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
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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?

============================

• 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
============================

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
============================

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
============================

We welcome you to join the vBSEO Affiliate Program.

[sportsoutlaw]

Originally Posted by xtremeoff-road

There is no 'data' folder in the vbseo sitemap directory.

I noticed an .htaccess file though came with the package...should be just use that one?

In my CP, when I click on the vbseo_sitemap folder, there is a data folder, along with 5-6 other folders, including the extra-urls.txt file.

I had to go to my foot folder for my forum and create a text file called .htaccess

[dieselpowered]

Originally Posted by sportsoutlaw

In my CP, when I click on the vbseo_sitemap folder, there is a data folder, along with 5-6 other folders, including the extra-urls.txt file.

I had to go to my foot folder for my forum and create a text file called .htaccess

Here do this...download the package again and unzip it...look inside the vbseo_sitemap folder, there is no 'data' folder.

Also, included in the package is a .htaccess file, I assume we can use this one?

[dieselpowered]

So let me ask you this...is the setting for:

Run from vB Scheduled Tasks Manager ONLY

Better left as yes or no?

Forgive my ignorance, I am completely new to this

[KarateKid]

I've a question. Is it normal, that the Download-Log shows that only the index file has been downloaded, or should all the other files also be mentioned? Do I have a problem, when google downloads only the index file? How can I solve this?

[Cedric_FP]

Originally Posted by Cedric_FP

If we are upgrading from 1.1, do I need to reupload the XML product?

From 1.1 to 1.2, do we upload the product again?

[addict]

Originally Posted by xtremeoff-road

So let me ask you this...is the setting for:

Run from vB Scheduled Tasks Manager ONLY

Better left as yes or no?

Forgive my ignorance, I am completely new to this

If you want to be able to run the sitemap update script via a url trigger (i.e. http://yourdomain.com/forum/vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_sitemap.php?runcode=<password> then set it to 'no'... otherwise you can set it to 'yes'. I have mine set to 'no', so I can rebuild the sitemap just by clicking on a bookmark, but you might have different needs.

I also had a problem early this morning with the sitemap automated task... I had set it to rebuild the sitemap on Sunday at 2am, and it rebuilt the sitemap three times... at 2am, 2:02am and 2:04am... I looked at the automated task I had created, and it said "Sun 0200", so I hope there's not some kind of bug in the task script.
For the time being I'll just run the task manually, until I can figure out what's going on... I just thought I'd mention it though.

Otherwise, this is great stuff! Thanks!

[iojam]

sportsoutlaw

Thanks. I have this set to run daily. Since google is automatically notified, is it a good idea to leave it daily, or reduce that to weekly or monthly?

In other words, is it going to hurt for google to get a daily notification?

Google does NOT apply any penalty based on how often do you submit your sitemap.

amykhar

I'm having a strange problem that I don't see anybody else mentioning. I have my options set to create a yahoo style sitemap, but it is not being created that I can see. I don't see it in the data directory and if I go to http://www.eaforums.com/forums/sitemap.txt I get an error: Sitemap file not found

The latest version of vBSEO Sitemap generator creates compressed files for Yahoo sitemap. So, you should look for (and submit to Yahoo) http://www.eaforums.com/forums/sitemap.txt.gz
Do not forget to update .htaccess according to the latest installation instructins:

RewriteRule ^(sitemap.*\.(xml|txt)(\.gz)?)$ vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_getsitemap.php?sitemap=$1 [L]

xtremeoff-road
1. An empty "vbseo_sitemap/data/" folder is included in archive. Make sure that your archiver software is configured to extract empty folders. Otherwise, just create "vbseo_sitemap/data/" folder manually and chmod 0777 it.
2. If you don't have .htaccess currently in vbroot, you can simply upload one included in archive.
3.

So let me ask you this...is the setting for:

Run from vB Scheduled Tasks Manager ONLY

Better left as yes or no?

"Run from vB Scheduled Tasks Manager ONLY" option is set to "Yes" by default because you have empty "Run code" initially and anyone can access your "vbseo_sitemap/" interface. After you have "Run code" set to the password of your choice, feel free to set "Run from vB Scheduled Tasks Manager ONLY" to "No" to allow you ro run generator manually when you need this.

KarateKid

I've a question. Is it normal, that the Download-Log shows that only the index file has been downloaded, or should all the other files also be mentioned? Do I have a problem, when google downloads only the index file? How can I solve this?

According to Google submission instructions, they will extract all your sitemap files based on the index file entries.
http://www.google.com/webmasters/sit...en/submit.html :

Note: If you are providing a Sitemap index file, you only need to issue one HTTP request that includes the location of the Sitemap index file; you do not need to issue individual requests for each Sitemap listed in the index.

However I noticed that it takes quite some time for them to do it and this can be accomplished MUCH faster if you submit EACH sitemap file to your google webmaster account.

Cedric_FP

From 1.1 to 1.2, do we upload the product again?

For the 1.1->1.2 upgrade it is not required to reinstall xml product file. Make sure that you have your .htaccess entry updated along with uploading of the new php files.

addict
Make sure that you have "Minutes" to "0" in your your vB Admincp->Scheduler ("*" option means running every miunute!).

[Doc Great]

Your products work perfectly! Thanks for sharing it

PS: you find the german translation (xml & files) @ http://www.vbhacks-germany.com/forum...ead.php?t=2243

Yours,
Sven

EDIT: Version 1.2 translated and released @ http://www.vbhacks-germany.com/forum...ead.php?t=2284

[amykhar]

Thanks, Juan. That fixed my problem.

[acorndomains.co]

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

I tried to submit my sitemap.txt twice to Yahoo, but their server timed out.

Just click submit again, it worked for us the 2nd time.