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
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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
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We welcome you to join the vBSEO Affiliate Program.

[BamaStangGuy]

Originally Posted by Steve St.Lauren

There looks to be an error in the import xml script. When I tried to import the product I got the following error:



When I look at the import xml script in the cron section here is what is in there:



It looks like the task_vbseo_sitemap_log entry is missing stuff - there's no /phrase and nothing to be added.

At the top of the screen I get this:

I know it's a late reply but I ran into this as well. You are using a slave database server right? If so that is why. Just change the data type to mysql from mysql_slave to import it. Then change it back to mysql_slave once imported.

[baghdad4ever]

Originally Posted by iojam

baghdad4ever,

make sure that you created .htaccess file as described.

i upload the file

but the host delete it automatically

if there is any file modification?? plz help

how can i fix that???

[AFemaleProdigy]

I am running this on two different sites. Both are giving me database errors when I run the gen with "Include Show Thread Pages" set to "yes". If I disable that, the map is created with no problems. Any ideas here?

It gets to this point and gives a database error:

[SECTION START] showthread [0s (+0s)]

***update***

I did some testing and noticed that if I disable "Smart Priority for Show Thread Pages", but leave the "Include Show Thread Pages" enabled then I do not get the error. So it seems there may be a problem with that priority feature???

[DieselMinded]

It wont let me delete the download log why?

[iojam]

i upload the file

but the host delete it automatically

It's not deleted, but just becomes invisible via FTP, it's normal.

I did some testing and noticed that if I disable "Smart Priority for Show Thread Pages", but leave the "Include Show Thread Pages" enabled then I do not get the error. So it seems there may be a problem with that priority feature???

Do you have "vBSEO URLs" option enabled?

[Michael2]

iojam - Thanks for helping me sort this out. Our replies have been spread over a few pages so I'm going to delete/reinstall and let you know what I've done and what error(s) I'm getting.

First, my forum is in the boards/ directory, it is not in the root directory. Not sure if that's what's causing the problem. Everything seems to be there, it's just looking for it in the wrong place.

Ok, uploaded the contents of the "upload" folder to boards/ directory. Chmod'd the boards/vbseo_sitemap/data/ folder to 777. There is not a .htaccess folder in the forum root so I uploaded the .htaccess file supplied. Imported vbseo_sitemap.xml.

Ok, now in the admincp these are the default selections I changed... vBSEO Installed set to no, Auto-Notify Yahoo set to no, entered password for vBSEO Sitemap Interface Access Password.

Now to Google...

I enter my site as http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/. The seo admin says my sitemap url is http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/sitemap_index.xml.gz so I entered sitemap_index.xml.gz but when I enter that I get a 404 error.

So long story short I guess that's where I'm at right now. When I run the task I see the files being created, I just can't get the right URL in to Google for some reason.

[Michael2]

Ok, I think this is the url I need to submit to Google...

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/v...p_index.xml.gz

But it's looking for the files here...

View errors for: http://www.veggieboards.com/sitemap_1.xml.gz

They're actually located here...

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/v...temap_1.xml.gz

How do I get it to look in the right place? If it's the .htaccess file what exactly do I need to put in there? And does it go in the root directory or in the boards/ directory?

[Shouzen]

Warning: main(/home/addictiv/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php) [function.main]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /vbseo_sitemap/index.php on line 36

Fatal error: main() [function.require]: Failed opening required '/home/addictiv/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php' (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/addictiv/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/index.php on line 36

I keep getting this error and I looke dover the install instructions and everything is correct.

[iojam]

Michael2,

you should submit http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/sitemap_index.xml.gz URL. Make sure that your host supports mod_rewrite if you get 404 errors for it.

Shouzen,

try to reupload all vBSEO Sitemap Generator files.

[alfa2]

Nice mod.
Thanks