Helpful info on quality hosts & registrars --->

[Artdude]

Hi all,

This is my first post in order to contribute to the forums. I'm learning more and more about how that picking a quality registrar working in tandum with a quality host can help your SERP. Some of you may already be familier with some of this, yet as i said i'm still learning. First, here's a good read on the fact that choosing the right host can benefit your SERP:


Please provide a non-hyperlinked url to the article and cite only a small section of this article as it was not written by you. This is per our forum guidelines. Thanks.

All this is great news to me! ..as well as learning that registering a domain name not only apart from your webhost, but placing your domain NAME on a seperate DN server (DNS) so that the lookup is faster and you have more options (such as enom). For small sites this isn't much of a concern, but for medium to large sites it is.

I'll post more when time permits.
Blessings..

Tim

[WebSavvy]

If that article wasn't written by you, you need to remove that from your post. You then need to cite only a small bit of it and then provide a non-hyperlinked url to the article itself.

[Dave Hawley]

I'm learning more and more about how that picking a quality registrar working in tandum with a quality host can help your SERPI stopped reading after that misguided statement.

[SEFL]

Actually, Dave, that's not totally misguided. But you have to look at the situation from the opposite angle.

A bad host renders a site unreachable, at least intermittently. That can hurt ranking in the sense that, as pages of a site or a site cannot be reached, they cannot be indexed and therefore cannot generate referral traffic.

As far as the registrar goes, selecting a bad registrar (or at least a bad root registrar) can lead to domain name seizure, inability ro renew, and other issues. I remember a few years ago when Dodora got shut down by ICANN and the domains were transferred over to DirectI, who proceeded to mess them up to the point where they were all frozen and records were unable to be updated.

http://www.icannwatch.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/09/202207

The bigger issue by far in either case is the user experience, and making sure the user can reach the site. But there are SEO implications as well.

In other words, the "help" that is gained from selecting the right host and registrar is the absence of having to deal with the issues caused by the "hurt" of selecting the wrong ones.

[Dave Hawley]

Yes, that along with your server being blown up by terrosists. :rolleyes: Give me a break :bs:

[SEFL]

Ummm....Dave...seriously, you're not making any sense.

Why is what I said BS? And don't just give some silly-assed flippant answer either. Give something concrete and logical.

[Dave Hawley]

Adam, the BS is NOT directed at you and must I state the bleeding obvious just as you have already? Ok, just for you :)

IF a host or registrar has to compare themselves with a "poor" host/registrar to look good, how good are they?

It's like Ferrari comparing themselves against 4 cylinder lunch box that runs on the smell on oily rag.

I've been around the block too many times now to be sucked in with a marketing post like Artdude posted.

[Artdude]

Yes, that along with your server being blown up by terrosists. Give me a break


I was refering to speed not security. That's another reason why i said that
"For small sites this isn't much of a concern, but for medium to large sites it is".

The numbers add up with a hugh company and site.

Also, the authors name was included in the post. I pasted it there for easy non-click reading, but from now on i'll just add the non-hyperlinked url.

blessings..
Tim

[ihelpyou]

Dave; Artdude didn't mean to come off as marketing anything.... that I am sure of. :)

[Artdude]

As i said in the first paragraph i'm still learning. If i'm wrong i'm wrong. Correct me. Humbly. We'll all learn something. I used to work tech support at a local isp and i'm pretty sure, not perfectly sure, that the 'handshaking' is more responsive with two servers if their really fast, programmed well, and sometimes even use the same componants, kinda like certain audio software sequencers (Pro Logic) work better with certain audio cards (Delta 1010) and even motherboards.
Comments? I'm also pretty sure, just using common sense, that the spiderbots add up the numbers when their algo's detects the bps of the servers. If I was writting the bot code i would tell it to ping for the speed of a DNS and and it's cousin Host. Spiders love speed. We all do, right.

blessings..
Tim

[Dave Hawley]

As i said in the first paragraph i'm still learning. If i'm wrong i'm wrong. Correct me.

A host will make ZERO difference to SE ranking. Not unless we ARE comparing with a cheap fly-by-night host who's downtime outweighs the uptime. Same applies for Domain registrars.

Your choice of hosting should have a Server located in the Country you are targeting and a dedicated server if the cost is justified. Downtime MUST occur from time-to-time for security updates and preventive maintenance. A good support system is a must along with a fast secure server.

[Artdude]

Oh ok, see, i learned :5:

I also bet, just using common sense, that the spiderbots add up the numbers when their algo's detects the bps. If I was writting the bot code i would tell it to ping for the speed of a DNS and and it's cousin Host. Spiders love speed. We all do, right.

