Administrative and Maintenance Tools - vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator

vBulletin Google Sitemaps by vBSEO v.2.5 - vBulletin 3.7.x
Download vB 3.8.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.6.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
============================

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
============================


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?
============================

• 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?
============================


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
============================

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"
============================

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
============================

Follow the installation/upgrade instructions provided in the docs/readme.html file.


Google Webmaster Accounts
============================

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

============================

• 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
============================

(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

============================

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

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

We welcome you to join the vBSEO Affiliate Program.

[CPB123]

Originally Posted by stryka

Based on others experiences...

Once the sitemap is submitted... how long until all pages appear in google?

Based on my experience.. all pages will not appear. My sitemap contains over 14,000 URLS and Google has only indexed a little over 100 of them. This is with a couple weeks worth of crawling too.. and Google is indeed downloading my sitemap on a daily basis. YMMV.

[Shazz]

Does seem to be making a change

[ETDC]

When I add the htaccess file, I get this when trying to access my CP and the forum itself...

IISPassword
The page cannot be displayed
There is a problem with the page youare trying to reach and it cannot be displayed. It is most likely that configuration files for this url are corrupted.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please try the following:

Click the Refresh button, or try again later.
Open the home page, and then look for links to the information you want.
If you believe you should be able to view this directory or page, please contact the Web site administrator by using the e-mail address or phone number listed on the home page.
HTTP Error 500
IISPassword for Internet Information Services
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
? IISPassword Info

Any ideas? There was no htaccess file already there.

==========

Ok, it's at the bottom of the install instructions (heart-attack averted).

Where is the httpd.ini file I have to edit?

_

[iojam]

You should have ISAPI_rewrite module for IIS installed for that. Otherwise you can move your sitemap files manually from vbseo_sitemap/data/ folder to forums root.

[ETDC]

Originally Posted by iojam

You should have ISAPI_rewrite module for IIS installed for that. Otherwise you can move your sitemap files manually from vbseo_sitemap/data/ folder to forums root.

Is the module something I get from my host?

What are the sitemap files? Do I still have to edit/upload the htaccess file?

[Ohiosweetheart]

Originally Posted by iojam

Ohiosweetheart,

vBSEO Sitemap Generator uses built-in PHP mail() function, possibly your host doesn't allow that.

iojam, I don't think that's the problem. Two other people who use the sitemap generator are on the same host as I am and they received their emails daily.

Additionally, having been using this generator for a couple of years now, I was receiving the emails prior to upgrading to this latest version.

I've posted this on the vbseo site, so perhaps I'll get some help there.

Thanks!

[x-death]

thanks....

[stryka]

Umm.... that sorta sux... have you gotten a respone on how this can be improved...?? Or is it just too early...

cuz you have a success rate of less than 1%

I have over 200K threads in my forum... lucky i didn't ask to do the posts...

Originally Posted by CPB123

Based on my experience.. all pages will not appear. My sitemap contains over 14,000 URLS and Google has only indexed a little over 100 of them. This is with a couple weeks worth of crawling too.. and Google is indeed downloading my sitemap on a daily basis. YMMV.

[CPB123]

No idea. Probably has to do with (not using) SEO. Google likes to see words in links not just showthreadphp?=xxxx.

Google has reportedly indexed a little over 100 threads from my sitemap (these stats are contained in webmaster tools), but it has indexed hundreds of other pages on its own (based on http://www.google.com/search?q=site:[MY SITE URL HERE]). So I'm not sure how hit-or-miss this sitemap method is. I'm getting more traffic from Yahoo and Live bots though so at least that's a good thing.

[thesackshack]

Whats up everyone newbie here. first time install so be a little patient! I apologize to all you vets, these questions are gonna be SIMPLE to you.

1)Im learning as I go so, just to make sure before i go messing something up, when it says upload to 'forum root' folder, would it be this: public_html -> forums
(* I named the folder I put all of my vbulletin stuff in 'forums'*)

I uploaded it in the 'forums' folder, did the htaccess file and everything seems fine. Im on the final step where Im creating a scheduled task. At the very bottom it says 'product' and has options for vBSEO or Vbulletin. I havent purchased the $149 vBSEO program so I would go with vbulletin right?