Google.com switches to Google.co.uk
May 27, 2010 | 4:43 pm
#1
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Google.com switches to Google.co.uk
I only just noticed this. If I enter www.google.com in the address bar on FF, IE, Chrome, it now auto resolves to www.google.co.uk. I am in the UK and have never noticed this behaviour - has anyone else noticed it and found a fix?
Update: this www.google.com/ncr allows me to have it not redirect. But I don't like having to do this.
Update 2: I think I "fixed" it. If it redirects me to google.co.uk, at the bottom of the page I click on Go To Google.com and it now seems to let me override it at will now. Still an odd behaviour that has only started happening.
Update: this www.google.com/ncr allows me to have it not redirect. But I don't like having to do this.
Update 2: I think I "fixed" it. If it redirects me to google.co.uk, at the bottom of the page I click on Go To Google.com and it now seems to let me override it at will now. Still an odd behaviour that has only started happening.
Last edited by Silver Fox; May 27, 2010 at 4:51 pm
May 27, 2010 | 5:14 pm
#3
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For me, I've always been directed to, for example, Google Deutschland (google.de) whenever I've been in Germany. I usually just use the "google.com in English" button to get to the U.S. site, unless I'm doing a search where I want Germany-specific results.
May 27, 2010 | 10:10 pm
#5
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Its not limiting your search options, afaik. We have the same thing happen in Aus, and has been that way for a number of years. Anytime I want to limit my search to Australia, I have an extra radio button to select that option.
May 28, 2010 | 12:29 am
#6
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Well I have no problems now with it and it is back to what was normal for me after following my own "fix" in Update 2. It has never used my IP address like that to redirect me from .com to .co.uk until yesterday - perhaps a cookie expired for some sort of preference that I may have had. Google's recommendation is to bookmark www.google.com/ncr.
May 28, 2010 | 8:33 am
#7
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While it doesn't (to my knowledge) limit your search options, it does seem to affect the results and the rankings. When I know I want something specific to a certain country I always point myself to their Google site, and seem to get better results.
May 28, 2010 | 12:24 pm
#8
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Well I have no problems now with it and it is back to what was normal for me after following my own "fix" in Update 2. It has never used my IP address like that to redirect me from .com to .co.uk until yesterday - perhaps a cookie expired for some sort of preference that I may have had. Google's recommendation is to bookmark www.google.com/ncr.
MisterNice
May 29, 2010 | 11:03 am
#9
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The "fix" is that you can have a cookie (that will eventually expire) that tells the localised site you want to go to the other one. If you clear cookies, or use a different computer, how are they meant to know you don't want to be on the local site?
May 30, 2010 | 5:24 am
#10
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If I type in google.com I expect it to go to google.com. If I type in google.co.uk I expect it to go to google.co.uk. I don't need it dumbed down, or for google to make an arbitary, wrong decision on my part based on an ip address.
May 30, 2010 | 7:20 am
#11
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This is intentional. It's a tough problem to solve since 98% of users can't figure out how to get to their local site and type Google.com when .co.uk or .de would give better results. From Google's perspective, 98% of people get localized content (which is a good thing) and the other 2% can use techniques like the above to get to the general google.com search box. They should indeed make it easier, but that's the price you pay for a very basic homepage. It's hard to add lots of options without making it cluttered.
May 30, 2010 | 9:47 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2002
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In my experience this redirection only happens when you type google.com (which is, of course, what an American would do). If I type in google.co.uk then, no matter where I am in the world, I get taken to the .uk site. Same when I type google.de (i.e., I get taken to the German site)
I wonder if typing google.us would take you to the US version of Google? (You do have a country code - lots of people don't realise this!)
I wonder if typing google.us would take you to the US version of Google? (You do have a country code - lots of people don't realise this!)
Last edited by Aviatrix; May 30, 2010 at 10:14 am Reason: typo
Jun 1, 2010 | 7:39 am
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This is intentional. It's a tough problem to solve since 98% of users can't figure out how to get to their local site and type Google.com when .co.uk or .de would give better results. From Google's perspective, 98% of people get localized content (which is a good thing) and the other 2% can use techniques like the above to get to the general google.com search box. They should indeed make it easier, but that's the price you pay for a very basic homepage. It's hard to add lots of options without making it cluttered.
In my experience this redirection only happens when you type google.com (which is, of course, what an American would do). If I type in google.co.uk then, no matter where I am in the world, I get taken to the .uk site. Same when I type google.de (i.e., I get taken to the German site)
I wonder if typing google.us would take you to the US version of Google? (You do have a country code - lots of people don't realise this!)
I wonder if typing google.us would take you to the US version of Google? (You do have a country code - lots of people don't realise this!)