vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator for vBulletin 3.6.x, 3.5.x & 3.0.x

vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator - vBulletin 3.5.x
Download vB 3.8.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.7.x Compatible Version Here
Download vB 3.6.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.

[bluenote2]

@ConqSoft: I see. Didn't notice the htaccess impact. Smart.

[iojam]

D|ver

sorry for my noob question, but i want to submit my sitemaps to both google and yahoo manually

which one is for google and which for yahoo?

sitemap.txt.gz is for Yahoo submission
sitemap_*.xml.gz are for Google submission

stormblast

Are you sure that it's not a PHP5 compatibility issue?

The PHP5 compatibility was fixed in v1.1 and line numbers you quoted do not correspond to the source code of the latest version.

ConqSoft

If we manually add the sitemap to Google, what URL should we be using?

I used http://www.mysite.com/forums/sitemap_1.xml.gz (which works in my browser), but I got an HTTP 500 error status when I checked Google.

Is it possible that you had a problem with your server in the time when google downloaded the sitemap? If it is visible correctly in browser, googlebot will get it as well. Please try just to resubmit it.

Disi

vBSEO Staff

we stille got the Problem with the htaccess file if useing vBSEO and the Google verification file!

If you have a "Redirect to homepage" option selected for "Fille not found" handling AND yo want to see the stats for sitemap at Google, you should *temporarily* disable the option in vbseocp to complete the verification.

MrNase

How can we be sure the files get submitted to Google?

You can register for Google Webmaster account and manually submit each sitemap file to track its status at http://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps

bluenote2

The sitemaps are stored under forum-root/vbseo_sitemaps/data

Alhtough sitemap files are stored in the data folder (to simplify file permissions setup during installation), the URL that is sent to Google links to forumroot. This is achived by using .htaccess mod_rewrite directives.

[Disi]

Originally Posted by iojam

D|ver
If you have a "Redirect to homepage" option selected for "Fille not found" handling AND yo want to see the stats for sitemap at Google, you should *temporarily* disable the option in vbseocp to complete the verification.

Well did that of course! But maybe there should be a default rule for those files in vBSEO

[iojam]

Disi,

this is not about the files Google ask you to upload - they perform a request for *random* filename to check if the server returns 404 code. That's why you should set the corresponcing option ("Send 404 HTTP code") in your vBSEO Control Panel.

[kadafi_alive]

Hi,

Everytime I run the scheduled task, it gives me these errors:

Warning: gzwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 423

Warning: gzwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 426

Warning: gzwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 423

Warning: gzwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 426

Warning: gzwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 431

Warning: gzclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 432

Warning: gzclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 435
[create sitemap file] filename: sitemap_6.xml.gz, number of urls: 5765 [114s (+3)]
[create sitemap in text format] part #7 [114s (+0)]

Warning: filesize(): Stat failed for /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/data/sitemap_6.xml.gz (errno=2 - No such file or directory) in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 455

Warning: fopen(/home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/data/sitemap_index.xml.gz): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 674

Warning: fwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 675

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 676
[create sitemap index] filename: sitemap_index.xml.gz, number of sitemaps: 6 [114s (+0)]

Warning: fopen(/home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/data/1131699206.log): failed to open stream: Permission denied in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 534

Warning: fwrite(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 535

Warning: fclose(): supplied argument is not a valid stream resource in /home/loadwis/public_html/forums/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap_functions.php on line 536

[iojam]

@kadafi_alive,

make sure to set permissions as described in installation instructuions:
1. CHMOD 777 the 'vB-root/vbseo_sitemap/data/' folder

[dastar]

I had to manually move my gzip file into my forum root folder directory (I did include the needed htaccess directive but it just redirects to the forum home page).

[Disi]

@dastar
is the htaccess directive the first entry in your file?

[havefun]

working fine. THX vBSeo-team

[msimonds]

i set a cron job in cpanel per your instructions to run at 03:00 hrs each day

I am getting this response from the email

Unable to add cookies, header already sent.
File:
Line: 0





SEO by vBSEO 2.2.0 © 2005, Crawlability, Inc.

Regards
Mike