Google recently explained how it currently geotargets search rankings to users in different locations around the world.
John Mueller, a Google Webmaster Trends Analyst, stated:
“For geotargeting we use mostly the ccTLD or search console setting, so place the server where it works best for you.”
In years past, Google would look at the location of a server when determining where to best rank a site. According to Mueller’s statement, server location is now irrelevant.
What’s still relevant are ccTLDs, which stand for country code top-level domains. A ccTLD is a domain extension such as .ca or .de.
If your domain has a location-specific extension, Google is more likely to geotarget results for your site toward searchers in that particular country.
Search Console settings also come into play when geotargeting search results.
If you run a Canadian-based business, for example, it’s recommended that you adjust your Search Console settings accordingly.
While there are a number of other ways to help Google understand in which region search listings for your site should be targeted, it sounds like ccTLDs and Search Console are the most effective.
