Administrative and Maintenance Tools - vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator

vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator - vBulletin 3.6.x
Download vB 3.8.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.7.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.5.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.0.x Compatible Version Here

Note: Version 2.5 replaces all previous versions of the vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator, and now includes support for all the new URL types in vBulletin 3.8.x.

Overview
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Providing Google, Yahoo, Ask sitemaps is an essential step towards improving your forums.

The "vBSEO Google Sitemaps" plugin provides a solution that allows your forum to be indexed by the Google (and also Yahoo and Ask) search engines faster, more completely, more effectively, and with less bandwidth consumption.

The ultimate goal is to help you achieve more web traffic for your forum.

Originally Posted by Google's Description of GSM

https://services.google.com/inquiry/publishertools?hl=en_US
Google Sitemaps is an easy way for you to help improve your site?s representation in the Google index. It's a collaborative crawling system that enables you to communicate directly with Google. You get a smarter crawl because you can provide Google with specific information about all your web pages, such as when a page was last modified or how frequently it changes.

Note: This plugin is fully compliant with vBSEO 3.x version. The current version is vBSEO 3.2. However, if you are running vBSEO, please upgrade to vBSEO 3.2 or greater before installing.

Compatibility
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Fully compatible with:

• vBulletin 3.0.x, 3.5.x, 3.6.x, 3.7.x and 3.8.x
• vBulletin Blogs 1.0.x and 2.0.x *Optional
• vBSEO 2.x, 3.x *Optional

What does it do?

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• Auto-generates a Google XML sitemap for all of your specified forum URL types (including vBulletin Blog URLs).
• Auto-generates a Yahoo text sitemap for all of your specified forum URL types.
• Auto-notifies Google when a new sitemap is generated.
• Automatically sends you a summary of the sitemap generation via email each time it is created.
• Includes only publicly accessible forums and threads.
• Allows Google/Yahoo to find all of your forum URLs without having to spider the forum to find the links.
• Allows Google/Yahoo to find your forum URLs without having to account for query string and/or session ID information.
• Allows Google to give precedence to crawling your higher priority forum pages.
• Allows Google to give precedence to crawling your forum pages that change more frequently.
• Allows you to conserve bandwidth by more efficiently facilitating the crawling processes for GoogleBot and Yahoo Slurp.
• Is 100% compatible with the static CRUs (Content Relevant URLs) used by vBSEO-enabled forums.

How does it work?
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Whenever it is scheduled or invoked via the URL, this plugin will generate both the Google XML formatted and the Yahoo text formatted sitemaps. If you selected "Yes" to the Google auto-notification setting, Google will be notified each time the sitemap is generated. The Yahoo sitemap must be manually submitted to http://submit.search.yahoo.com/free/request/.

• Google Sitemap files are gzipped
• Forum and thread pages are listed with pagination (i.e. all pages for each forums/thread are included in the sitemap)
• Maximum Priority is set for Sticky threads.
• Optimization for sitemap generation on large forums.

Automated Reporting Tool
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The vBSEO Sitemap includes a report tool, allowing you to track your progress. To access your reports enter the following URL:

http://www.example.com/forums/vbseo_sitemap/

NOTE: Replace "http://www.example.com/forums/" with the full URL to your vB forum root.


You will be required to login by providing your "Sitemap Interface Access Password" from your vBSEO Sitemap settings in:

• vBulletin Admin CP (for 3.5.x/3.6.x/3.7.x/3.8.x users) OR
• vbseo_sitemap.php configuration file (for 3.0.x users) located in the vbseo_sitemap directory in your forum root.

Once you successfully login, you will be provided with a list of 'Useful Links'. Here are the 4 main links:

Show Reports List
The 'Show Reports List' link will display a report of each time your vBSEO Sitemap generator executed, including the (1) date, (2) run time, (3) total URLs included, and (4) and change in # of URLs included from the last generation.

Each vBSEO Sitemap generation record will include a (1) "View details" and (2) "Remove record" link. The "View Details" link shows more detailed information about the sitemap generated. The "Remove record" will permanently delete the record from your reports.

Show Sitemap Downloads Log
The 'Show Sitemap Downloads Log' link will display a report of each time your vBSEO Sitemap was downloaded by either a search engine (GoogleBot or Yahoo) or by another user agent (i.e. Web browser, etc.).

The report includes the (1) date, (2) name of sitemap file downloaded, (3) Bot, (4) IP address of the downloader, and the (5) User-agent.

Each vBSEO Sitemap download record will include a "Remove record" link which will permanently delete the record from your reports.

Run Sitemap Generator
The 'Run Sitemap Generator' link will automatically regenerate your Google and Yahoo sitemaps.

Your Forums Homepage
The 'Your Forums Homepage' link is a quick link back to your forum homepage.

Additional Links
Additional links to various other related SEO resources are also included.


Click "Install"
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Please click "Install" to show your support for this script.


Installation & Configuration for vB 3.5.x, 3.6.x, 3.7.x and 3.8.x as a Plugin
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Follow the installation/upgrade instructions provided in the docs/readme.html file.


Google Webmaster Accounts
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It is NOT required for you to have a Google Webmaster account to run the vBulletin Google Sitemaps plugin. If you decide to setup an account for testing purposes you can do so here:
http://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login?sourceid=gsm&subid=us-et-about2


Copyright & Licensing

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• vBSEO Google Sitemaps plugin is copyright protected by Crawlability Inc.
• You are free to download and install this plugin on any vBulletin forum for which you hold a valid vB license.
• Unauthorized distribution of any code and/or documentation, whole or in part, included here is strictly prohibited.
• In addition, the following copyright notice must be maintained.

vBSEO(TM) ? 2005-2009 Crawlability, Inc.


