Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Improve community registration rates

Note: This addon works with the 3.6.x series only. Click Here for the 3.7.0 version of this addon.

With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.

Because this plugin uses cookies, few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

About spiders/bots
This plugin works by setting a cookie to track the number of visits from a particular user. As bots do not tend to accept cookies, they should not be blocked. To further insure there is no spider accessibility issues, there script identifies major bots (google, yahoo, msn, aol) and explicitly lets them through -- you can easily add to this list by editing the plugin code should you so desire, however, unless a bot starts taking cookies this should not be necessary.


Welcome headers compatibility
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers system without any conflict. To insure that welcome header messages do not show up at the same time as the limited guest viewing message, please be sure you are running welcome headers version 4.1.3 or greater (released 11/19).

Updates
5/9/2008 - Released update to prevent installs on 3.7 boards.
2/18/2007 - Minor update to fix register link. Updates optional.
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[hoof]

Great product...easy install, Thanks!

[Enyay]

/me installs - great thanks!

[girlboheme]

I just wanted to let you know that I went from about 5 registering per day to 30 (still) and it's been six months. It quadrupled the member count we had after 1.5 years in just six months.

Thanks

[HydraulicJack]

This looks like a very elegant system!

I'm curious though as to what happens if an unregistered person visits the website
but blocks the cookie.

Is the forum then wide open for viewing unlimited thread / post content, or???

HJ

[Ted S]

The same thing that happens if a bot comes == there's nothing to count visits so they can keep on browsing.

[HydraulicJack]

Thanks very much Ted... I saw your post here after I'd ask you this in the PM you so graciously sent. All the best!
HJ

[Jibreil]

Thanks for this great MOD.

I was wondering besides the guests, whether Google, Yahoo! or MSN spiders are treated as guests or are they allowed to view any thread/forums infinite times?

[Steve-EFC]

Thanks alot, Wanting this kind of a mod for a long time!

[AnaB]

Great mod. Thanks so much. I have no idea how I hadn't seen this mod for so long.

[AsilentFart02]

Nvm, figured it out. Is there any way to get this to show up in the main forum section instead of just topics?