide relevant results by prioritizing results from websites within the USA. Initially, Google relied on TLD (Top Level Domain) to accomplish this, but now it has also begun to obtain inputs from IP addresses to determine the location of search queries.

When switching web hosts, the location of servers should be considered. If the website targets an audience from the USA, the web host server must be located in the USA. Else, it may hit hard on the rank of the website.

3.Server Quality

The server quality of the new web host should be assessed thoroughly. If the server is overcrowded and the new site is to be hosted on a shared server, it may negatively impact the website’s performance on SERPs.

So, how to switch web hosts without pulling down SEO?

4.Website Page Speed

Google algorithms prefer websites with lesser loading time. Moreover, users are attracted to responsive websites.

Google/SOASTA Research states that the bounce rate increases to 32% as the page loading time increases from 1s to 3s.

When considering a change of web host, assessing the page loading speed is pivotal. Popular SEO hosting companies may not necessarily provide a faster-loading website. This is because the website speed decreases with the increasing number of users. As popular SEO hosts may accommodate numerous users, it may not offer the optimal page loading speed.

Opting for a shared environment due to budget constraints can leave you in a similar situation. Instead, it is better to consider Linux VPS hosting plans such as SSD Linux VPS plans that outperform shared hosting accounts.

5.Website Structure

It is recommended to have a duplicate of the original website because Google crawlers consider website structure for ranking. If a search engine crawler finds an additional component on the site map of the new website, it may be a problem for the ranking of the website. The new website structure may result in the crawler mistaking it as a whole new site.

Matt Cutts states that crawlability is a priority to avoid indexing problems on Google.

Please check link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHR6IQJGZs&ab_channel=Google

Here are a few aspects to consider before changing the website host:

• Change DNS Records
• Choose the Best-Suited Host after Research
• Create Backup
• Cautiously Select the Location of the Hosting Server
• Update TTL of DNS Records
• Add Redirects to Avoid SEO-Killing Page Errors

1.Change DNS Records

The process of switching hosting platforms is complete with an update of DNS records. This includes an update of the name server records. Also, the change in DNS records of the domain reflects on the emails. So if email accounts are being switched to a new hosting company, they need to be set accordingly. 

2.Choose the Best-Suited Host after Research

Finding a competent hosting company will need exhaustive research. Begin with looking for positive reviews or references from other companies. A few other factors to consider here are:

• Compatibility: Ensure that the new host is compatible with your required technical specifications. Check that the operating system, supported web technology, and coding are facilitated.
• Bandwidth: Look into the bandwidth offered by the company, services provided, and limitations. Few hosting companies do not offer unlimited bandwidth and also set their limits very low. In such cases, if access to the website is denied, it may harm the website ranking.
• Consider the technical support: Ensure that the choice of the hosting company is steered away from spammers and questionable content. Your website may also be categorized as spam if hosted on the same platform.
• Uptime-Downtime: Opt for a platform that has a history of offering high speed and minimal downtime. If a search engine bot accesses the website during its downtime, there is a possibility that it may pull down the ranking of the website due to its inaccessibility.

3.Create Backup

During the transition of DNS records, it is recommended that the old server be kept intact for a day or two until the new server is fully active. Since search engines update DNS records once in two days, the old server will take charge of the SEO. After the stipulated two days, the old server can be removed completely.

Having said this let us get to know about the best web hosting for SEO options.

4.Cautiously Select the Location of Hosting Server

It is best to choose a host considering the geographical location of the target audience. Google tends to provide search results based on the location of websites. If the website is hosted on a server in a different geographical location, there is a possibility that Google may push down the website on the search results ranking.

According to research, 46% of all Google searches are local intent. This shows why search query location remains the priority.

For example, if you were to target the customer base in the UK, your website should be hosted on a server that is located in the UK. Google determines search results based on the geographical versions of websites to yield the best results.

5.Update TTL of DNS Records

The Domain Name System (DNS) maps the domain names of the IP addresses. The IP addresses are the addresses of the servers that host the website. When a change of hosts takes place, the DNS differs. This change takes 24 to 72 hours to be updated. If the domain registrar allows, this DNS change can be accomplished faster. By doing this a day before the DNS switch is scheduled, the visitors and search engines will be automatically directed to the new server facilitating uninterrupted website performance.

6.Add Redirects to Avoid SEO-Killing Page Errors

If you’re migrating to a new hosting provider and a new domain name in one move, or if some of your web content won’t make the trip, you’ll need to create redirects to avoid page errors.

By using 301 redirects, you’ll avoid SEO-damaging page errors and keep the traffic and authority of your old website. A 301 redirect tells search engine crawlers that a URL has been changed and redirects to a different URL. If a web page was ranking well on your old site, you might need to redirect the URL to keep those rankings.

A hosting provider focused on their clients’ SEO will have website migration experts make sure every redirect is in place before your new site goes live.

Keep or Improve Your Search Ranking With Web Hosting for SEO

You can change web hosts with a seamless transition that doesn’t damage your SEO. All you have to do is choose a hosting service focused on SEO.

Indsoft offers free and painless website migration to make your website move hassle-free. Everything will be handled for you, from the transfer of website files, databases, scripts, and email, to straightforward, low-cost domain registration.

Indsoft website migration process involves clear and efficient communication throughout, with fast migration of your whole site, plus post-move testing to ensure flawless performance.

When you sign up for a new Indsoft web hosting plan and open a migration support ticket from your Indsoft dashboard, your part of the process is done. Indsoft team of skilled technicians will migrate your site efficiently.

If you’re planning to change to a better hosting provider, preserving your SEO should be a top priority. We hope this article has given you a road map to selecting a provider, so you can move your site without impacting your SEO.

The advantages of Indsoft include:

• Backups with all plans
• Unmatched reliability
• 24/7 customer support through phone and email.
• Unmetered traffic
• Unmetered Bandwidth
• Multiple Data Centers
• Website Security
• Latest Tools & Plugins
• A user-friendly, drag-and-drop site builder

Having trouble switching WebHost? Contact our experts now!!