If your Rocketspark website has been created on the wrong hosting region (sometimes called a server or hosting location), we can move it for you. This usually comes up when an overseas designer set up the site, or when you're expanding into a new country and want your website hosted closer to where most of your visitors are. This guide walks through why hosting region matters, how to check which one you're on, and what's involved if you'd like us to move it.
Why your hosting region matters
Rocketspark has hosting in four regions: New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. When you start a new website with us, we automatically point you to the closest one based on where you are at the time. That's usually the right call, but it can land in the wrong place if someone overseas is setting the site up for you, or if your business is based in a different country to where the site was created.
We recommend having your website hosted in the region closest to where most of your visitors are, for two reasons:
- Page load speed. Your website's files are physically stored on hosting equipment in that region. The further a visitor is from that equipment, the longer pages take to load. A New Zealand visitor loading a site hosted in the UK will notice the lag.
- Local SEO. Search engines like Google can factor hosting location into local search rankings. A site hosted in the UK will tend to perform better in UK search results, all else being equal.
If most of your visitors are in one country, having the site hosted there is the better setup.
How to check which hosting region you're currently on
Before contacting us, it helps to know where your site lives now.
- Go to rocketspark.com and login to your dashboard
- From the left-hand menu, scroll down and click on My Account
- On the right-hand side, you will see a section for 'Website Hosting Location'.
- If you find that your website is showing in the wrong location, please reach out to us at support@rocketspark.com
When you contact us, it speeds things up if you include:- The URL of the website you'd like moved
- The hosting region it's currently on
- The hosting region you'd like it moved to
What's involved when we move your site
We'll export your website from its current hosting region and import it into the new one. For most sites this is straightforward, but there are a few things worth knowing upfront.
Custom fonts
If your site uses custom fonts (fonts you've uploaded yourself, rather than ones chosen from the Adobe library), we'll need to remove these before the move and re-add them afterwards. We'll ask you to supply the original font files so we can re-upload them on the new hosting region. If you don't have the font files handy, it's worth tracking these down before getting in touch.
Custom code
If your site has a lot of custom code, the move can take a little longer than usual. There's nothing extra needed from you in this case, it's just a slightly lengthier process on our end.
If your site is already live
If your website has been upgraded and is live on a domain name, there may be some downtime during the move. This is because each hosting region uses different DNS records (the settings that tell the internet where your website lives), and these need to be updated to point at the new region.
If we manage your domain name for you, we'll handle the DNS update as part of the move.
If your domain is managed externally (with another provider like GoDaddy, Crazy Domains, or Fasthosts), you'll need to update the DNS records yourself once the move is complete. We'll send you the new DNS settings to use. DNS changes can take anywhere from a few hours up to 72 hours to fully take effect across the internet, so it's worth picking a quieter time for the change if you can.
If your site is still on a trial and hasn't been upgraded yet, there's no downtime to worry about, it's a much simpler move.
FAQs
Does it cost anything to move my website to a different hosting region?
No, there's no charge for moving your site between hosting regions. It's a free service we offer.
How long does the move take?
For most sites, the move itself only takes a short time on our end. The wait time depends on whether DNS records need updating (which can take up to 72 hours to fully propagate) and whether your site has a lot of custom code. We'll give you a clearer timeline once we've looked at your site.
Will my website be offline during the move?
If your site is live on a domain, there can be some downtime while DNS records update. If your site is still on a trial and hasn't been upgraded, there's no downtime. We'll let you know what to expect for your specific situation.
What happens to my custom fonts during the move?
Custom fonts need to be removed before the move and re-added on the new hosting region. We'll ask you to send through the original font files so we can re-upload them once your site is on the new region.
Can I move my website myself?
No, moving between hosting regions has to be done on our end. It's not something that can be done through the Dashboard. Just send us an email and we'll take care of it.
Can I have two websites on different hosting regions?
Yes. If you're expanding into a new country and want a second site hosted closer to that market, we can set that up. Get in touch and we'll talk through the options.
How do I know which hosting region is best for my site?
The general rule is to choose the region closest to where most of your visitors are. If your customers are spread across multiple countries, pick the region where the majority are based, or where your business is headquartered. If you're not sure, we're happy to help you decide.
Need more help?
If you'd like us to move your website to a different hosting region, or you have questions about which region would suit your site best, email us at support@rocketspark.com. We're happy to help.