More comments? :read:

[Dave Hawley]

SE spiders don't download pages in the same way users would via a Browser. For example, googlebot can grab hundreds (maybe 1000's?) pages per second.

[Artdude]

Your choice of hosting should have a Server located in the Country you are targeting and a dedicated server if the cost is justified. Downtime MUST occur from time-to-time for security updates and preventive maintenance. A good support system is a must along with a fast secure server.

:thumb: :up: :thumb: :up:

[Connie]

I would agree that both a host and or a registrar can have an impact on a website.

If someone sets up domain forwarding, most registrars are going to do that with a 302 redirect.

Some host do not allow a .htaccess file.

As Adam pointed out a host that is constantly down is also going to be a problem.

[Dave Hawley]

Surely a host being down frequently is a no-brainer that doesn't need pointing out??

It's like having to tell someone they need Petrol in their car.

[Connie]

Surely a host being down frequently is a no-brainer that doesn't need pointing out??

It's like having to tell someone they need Petrol in their car.
Agreed for someone who has some experience. If that happens to us we change host. For someone who is new that is not such an easy decision.

[Artdude]

Hey Dave you might think i'm refering to something else. My main point was that having two fast and honed prepriotory servers could possibly give you a little gain in speed and hopefully increase your SERP. Speed is a no brainer, i would imagine, for Googles programmers.

I've decided to study up on "match & mating" various registrars (with quality DNS units) together with Hosts to see if i can obtain a quicker responce (e.g. maybe server vicinity, how many hops, Cisco with Cisco, etc). After i do a lot of tests, dry out my eyes from reading everything in sight (gotta get a flat panel), then i'll choose the services i want. A month from now i'll have a new 'combo' for our site ;) and money's not too much of an option at this point.
If i can remember, i'll re-bump this thread to show some of my results.

Check this out: askdavetaylor.com/can_dns_changes_affect_search_engine_results_placement_serp.html

Tim

[WebSavvy]

I've used a few different registrars in the past when I first started buying domain names. Some registrars propagate their dns really fast, and some don't.

I've been using whois-register.com now for about 6 years and would never go anywhere else. If I buy a new domain and set the nameservers, within 10-15 mins (sometimes less) I can reach that brand new domain in my browser and see files I just uploaded to the server.

I love whois-register. They're a great registrar and their service is 100% solid and reliable.

For hosts, I can suggest quite a few to avoid at all cost. LOL
Then, there are other hosts that have been pretty good.

I've hosted with 3 hosts that I would say are in the 99% solid and reliable range:
schogini.com
myacen.com
hostgator.com

HTH

[Artdude]

If I buy a new domain and set the nameservers, within 10-15 mins (sometimes less) I can reach that brand new domain in my browser and see files I just uploaded to the server.

hmmm, impressive. I'll keep them in mind! Thanx WebSavvy. I've heard a lot of people say enom :ignore: was good, i haven't tested, so i don't know.
As for hosts, i've never heard of the first two. I'm also going to check up on Futurequest, fluidhosting, and hostgator for now. Thanx for the responses everyone.

i just noticed whois-Register is a reseller for enom.com
A traceroute says they're in WA which is too far from me. I need one on the east coast (a lot of our fan base is from the UK which is closer to the east, if it works that way, based on satellite)

Here's another great article: searchenginejournal.com/server-issues-can-affect-search-engine-rankings/2249/

[WebSavvy]

Yeah, whois-register is an enom reseller. They've (whois-register) been around for a long time, too.

I'd never switch to another registrar. I used to use Network Solutions and I have to say, they are without a doubt the worst registrar I've ever had the misfortune to use.

[Artdude]

Yeah a lot of people had their fill of NS :soapbox:

I use Dotster for now. There not bad, just have DNS's that aren't very responsive.

I still might go with whois-register. I realize it doesn't matter about the reseller thing if they're a good company.

Oh! Another good article on topic: searchenginejournal.com/server-issues-can-affect-search-engine-rankings/2249/

[tarheel]

Here's something along the line of this discussion.

After building our own portfolio to 30 domains and handling a number of web sites for customers and all the problems dealing with different hosts we decided to signup as hosting resellers. We host our own domains and many of our design/development clients.

It did not take us long to realize the primary data center had a lot to do with any hosting service for speed, DNS changes, downtime,etc. After using host services from 3 different data centers around the U.S.A. California, Denver and Miami, we decided to use the Miami Exchange. This was a wise decision.

So, I think when you are looking for a host for serious business you should investiagte the data center they use or own. A quick search can provide a wealth of information.

