vbSEO -- is it worth the price ?

[joeychgo]

IMO...

No, its not.

What your basically paying for is the mod-rewrite since most if not all of the other elements are available for free as a hack or something you can do yourself as a template edit easily.

Ok, now that said. What VBSEO basically does is change your URLs to more simple URLs without variables.

A thread titled:
Probably a stupid question, but...

Ends up with a URL like this:
http://www.yourdomain.com/f2/probabl...tion-but-2429/

Instead of

http://www.yourdomain.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2429

Now this does 2 things basically. It makes a URL with no variables and it adds keywords to the url. While it was once true that search engine spiders had a difficult time spidering URLs with multiple variables, this is no longer the case.

Here is proof. Take a look at Google's index of vBulletin.com pages HERE - vb.com has 2,750,000 pages indexed in google. Lets check vb.org HERE- 445,000 pages indexed - how about a few others? Digital Point - 567,000, TIVO Community - 1,340,000 pages indexed.

All of these have stock vb urls and are clearly indexed fine. So, we have now established that the mod rewrite isnt necessary to be indexed by Google.

SO that leaves us with the keywords in the URL.

Are they helpful in getting ranked? Short answer is yes. However, Google uses over 100 different factors in determining how a particular page ranks for a search query. Each Factor carries different level of importance. Oh, one more thing, Google changes these around pretty regularily, so what works well today may not work tomorrow. Point being, they might 'help' in getting your page ranked, but they are onlya small part of the equasion.

Let me explain something else. Being indexed means little if your pages dont rank well. The difference is this. Indexed means google maintains a listing of your page in its computers. Ranked Well means when someone searches for a phrase that is important to your site, your site appears in the first few pages in the listings. It takes alot more then just words in a url to get ranked well, unless its a very obscure phrase.

Here is what I think is a great example.

Search for the phrase vBulletin. That phrase is the most important phrase to someone trying to sell a vBulletin product. vBseo doesnt appear in the first 10 pages! vBulletin Webmaster appears 3rd after vBulletin.com and vBulletin Fans. None of those sites use a mod rewrite or have the keyword in the url. Proof is in the pudding.

It is my opinion that although its a help, its a minor help.

If you want to rank better, Here is what I suggest. First, spend half that money any buy Arron Walls SEO BOOK. Read it. Learn about Search Engines. What it takes is too long to go into here. Its best you read the book and learn about SEO.

Second, visit and become active in forums like Digital Point, vB Webmaster, and Webmaster World, ask questions, and learn about SEO and how to apply it to vBulletin Forums.

Third, SEO is something you have to work for. There isnt a 'magic pill' you can install and instantly rank high. It takes time and effort. Its not a plugin. BUT, you CAN do it.

Let me add one more thing. In a PM discussion on vBwebmaster, vBSEO said this to me:
I have to say I agree with you %100 in the fact that mod_rewrite is not necessary to get pages indexed.



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