Revision History
============================

02/22/2009 - Version 2.5 Released

NEW FEATURE: Blog tags URLs are included.
NEW FEATURE: Social Group Discussion URLs are included.
NEW FEATURE: Smart Priority applied for the following URL types

1. Show Post
2. Member Profiles
3. Forum Display
4. Poll Results
5. Blog Entries
6. Member Profile Albums
7. Social Groups
8. Social Groups Discussions
9. Social Group Pictures
10. Tags
11. Blog Tags

UPDATE: Compatible with vBulletin 3.8.x. Includes the following updated settings:

1. Priority Range - Show Post
2. Priority Range - Member Profiles
3. Priority Range - Forum Display
4. Priority Range - Poll Results
5. Priority Range - Show Thread
6. Priority Range - Blog Entries
7. Priority Range - Member Profile Albums
8. Priority Range - Social Groups
9. Priority Range - Social Group Pictures
10. Priority Range - Tags

Fix: Social Group Discussion database error is fixed.

Upgrade Instructions
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(1) Follow the installation/upgrade instructions provided in the docs/readme.html file.

(2) For versions of vBulletin 3.6.x only: Open "Schedule Manager" in the vBulletin Admin Control Panel (admincp); Remove existing scheduled task for Sitemap Generator if you have one.
Note: The new task will be automatically setup when you import the XML product file.

Other vBSEO Plugins

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• vBSEO - vBulletin Search Engine Optimization
  
• vBSEO Conditional Signatures for vBulletin

vBSEO Affiliate Program
============================

We welcome you to join the vBSEO Affiliate Program.

[T_Richardson]

I got 12 errors in the google sitemap webmaster tools:

Line: 8
Paths don't match
We've detected that you submitted your Sitemap using a URL path that includes the www prefix (for instance, http://www.example.com/sitemap.xml). However, the URLs listed inside your Sitemap don't use the www prefix (for instance, http://example.com/myfile.htm). [?] URL: http://alliedterritory.com/
Date found: Jul 8, 2007

[TCB]

Originally Posted by DementedMindz

you need to fix the cpnav_vbseo_sitemap.xml in there you will see <navgroup phrase="vbseo" displayorder="3"> it should be <navgroup phrase="vbseo_vbseo" displayorder="3"> if not it will show the incorrect phrase ( *[vbseo]* ) in admincp.

Thanks

that really annoyed me, it looks way better now

[iojam]

T_Richardson,

in case if your forums URL is defined in admincp like http://example.com, you should submit sitemap like http://example.com/sitemap.xml (NOT http://www.example.com/sitemap.xml).

[Yellow Slider]

the sitemap tool is working for a year on my board..
but, Google like to index pages from my board that are really old, and i don't want google bots to access those pages, which means that i shouldn't send google in the sitemaps old URLs..
I have just one google bot on the site, it is the same bot that is downloading all the sitemaps, and it his crawling my board a lot, so I want it to crawl new threads , what do I need to change to Generate filtered sitemaps (which means that only threads from a certain date will be included in the site maps files) can you please help me?

[iojam]

vBSEO Sitemap Generator doesn't allow to exclude (cutoff) the threads based on the posts age.

[Boots]

Should I see an entry for every single day in my "Show Reports List" ? I only have 3 entries there and this has been installed for 6 days.

[Boots]

Here is my scheduled task log for the job

6100  	vbseo_sitemap_task  	03:01, 16th Jul 2007  	Google Sitemap [Started]
6081 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:02, 15th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
6057 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:01, 14th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
6035 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:02, 13th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
6016 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:00, 12th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
5991 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:00, 11th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
5972 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:01, 10th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
5973 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	03:01, 10th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap Created
5956 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	15:28, 9th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap [Started]
5957 	vbseo_sitemap_task 	15:28, 9th Jul 2007 	Google Sitemap Created

[iojam]

Hello,

try to execute sitemap generation manually in vbseo_sitemap/ interface to check if it finishes successfully.

[Boots]

It executes fine when run manually.

[Bacon Butty]

Newbie alert here lads.

I installed the mod a while ago, but when I go to googles webmaster tools I am getting an error when I try to add the sitemap.

I have tried forum/sitemap_index.xml.gz and /sitemap_index.xml.gz but it isn't accepting it?

When I check in the FTP there is no such file as 'sitemap_index.xml.gz' How do I generate it? I have run the sitemap generator I get;

[homepage] [0s (+0)]
[SECTION START] forumdisplay [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 1, total threads: 0, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 2, total threads: 446, pages: 23 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 6, total threads: 103, pages: 6 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 3, total threads: 577, pages: 29 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 4, total threads: 215, pages: 11 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 14, total threads: 0, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 15, total threads: 1, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 17, total threads: 1, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 16, total threads: 4, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 18, total threads: 0, pages: 1 [0s (+0)]
[forumdisplay] forum_id: 11, total threads: 73, pages: 4 [0s (+0)]
[SECTION START] showthread [0s (+0)]
[create sitemap file] filename: sitemap_1.xml.gz, number of urls: 20000 [1s (+1)]
[create sitemap in text format] part #2 [1s (+0)]
[archive homepage] [2s (+0)]
[SECTION START] forumdisplay archived [2s (+0)]
[SECTION START] showthread archived [2s (+0)]
[SECTION START] member [2s (+0)]
[create sitemap file] filename: sitemap_2.xml.gz, number of urls: 6966 [2s (+0)]
[create sitemap in text format] part #3 [2s (+0)]
[create sitemap index] filename: sitemap_index.xml.gz, number of sitemaps: 2 [2s (+0)]

Any help greatly appreciated.