[Artdude]

Thanx tarheel,

"data center" - are you refering to 'backbone' providers such as Sprint, At&t, etc?

[tarheel]

"data center" - are you refering to 'backbone' providers such as Sprint, At&t, etc?


Not exactly, A backbone provider supplies high transmission lines that connect people to the internet.

Here is some information regarding data centers - and centers by country
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Data_centers.

What I have learned is very few web hosts (like us) own a server. And many that do (the bigger companies) colocate at a data center for service, security, savings, etc.

The importance to me was actual uptime, not promises, server administration support that actually works 24/7, advance notification of server changes, mail server speed and the efforts made against SPAM, etc. If I make promises to my customers then I have to know I can back it up.

[Artdude]

So they're the ones (the global data centers) who house the backbone carriers, of each country. Gotcha. Thanx.

[Blue]

So they're the ones (the global data centers) who house the backbone carriers, of each country. Gotcha. Thanx. Not exactly.

Backbone providers only provide data throughput, via the transmission lines they own and manage. You could think of a transmission line as a telephone line.

Examples of backbone providers would be Mzima and Savvis.

Since they provide all the transmission of data over their transmission lines, they are the "backbone" of the Internet.

Data Centers are facilities that house computer systems (including servers) and associated equipment. Data ceters can house single companies, or multitudes of companies (the latter being called data hotels).

More than likely, the hosting company you serve your website from is housed in a data center, and connects to the Internet utilizing one or more of the major backbone providers.

[Artdude]

Thanx Blue!

Yeah, i know what you guys are talking about now. Terminology throws me off sometimes. I used to work tech support for a local isp located on the 19th floor of an office high-rise.

[WebSavvy]

ThePlanet is a NOC (network operations center) that houses (colocates) servers.

My host (hostgator) has their servers at ThePlanet. They're fast and I haven't had one minute downtime since moving there.

I used to have a semi-dedicated server. The company I had it through was great at first. Then a few months later the owner of the company sold out the company to another web host company.

The new owners were terrible. They kept the name of the former company (the good web host) and ran that into the ground. They immediately upon taking over, took away all my dedicated IPs which I paid extra for on a monthly basis and put me on shared IPs. I was still paying for dedicated IPs and not getting them.

They moved all my sites onto a shared server but yet continued to charge me semi-dedicated prices, along with the charges for the dedicated IPs which I was no longer being provided with.

They "lost" two of my sites. Yes, lost. They didn't know where they'd moved them to. I was furious. Turns out they own 8 or 9 other hosting companies that they've swallowed too and they moved 2 of my sites to their other companies by mistake.

They corrupted my main database. On one db they moved part of it, but not its contents. On another one they moved the site but left all 3 of that sites dbs on another server that they had already hosed the data off of.

Their help desk was broken and wouldn't accept tickets. Their email address for support was broken and kept bouncing emails back to me. Their phone number for help had a recording that I couldn't get passed. This went on for 4 days straight. During all of which, my sites were completely down.

I hit the roof. I called and left the snottiest message on their machine and oh, finally they fixed help desk, fixed their email account, and fixed the dead server. It stayed live for about 3 hours.

Long enough for me to make my backups and move away from them. That was when I moved to hostgator, and I am not sorry. I wish I'd found hostgator sooner.

[Artdude]

Unbelievable! ..or rather believable, in this old fractured world we live in. It almost makes me want to buy my own dedicated server, but i can only afford VPS for now; maybe a nice shared plan. Futurequest and fluidhosting used to be awesome years back - don't know about now.

[WebSavvy]

Whatever you do, don't get a VPS through mydomain.com

I had one there too. Everything was broken. I mean, everything. Emails and support tickets were answered all right, but nothing was ever fixed. It also uses PLESK (I loathe plesk!).

I canceled the contract 12 days into it and they refunded my money but it took them a month and a half to do it because they thought they'd already done that and said "oops. Our system has a small reporting glitch. sorry."

:rolleyes:

[Artdude]

we're all just a number, part of the paycheck,
"we don't get no respect" (Rodney Dangerfield) :hitting:.

thanx for the tip on theirdoma... i mean, mydomain.com :lol:

[Dave Hawley]

Hey Dave you might think i'm refering to something else. My main point was that having two fast and honed prepriotory servers could possibly give you a little gain in speed and hopefully increase your SERP. Speed is a no brainer, i would imagine, for Googles programmers.

