Google’s stance on shared IPs, servers and SEO unveiled
Google representative John Mueller recently addressed concerns about the impact of shared IP addresses and server hosting on SEO and website ranking. He clarified that Google’s system can differentiate shared IP addresses and servers, with no negative impact on SEO or site ranking. However, Mueller warned against sharing a server with sites that violate Google’s webmaster guidelines, which can influence reputable sites.
Mueller also highlighted the vital role of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) in enhancing site performance by reducing latency, improving security, and handling high traffic loads, which could boost SEO. On sharing IP addresses and server hosting with dubious websites, he reassured website owners that it’s commonplace due to a limited number of IP addresses. Google’s focus lies on the content of individual pages rather than the entire IP address or neighboring sites, hence no negative SEO effects.
On rare occasions, Mueller confirmed, Google has entirely eradicated mentions of an IP, which could have sparked speculations though it is an uncommon occurrence. He downplayed concerns on reputational risks, noting that shared hosting and use of CDNs is typical.
Decoding Google’s view on shared IPs and SEO
Mueller pointed out the commonality of numerous websites utilizing the same server and urged users to not jump to conclusions on shared IP addresses.
CDNs have multiple data centers worldwide, leading to IP address changes depending on location and time. Search engines have adapted to this situation, ignoring the unstable connection notion in favor of recognizing an IP change due to a CDN. Mueller emphasized that SEO rankings are usually not affected by these CDN-induced IP changes, thus website owners need not worry about CDN services affecting their site’s SEO rankings.
Mueller concluded by emphasizing the importance of CDNs ensuring they do not block Googlebot. He warned that any restrictions could lead to poor site performance or even exclusion from search results due to the lack of indexed content. Meanwhile, regular server log file checking can help identify any Googlebot access issues. Ignoring this could lead to a poor understanding of Google’s perspective on their website, affecting its performance in search engine rankings.
