google.com v google.co.uk

[Yokozuna]

There are two sites, both are .com , but are for UK-based businesses.

One appears #1 for a specific search, and the other at #2.
(google.com)

However, the same search term on a UK only search brings the #2 site to the top, and the one that was at #1 disappears from the front page of results altogether.

Can anyone provide an explanation for this?

Are the algorithims so markedly different that a site can do well on a worldwide search but not on a UK one?

I could understand it if the site that fell out of the rankings altogether on the UK-only search was a non-UK focused site - but it is even in a UK category in DMOZ and the Google directory.

:confused:

[dvduval]

I believe Google can tell if the site is being hosted on a UK server by the IP address. Could it be that one of the sites is on a UK hosted server and the other is on an American hosted server?

[Yokozuna]

The site at #2 on google.com is on our server - in the UK.

I've just traced the other site - and that too is hosted in the UK.

:(

[dvduval]

What is the search phrase?

[landmark]

I haven't yet worked out how google.co.uk filters UK sites. In my experience it usually gets it right, even for .com sites. However, aol.co.uk often gets it wrong, even though it's pulling results from the google database :(.

I think you can help Google by including the word UK in the body text.

[searchenginemarketing4u]

AOL UK is a nightmare, often showing the top 10 results from the same site!