I've decided to study up on "match & mating" various registrars (with quality DNS units) together with Hosts to see if i can obtain a quicker responce (e.g. maybe server vicinity, how many hops, Cisco with Cisco, etc). After i do a lot of tests, dry out my eyes from reading everything in sight (gotta get a flat panel), then i'll choose the services i want. A month from now i'll have a new 'combo' for our site ;) and money's not too much of an option at this point.
If i can remember, i'll re-bump this thread to show some of my results.

Check this out: askdavetaylor.com/can_dns_changes_affect_search_engine_results_placement_serp.html

TimTim,

The page you linked to shows only that Google does NOT automatically retain rankings when a domain name changes hands.

Blackhats have always tried to fool Google by buying up established Domain names. As far as I'm aware, this method hasn't worked for quite some time, if ever. Blackhats are about as sharp as a bowling ball :)

What one would NEED to do is, buy an established site, change nothing and hope all inbound links, that Google sees as votes, are retained. No guarantees even this will work.

[Artdude]

Yeah i know. I still want (not 'need' at this point) to get a good registrar and Host 'combo'. I don't mind spending 25-30 bucks a month for good fast service; hey, it's all for the Lord anyway - our stuff is 100% free.

Blackhats are Blackbrats :)

Yeah true.
Well, i'm off to go bleed/dry my eyes out some more in research (or buy an LCD and some good glasses :eek:).

[Dave Hawley]

I doubt 30 bucks per month will buy true quality hosting.

[Artdude]

Shared hosting is what i meant, however, i've been wanting a VPS for sometime now and may get that.

[Dave Hawley]

Artdude, so did I.

[Artdude]

Are you saying there are no 'killer' shared plans for 30 bucks (more $$ equals better)? ..and that if i want faster 'shared hosting' beyond those offering one for around $20.00 i would have to go the VPS route?

[Dave Hawley]

No, I'm saying the chances of cheaper being better is a LOT less than expense being better.

[jfrovich]

ThePlanet is a NOC (network operations center) that houses (colocates) servers.

My host (hostgator) has their servers at ThePlanet. They're fast and I haven't had one minute downtime since moving there.



My dedicated server is also at ThePlanet
I love there service much better than any of my previous web hosting accounts..

[Blue]

I doubt 30 bucks per month will buy true quality hosting. $30 per month can easily buy true quality hosting. I have no doubt about that.

[Artdude]

So 'chances' are, i'ld be better off with something expensive :D
..like a VPS plan of which i am SO tempted to purchase at this point.

Thanx everyone for the posts. If i find some more articles i'll post them for those with whom they'll benefit. And i hope they do, and have.

[Dave Hawley]

$30 per month can easily buy true quality hosting. I have no doubt about that.Depends on ones needs, server specs, defintion of quality and where the server is.

For example, low traffic sites (less than 15,000 uniques per day) $30 per month may suit.

[Blue]

So 'chances' are, i'ld be better off with something expensive :D
..like a VPS plan of which i am SO tempted to purchase at this point. Expensive does not always equate with quality (though in general, one gets what one pays for). I know of many "expensive" hosts that simply suck where service is concerned. I know of some "affordable" (note: not cheap) hosts that provide a fanatical level of support and utilize great equipment.

What I'd do if I were you is to search around a lot. Know what you need (server requirements), and ask specific questions of hosts you're considering. If the answers aren't exactly what you are looking for, or if they are evasive or couched in unreality, move on and keep looking.

You may not necessarily need a VPS now (that depends on many factors) and there may be shared plans that have all the elements you need, whilst allowing for an easy upgrade path.

Don't let economics completely drive your decision, but do take them into consideration. I'd rather pay a bit more and get great service, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Affordable is nice. :)

A coupla words of advice:

1.) Avoid any host that offers "unlimited" as there is no such thing.
2.) Especially seek out a host that has a comprehensive backup plan.
3.) Find a host that utilizes multiple major backbone providors.
4.) No host can "guarantee" 100% uptime, so if they claim that, go elsewhere.
5.) Find a host that has an excellent track record where support is concerned.

[Connie]

I guarantee you that you can get quality hosting for less than $15.00 per month. A VPS may cost a couple more dollars per month. Check out my host JaguarPC.com (http://www.jaguarpc.com). I've been with Jag for 6 + years. I would not even consider another host at this time.

However, everyone who is satisfied with their host will tell you the same thing.

[successmindedgal]

A coupla words of advice:

1.) Avoid any host that offers "unlimited" as there is no such thing.
2.) Especially seek out a host that has a comprehensive backup plan.
3.) Find a host that utilizes multiple major backbone providors.
4.) No host can "guarantee" 100% uptime, so if they claim that, go elsewhere.
5.) Find a host that has an excellent track record where support is concerned.

thanks for the advice...:)