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.

[Mecho]

Originally Posted by iojam

Mecho,

if you mean including thread URLs form private subforums, Google will still be unable to access those pages, so there is no reason to include them in sitemap.

even if i install this mod Member Bots they can not access to those pages ? i dunno maybe i wrong but i think it is good if we have links in google but ppl need to register to see them ! we will get more users . as i said i dunno it s good or bad in Google Rank , so plz guide me .

thanks

[GYSMO]

Has vBSEO released that BRAND FREE option for used of its module or still are we cripple and slaved to see it seen on our forums homepages
I dont mind paying the extra but then I most like me paying great prises dont like to be crippled in
guess I have no other choice then wait till they fixed this issue ... snifff ... UN INSTALLED

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by GYSMO

Has vBSEO released that BRAND FREE option for used of its module or still are we cripple and slaved to see it seen on our forums homepages
I dont mind paying the extra but then I most like me paying great prises dont like to be crippled in guess I have no other choice then wait till they fixed this issue ... snifff ... UN INSTALLED

*cough* This isn't vBSEO. This is a free add-on developed by the same people but it doesn't require vBSEO, doesn't require payment, and doesn't add any "branding" or even credit links when installed.

Yes, I'm sure they offer this as an advertising/marketing strategy and I'm sure they hope that you'll like this add-on enough to look into buying their other product but it's not a requirement.

[iojam]

Mecho,

I would not suggest to allow search engine bots visiting your threads while requiring registration for regular visitors since that is "cloaking":
http://www.google.com/support/webmas...n&answer=35769

baghdad4ever,
your issue may be related to the one described in http://www.homewithandrew.com/index....achable-error/

[Mecho]

thank u iojam for info , got it

[baghdad4ever]

Originally Posted by iojam

baghdad4ever,
your issue may be related to the one described in http://www.homewithandrew.com/index....achable-error/

thanks dear

but plz help me

he said that

I had modified my .htaccess file to solve canonicalization problems by redirecting :

redundant URLs to new URLs
non-www URLs to www URLs
index.php to root
I theorize that since these redirections involved hundreds of URLs it?s possible that when I deployed the changes in my .htaccess file in mid July, it triggered the ?increase? in concurrent connections as the bots were redirected to the correct pages. In other words Googlebot attempted to make 2 connections for every page - once to the old/non-www URL and then to the new/www URL. As the concurrent connections increased, it triggered the automated mechanism that blocked Googlebot?s IP address. This in turn caused more time-out errors. The spikes in the Googlebot Download Time chart (above) indicates long download times which eventually ended in timeouts. Unfortunately, this affected one of the most important files - the robots. txt file - which every bot needs to before it accesses a site?s pages. These time-outs also made my sitemap inaccessible, so since Googlebot could not access these 2 important pages, it could not confirm my site still existed!

what should i do??

[MissKalunji]

anyone has a Mobile sitemap generator?

[GYSMO]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

*cough* This isn't vBSEO. This is a free add-on developed by the same people but it doesn't require vBSEO, doesn't require payment, and doesn't add any "branding" or even credit links when installed.

Yes, I'm sure they offer this as an advertising/marketing strategy and I'm sure they hope that you'll like this add-on enough to look into buying their other product but it's not a requirement.

Smiles and yes I had bought there product and had it intalled on that few days that followed after being fully paid in and was disapointed that the only left issue was about leaving there prints on main pages ... guess lots wouldnt mind after all if they did paid just rent there vBulletin and dont mind having pub all over thats fine and understand yet are the ones that do pay lots over thoses issue and still respected autho's copyrights and will respected there conditions leaving it on ... so comes to this issue removing it becomes the best solution as i did then ... got to wait till a well programmers come along and gives as much as compitition openings then set on them

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by GYSMO

Smiles and yes I had bought there product and had it intalled on that few days that followed after being fully paid in and was disapointed that the only left issue was about leaving there prints on main pages ... guess lots wouldnt mind after all if they did paid just rent there vBulletin and dont mind having pub all over thats fine and understand yet are the ones that do pay lots over thoses issue and still respected autho's copyrights and will respected there conditions leaving it on ... so comes to this issue removing it becomes the best solution as i did then ... got to wait till a well programmers come along and gives as much as compitition openings then set on them

I don't think you understood what I was saying. This sitemaps add-on doesn't leave footer links anywhere. Those links come from vBSEO. If you want to get rid of those, uninstalling the sitemaps add-on won't help. You'll have to uninstall vBSEO.

[ThorstenA]

Suggestion: Include blog entries