Major Additions - Synergy by Zoints - A system like Digg integrated into forums.

Index

Installation and Upgrading
FAQ, Changelog and Troubleshooting
Pre-written threads

This plugin is not currently available for vBulletin 3.7.x. Several users have reported serious incompatibilities, and we would not suggest attempting to install it on a forum running 3.7.x at this time.

Foreward

Awhile back, two visionaries by the names of Sal Collaziano and George B realized that a Digg-like system for forums could be highly beneficial. Kudos to those two for their understanding that by working together, we can all benefit.

What is Synergy?

How often does this happen to you? You or a member write a great thread, Google indexes it a week later, but it is buried in the search results so the masses never end up reading it. Frustrating, isn't it? Zoints solves this by taking a system like Digg, then integrating and mirroring in across all forums in a manner that allows great threads to be read by the masses. Synergy is designed to bring you more traffic and inspire your members to create higher quality content in order to obtain "Top Author" status.

Demos (with forums like these using Synergy, you're sure to get some traffic)

You'll notice all the demos look virtually the same except for the skins. This is due to the system mirroring itself across the forums. When a link is clicked, it takes the reader to the originating forum.

Ubuntu Forums
NASIOC
ThumperTalk
LWS


How Synergy Works

You have a lot of high quality threads on your forum. When you (or a trusted usergroup member you permission via the admincp options) decides a thread is worthy of Synergy, you select the "Add to Synergy" link as seen below.




During the next step, you write a short description for the thread and select which category it should go into.




Your thread is then added to a queue on your forum. Once every X hours, the top thread in your queue is added to Synergy.




When your thread is added to Synergy, the system distributes the link and description you wrote to all participating forums. If someone on any forum around the net clicks on your thread link, they are redirected back to your forum to the actual thread so they can read it. If people like your thread, they can vote on it which ranks it higher. Higher ranked threads, especially those that make it to the front page will in turn bring you more traffic.




The admincp settings are as follows:




Proof of Traffic

If you submit good content to Synergy that gets to the front page, you WILL get a lot of traffic. The following screenshot is from a small forum early in our testing. Guess which day it got a thread on the front page?



As more forums join Synergy, more and more people will be reading your threads. Let's work together to remove our reliance on search engines to send us traffic. Our communities are full of great content, it's time for it to be read!

[Strike3ForumsMH]

Originally Posted by TTG

Done and all now running smoothly .. thanks for your help strike3

I'm surprised that more forums are not using this great idea.

Glad to be a help TTG.

Originally Posted by RvG2

I got more traffic because of this...

Not bad for something that is free, huh?

Originally Posted by AndyA

I've had this installed on my forum for several hours and while I think it's a great idea, I'm not 100% convinced that it's good for me in it's present form. Some of the linked thread content shown in Synergy is unsuitable for whatever reason and some content is very poor quality.

Are there any plans to build in a better filter to remove unwanted content ?

Hi Andy,

I would agree that some of the content submitted is probably not the most needed additions to Synergy and probably not what other members really want to see. You can report threads, but I think some more functionality would be needed to really improve the system.

If you have any ideas, we would love to hear them. You can submit them here:
http://network.zoints.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

- Reid

[RichieScott1]

I have installed this on 3.6.8. I followed all the instructions but the forum never gets any content placed in it. What am I doing wrong? Is the forum supposed to be a link to synergy.php?

[Strike3ForumsMH]

Originally Posted by RichieScott1

I have installed this on 3.6.8. I followed all the instructions but the forum never gets any content placed in it. What am I doing wrong? Is the forum supposed to be a link to synergy.php?

Hi Richie, did you you fill out the token and authorization key in the vB Admin CP (that you got from Zoints)? And if you click on Synergy (from the forum index) you should go to synergy.php

- Reid

[gwerzal]

Only just installed and iv read every post in this thread and think it is a great idea.

Still trying to figure ut the best way to use it.

One idea for the not so good content on there would be like digg and have some kind of bury system. ie. If something is reported 10 times it is automaticly removed.

How much traffic are people seeing from using this?

Still a little undecided but i do think its a great mod up to know.

[sR Craig]

i didn't think this was supported or worked anymore? Am I incorrect?

[class101]

Brilliant work Zoints, Im addiiiiiiiiiiiiicted , so much talents on vbulletin.org, it rocks

[class101]

on question zoints, is it the official thread or there is much advanced beta version on your website network.zoints.com , I have been crawling it fastly without any luck finding it

[Strike3ForumsMH]

Originally Posted by gwerzal

Only just installed and iv read every post in this thread and think it is a great idea.

Still trying to figure ut the best way to use it.

One idea for the not so good content on there would be like digg and have some kind of bury system. ie. If something is reported 10 times it is automaticly removed.

How much traffic are people seeing from using this?

Still a little undecided but i do think its a great mod up to know.

I really do not know how much traffic increase people are getting from Synergy to be honest, but we have certainly talked about how to deal with poor content. Right now we are focusing on Zoints Local's upcoming release, but we do see Synergy as a big part of our future and would like to optimize it as it is not perfect.

If you ever have any ideas of how we could improve it, as you suggested here, feel free to share it with the team at:
http://network.zoints.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Originally Posted by sR Craig

i didn't think this was supported or worked anymore? Am I incorrect?

Zoints Synergy does still work and it is still supported. If you have any troubles getting it to work, just let us know and we can help get you going.

Originally Posted by class101

Brilliant work Zoints, Im addiiiiiiiiiiiiicted , so much talents on vbulletin.org, it rocks

Thanks for the compliment class101, we're glad that some can see why this is such a cool idea. If more shared in that process, Synergy would really be ever more beneficial to those who use it.

As for your question, I am a bit unsure about what you are asking, but we do support it here on this thread, at our support forums (http://network.zoints.com) and through our ticket system (http://zoints.com/support.z). As for another version, the one you see here is the last released version of Zoints Synergy. If that did not address your question, please clarify it further and I'll try again.

- Reid

[Tryppnotic69]

My "Last Post" on my forum's main page never changes, even when synergy updates. Is there a reason for this? Maybe I missed something?

It always says this as Last Post:

1966/67 Yamaha YDS3 250cc...
by yds3guy

You can see it here:
Dating Advice Forums

TIA :-)

[Strike3ForumsMH]

Have you tried running the manual cron? For some reason, some forums seem to have this problem and I really don't know how to explain it, but perhaps running the cron will jumpstart it.

- Reid