If you want to avoid search engine stumbling blocks, you will need reliable web hosting and IP address
There are common problems that many are not aware of, which can affect how your website 'fares' with the search engines. Here are a few examples and tips to help you get it right:
Does your Domain Name match your IP Address?
Recently some of the major search engines began to use a Reverse DNS (Domain Name System) lookup to verify sites before they are indexed. The lookup provides the ability to locate a domain name using a Host IP address. Sites with domain names that don't match their IP addresses are either rejected outright, or penalized.
Blacklisted Host/ Shared IP Address
Your website can appear on a Blacklist if your IP address is shared with a "search engine spammer" or other websites that search engines want to exclude from their list.
Some search engines now check to see if IP address associated with a domain name is on any of the major "Spam Blacklists' before the site is ranked
Search engines often block all submissions from that particular IP Address or Hosting Machine. If your web site is on the same IP address or same Hosting Machine as the "blocked" website, your site may also very well be blocked from that search engine.
Check your IP address
In order to check to see if your website is on a blacklist, simply go to www.openrbl.org and type in your IP address. The site provides a report within seconds.
Another good tool that will allow you to check to see if you are on blacklists can be found at www.senderbase.org. For a comprehensive list of blacklists try the Google Directory
To avoid these problems, have your own Unique IP Address
Unreliable Hosts
If your Web site fails to respond when the search engine spider pays a visit, you will not be indexed. Even worse, if you are indexed and they pay a visit when your site is down, you could be removed from their database.
It pays to have a reliable hosting service that is up 99.5% of the time
However, at some point a spider is going to hit that other 0.5% and end up removing your pages by mistake. Therefore, it pays to keep a close eye on your listings and resubmit when needed.
Free Websites and Free Hosting
Many search engines no longer index pages from free websites, or they limit the number of pages they will index from these hosts. Sometimes they will get too many "junk" submissions from free web site domains such as Geocities or others. Therefore, some engines choose not to index anyone from some of these domains, or they limit the number of pages they will accept.
It's always best to buy your own domain name and place it on a respected, paid service to avoid being discriminated against
The free traffic you can generate from the search engines is just too valuable to be sacrificed for the small savings a free hosting service provides.
In addition, free hosts are often unreliable or force you to display banners that send valuable visitors away from your website soon after arriving, and that can cost you sales.
These are just a few web hosting and IP address search engine stumbling blocks. You can learn more on these related pages:
Unacceptable Techniques for Search Engines
More Search Engine Submission Stumbling Blocks
Avoid Search Engine Stumbling Blocks
Website Design and Construction Stumbling Blocks
Website Content Stumbling Blocks
Navigation and Inbound/Outbound Links Stumbling Blocks
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