vBSEO Conditional Signatures - Search Engine Optimization Plugin

vBSEO Conditional Signatures for vBulletin 3.5.x

Overview
============================

An issue all vBulletin admins must consider is the impact of member signatures on the search engine optimization of thread pages. Signatures add keywords to the page which typically contain links to external websites.

This can reduce the density of keywords relevant to the thread topic, interrupt the flow of the discussion, and allow Google PageRank leak because of the outbound links.

The affect on keyword density of the thread page is even more prominent when signatures are included with posts of minimum length (e.g. 1 or 2 sentences only). In fact, users often submit brief postings in order to promote the websites listed in their signatures only.

With enough valuable content, any forum can generate revenue via Google Adsense or other programs. Therefore, vBulletin SEO issues must NOT be overlooked.

A simple solution is to disable signatures within vB Admin CP. However, this is not recommended. Many of your forums valuable contributing members are encouraged to continue building your content because of the exposure their signature can receive.

The "vBSEO Conditional Signatures" plugin provides a solution that enhances SEO for your thread pages without disabling signatures in vB Admin CP.


What does it do?
============================

• Increases keyword density for keywords related to the thread topic.
• Reduces outbound links.
• Boosts ratio of content to outbound links.
• Conserves Google PageRank.
• Improves onpage search engine optimization for relevant keywords.
• Encourages users to post more detailed messages (helping you build more valuable content).
• Discourages users from posting with the sole purpose of establishing outbound links to their website(s) within the thread.
• Reduce the amount of signature clutter within threads.
• Optionally applies signature actions for pages accessible by guests and search engine crawlers only.

How does it work?
============================

Depending on your settings, this plugin will either:

1. Add rel=nofollow to links in the signatures of posts, OR
2. Remove the signatures from posts.

Note: These actions only occur when the # of words in the post is less than the minimum you specify. Users who post messages that meet the minimum word count will have their signatures displayed without changes.


Click "Install"
============================

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


Installation & Configuration
============================

Note: This plugin is for vBulletin versions 3.5.x only.

To Install:

• Go to your ADMIN CP > Plugin System > Manage Products
• Click on '[Add/Import Product]'
• Browse to find the vbseo_cond_sigs.xml file
• Click 'Import'

To Configure:

• Go to your ADMIN CP > vBulletin Options > vBSEO Conditional Signatures
• Edit settings as desired.

Settings Description
============================

Select Signature Action for Short Posts

Select either 'Add rel=nofollow' or 'Remove Signature' to specify how signatures should be handled for posts that do NOT meet the Minimum Post Length (see option below). Adding rel=nofollow will instruct search engines to NOT crawl the links or pass PageRank. The 'Remove Signature' option will remove the signature entirely for short posts which will typically improve the keyword relevancy of the page in addition to conserving PageRank.

Apply Conditional Signatures for Guests / Spiders Only
Select "Yes" to apply signature modifications for guests (and spiders) only.

Set Minimum Post Length (# of Words)

Posts that do NOT meet the Minimum Post Length will have the selected Signature Action applied (see above).

Set Minimum Post Count

For posts authors who has posted less than the count specified, links in signatures will be either removed or rel="nofollow" added.

Set Maximum Posts Per User Per Page

For the authors who posted multiple messages per page, only the first specified count of posts will have a signature.

Specify Excluded Users (IDs)

Provide a comma-separated list of user IDs. Excluded users ALWAYS have their signature included without ANY changes.

Specify Excluded User Groups (IDs)

Provide a list of user group IDs separated by spaces. Users from excluded groups ALWAYS have their signature included without ANY changes.


Copyright
============================

You are free to modify and/or re-distribute this script as along as the following copyright notice is maintained:

vBSEO(TM) ? 2005 Crawlability, Inc.


