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.

[dba2003]

Any resons why this should not work also on 3.7.x?

Can some one please send correctly download link to the latest version, thanks a bunch!

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by dba2003

Any resons why this should not work also on 3.7.x?

Can some one please send correctly download link to the latest version, thanks a bunch!

There is no 3.7x yet. I assume you mean 3.67PL1 - it works fine in that version.

As far as I know, the link to the latest version of the add-on is right here.

[baghdad4ever]

after we make the site map we can delete th .htaccess file??

or not???

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by baghdad4ever

after we make the site map we can delete th .htaccess file??

No. The .htaccess file tells spiders where to find your sitemap file. Only delete it if you use the robots.txt Sitemap: option.

[djbaxter]

Originally Posted by Yellow Slider

google bots are not indexing my pages for somthing like 2 weeks..
what could ne the problem? im using the generator for along time..
Results 1 - 10 of about 305,000 from atraf-f.net.
i do think that google is indexing new forums in my forums but there is no sign to new theards , there are only theards from 5\5 (maybe 1 or 2..) the rest are from april.. it a big issue for me.

what can i do? my forum is in hebrew, maybe one of the coders can see in the source if there is a problem that is cousing the bots to unindex my theards pages, thanks alot.

Google sitemaps tell Google WHAT to index, not when. Generating a sitemap is no guarantee of increased spidering. I can't read Hebrew but your forum seems to be an active one. The problem is your home page is only PR1, which does have an influence on how often and how deeply Google will spider your pages. Of course, that may be different in your regional Google...

Originally Posted by Yellow Slider

also, i went in one of the files, http://www.atraf-f.net/sitemap_46.xml.gz the latest one that was generated by the generator and i didnt see any pages from May 2007, there seemto be alot of pages from 2006 etc', how can i make the generator to include only theards \ pages from a certain date? thanks alot.

If you're using this add-on, that may be the incorrect URL for the sitemap.

By default, the add-ons saves current sitemaps at http://www.atraf-f.net/vbseo_sitemap - look there. Also make sure you either have the .htaccess file present and updated with the mod_rewrite instructions so the SEs can locate the correct sitemap or use the robots.txt instruction to accomplish that task.

[dba2003]

Thanks so much DJ Baxter!

Yes I was referring to 3.6.7 PL1 (sorry)

I have now successfully installed sitemap generator v 2.0. And after running a sitemap generator report it confirms successful pings to Yahoo & Google.

I am concerned about one thing however and would appreciate feedback/confirmation on one thing:

When I try to access my http//:www.myforum.com/vbroot/sitemap_index.xml.gz page I get an 500-error page. : (Yes, I have set the permissions to 777 for my vbseo_sitemapfolder/data/ folder.

I have been advise to add "Rewrite/vbroot/" in my ".htaccess" file. Problem is my .htaccess file is invisible on my server. Any tips on that OR any other solution to the 500 -error page where the site map is supposed to show.


Thanks alot.
Aussie Regards
Patrick

[Dismounted]

Don't have it 777, have it 755, some servers have extra security enabled which causes this. Switching it to 755 would work fine.

[dba2003]

Thanks so much for your tip Dismounted.

I have tried setting the CHMOD permissions to BOTH 777 and 755, however and I STILL get 500 error page... when trying to access the
http://www.myforum.com/vbroot/sitemap_index.xml.gz file

(I can of course see the actual file is inside its folder).

[Dismounted]

Try 644.

[Yellow Slider]

Originally Posted by djbaxter

Google sitemaps tell Google WHAT to index, not when. Generating a sitemap is no guarantee of increased spidering. I can't read Hebrew but your forum seems to be an active one. The problem is your home page is only PR1, which does have an influence on how often and how deeply Google will spider your pages. Of course, that may be different in your regional Google...



If you're using this add-on, that may be the incorrect URL for the sitemap.

By default, the add-ons saves current sitemaps at http://www.atraf-f.net/vbseo_sitemap - look there. Also make sure you either have the .htaccess file present and updated with the mod_rewrite instructions so the SEs can locate the correct sitemap or use the robots.txt instruction to accomplish that task.

thanks, but google had stoped indexing new theards, it will index anything else, but threads, tomshing is wrong, the .htaccess file os fine, i can view the files by atraf-f.net/site... just beacause of the .htaccess file, they are stored in ttp://www.atraf-f.net/vbseo_sitemap/data, and the last sitemap that the generator made is the one i gave http://www.atraf-f.net/sitemap_30.xml.gz you can view it throw this URL but it's actually stored in vbseo_sitemap/data/ , and i don't see any new theards \ messages in the GZ files that the generator is generating..

a google bots had used to index our threads on a daily basic, and now we done some hanges in the theards pages and after redoing those changes google bots are not indexing new pages from my board, im telling you, the bots used to index our pages every day, and now there in no new thread page in google for sonthing like 2-3 weeks, what seems to be the problem?