Add-On Releases - Limited Guest Viewing -- Improve community registration rates

Note: This addon works with the 3.6.x series only. Click Here for the 3.7.0 version of this addon.

With vBulletin, forum guests are able to view endless amounts of content without being directly asked or forced to register no matter how many times they come back. The purpose of the Limited Guest Viewing System is to drive in registrations by limiting the number of threads guests are able to view without interruption.

This plugin offers two options which can be used to drive in more registrations. The first option allows you to show a reminder message or advertisement after a guest has viewed a certain number of threads. The second option puts up a roadblock stopping guests from viewing threads altogether after reaching a certain number of views. Both options work together to encourage and ultimately force anonymous visitors to either register or login but can also be used separately based on your individual needs.

Because this plugin uses cookies, few if any bots will be impacted when it comes to spidering your site.

Modifications/ Instructions:
Template edits: 1
Plugins: 1 (adds 1 template and several settings)

This template hack should take under 5 minutes to implement and customize.

Customizing the content / messages
To customize which messages appear or what they say, go to vBulletin options, select the ?Limited Guest Viewing System? group and configure the options as desired. Each phase can be modified by adding translation text.

Through the ACP you can enable or disable each option, specify the number of threads that can be viewed before the option is enabled and input any forums you wish to exclude from being blocked.

About spiders/bots
This plugin works by setting a cookie to track the number of visits from a particular user. As bots do not tend to accept cookies, they should not be blocked. To further insure there is no spider accessibility issues, there script identifies major bots (google, yahoo, msn, aol) and explicitly lets them through -- you can easily add to this list by editing the plugin code should you so desire, however, unless a bot starts taking cookies this should not be necessary.


Welcome headers compatibility
The Limited Guest Viewing is designed to work with the Welcome Headers system without any conflict. To insure that welcome header messages do not show up at the same time as the limited guest viewing message, please be sure you are running welcome headers version 4.1.3 or greater (released 11/19).

Updates
5/9/2008 - Released update to prevent installs on 3.7 boards.
2/18/2007 - Minor update to fix register link. Updates optional.
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[Ted S]

Not without modifying the hack. This isn't meant to be a general message but rather to specifically address viewing posts.

Try the welcome header hack if you want to bug people everywhere.

[ATP_JD]

This is EXACTLY what I was hoping to find for our forum. Actually, it's better than I imagined. INSTALLED

Thank you!

[keyness]

We already know that LGV increases the number of registrations. We can call this "direct benefit" of mod.

But in my opinion this mod also would increase the number of online users (and active users, as well) am i right? Because users who view threads as visitors (We know there are lots of users who is doing that) would log in after they received block message. In this way, this mod also would liven up the forum. They will log in, maybe they will reply some threads or create new ones, and posts number will increase too. So forum will be more active. And we can call this "indirect benefit" of mod. What do you think about this? Any experience?

And I'll install this mod. tomorrow. Thanks!

[JodiSal]

I would like to install this one but I have a question first.

Does this mod override what is already set for Unregistered users? We have our forum permissions set so that guests cannot view anything. We want to change that.

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by Kellie80

I would like to install this one but I have a question first.

Does this mod override what is already set for Unregistered users? We have our forum permissions set so that guests cannot view anything. We want to change that.

Nope. This doesn't change any permission settings.

[vitrag24]

amazing addon
both of ur addon are gr8
but i have query whether search engine rank will be down bu this hack?

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by vitrag24

amazing addon
both of ur addon are gr8
but i have query whether search engine rank will be down bu this hack?

It shouldn't be.

[pedrambayat]

canot view forum!!!
help me

[Ted S]

Originally Posted by pedrambayat

canot view forum!!!
help me

Can you be more specific? Have you turned this hack off? On? What can't you view? What can you view?

[vitrag24]

hello ted
r u sure that it wont affect search enging index of any forum?