Revision History
============================
10/06/2005
(1) FIX: Typos in config interface.
(2) UPDATE: Screen shot.
11/10/2005 - Version 1.1 Released
(1) NEW FEATURE: Specify Excluded User Groups (IDs)
(2) NEW FEATURE: Set Minimum Post Count
(3) UPDATE: AdminCP Settings Text.
(4) UPDATE: Screen shottest
11/11/2005 - Version 1.2 Released
(1) NEW FEATURE: Apply Conditional Signatures for Guests/Spiders Only
12/10/2005 - Version 1.3 Released
(1) UPDATE: UserIDs/GroupIDs in options can be separated now either with spaces or commas (formerly commas only)
(2) NEW FEATURE: Limit the number of signatures per user/per page
12/26/2005 - Version 1.4 Released
(1) FIX: PHP version compatibility (warning message display issue)
03/12/2006 - Version 1.4.1 Released
(1) FIX: Maximum Posts Per User Per Page

Other vBSEO Plugins/Mods
============================

• vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator for vBulletin 3.5.x (Plugin) & vBulletin 3.0.x
  
  https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?p=817677

[Dez_U]

great hack ............ clicks install

[Mark Hensler]

Any chance of getting a revision to include usergroup exclusion?

[Mark Hensler]

I just created a usergroup called "Protected Signature" and added myself to it. It seems to work. Can someone check my code? It's been a while since I've done any programming.

[rex_b]

me wants this for 3.0.x

[vBSEO]

Version 1.1 released - Contains new features (1) Exclude User Groups, and (2) Minimum Post Count.

Mark, thank you for the suggestion and code sample. We implemented the User Group Exclusion in v.1.1

[BamaStangGuy]

Shouldn't you add a rel="nofollow" to their profile page as well??? Just a thought as those pages are indexed by search engines.

[jward]

@BrentWilson:

This mod is focused on improving SEO on a per thread basis, allowing admins to require users to provide a post of significant length and/or make a demonstrated effort to contribute to the community (i.e. minimum post count) before giving them the privilege of displaying their signature (and/or having links within their signature free from rel=nofollow attributes).

This is particularly important for vBSEO-enabled forums who can generally expect to have a higher Google PageRank on their thread pages. Reducing unnecessary use of signatures with outbound links can conserve PageRank.

[Cedric_FP]

So if I install it, and set it to remove signature, will it only do so for spiders and guests, or for everybody?

[Neutral Singh]

I uninstalled the plugin and then reinstalled new versions and i am getting this error:

Database error in vBulletin 3.5.0:

Invalid SQL:

INSERT INTO setting
(varname, grouptitle, value, defaultvalue, datatype, optioncode, displayorder, advanced, volatile, product)
VALUES
(
'sig_alter',
'vbseo_cond_sigs_options',
'1',
'0',
'number',
'<select name=\\\"setting[$setting[varname]]\\\" tabindex=\\\"1\\\" class=\\\"bginput\\\">\r\n <option value=\\\"0\\\" \" . iif($setting[\'value\']==0,\'selected=\"selected\"\') . \">Add rel=\\\"nofollow\\\"</option>\r\n <option value=\\\"1\\\" \" . iif($setting[\'value\']==1,\'selected=\"selected\"\') . \">Remove Signature</option>\r\n </select>',
110,
0,
1,
'crawlability_cond_sigs'
),
(
'sig_min_post_length',
'vbseo_cond_sigs_options',
'10',
'100',
'number',
'',
111,
0,
1,
'crawlability_cond_sigs'
),
(
'sig_min_post_count',
'vbseo_cond_sigs_options',
'',
'',
'free',
'',
120,
0,
1,
'crawlability_cond_sigs'
),
(
'sig_vip_users',
'vbseo_cond_sigs_options',
'',
'',
'free',
'',
130,
0,
1,
'crawlability_cond_sigs'
),
(
'sig_vip_groups',
'vbseo_cond_sigs_options',
'',
'',
'free',
'',
140,
0,
1,
'crawlability_cond_sigs'
);

MySQL Error : Duplicate entry 'sig_alter' for key 1
Error Number : 1062
Date : Thursday, November 10th 2005 @ 09:17:43 PM
Script : http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikhph...ncp/plugin.php
Referrer : http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikhph...?do=productadd
Classname : vb_database

[jward]

@Cedric FP: The signature removal or rel=nofollow activity will occur for both guests (SE crawlers) and members.

@Neutral Singh: We'll look into the error and post an update as soon as it is available.