Should I change hosting / registration when buying an established website?
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I am buying an established website that is currently ranking very well for several keywords. I have no intentions of changing anything on the site.
My question is, will it matter if I change where the site is hosted, and the whois information (I want to change it from public to private)? i.e., I don't want to do anything to mess up the current rankings of the site - will these changes have any effect?
Thanks for the help.
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As long as you transfer the website correctly, the IP address's geo-location remains the same, and you use a reputable host, I would say you are fine. Site speed would be something to consider when shopping for a new host because search engines use this in their algorithm, and fast sites create a great user experience, which is good for everything including SEO.
Also, changing a website from public to private has no affect on rankings.
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The simple answer is NO
However, keep in mind that the IP has a very very small impact on your rankings.
If you target the French market, you have a very slight advantage in getting an IP from France
Also, try to get a good host so your website's loading speed doesn't get affected.
Other than that, I really don't see anything.
Oh, don't forget "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
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