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"
============================

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.

[iojam]

nguyenvuan,

you should access forums/sitemap_1.xml.gz instead of vbseo_sitemap/data/*.

What is char. I can put in to field named Direct Script Execution Code?

This code is the password that allows to protect the vbseo_sitemap/ interface from unauthorized access.

[redspider]

when submit my site how the link goes ?

www mydomain.com/forums/vbseo_sitemap/ ?

[T3MEDIA]

Originally Posted by iojam

T3MEDIA,

sitemap files are physically stored in /vbseo_sitemap/data/ folder.
And sitemap links point to forums root using mod_rewrite entry added in .htaccess.

Yes thank you for your reply but its not there. 1.5 used to work.
No files are saved. Its a very simple install why would that happen?

Screen just goes white. Mine is for 3.0.x

[iojam]

redspider
www.mydomain.com/forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz

T3MEDIA
please make sure that you have .htaccess file provided with vBSEO Sitemap Generator in your forum/ folder on the server.

[sdp777]

iojam, I have read all 40 pages and found little bits here and there, but I have still, yet to get this to work. It was so simple OMG..

First off, I am using vbulletin's last upgrade for the 3.0.X series, 3.0.12

Just so I don't get this wrong...
In my /forums/ folder is the .htaccess (supplied version) and a file vbseo_sitemap.xml
In my /forums/vbseo_sitemap/ there are two folders addons and data...with data being chmod to 777.
In my /forums/vbseo_sitemap/ there are 6 files as follows:
1. extra-urls.txt
2. index.php
3. vbseo_getsitemap.php
4. vbseo_sitemap.php
5. vbseo_sitemap_functions.php
6. vbseo_sm_config30x.php

Of those files, the only one edited was number 6.
Within that file, I edited lines 30, email notify, 68, turn off crononly to '0' and
70, for the run code.

I have setup this both via a cron job in PLESK...and nothing, and then re-reading all of these posts, realized my error and removed that cron, and added a scheduled task in vbadmincp 3.0.12 I can't tell if its run or not. Like others have mentioned, it just posts a blank screen or it tells me to set the value to no in the admincp which obviously is for 3.5.X...and looking at the http://www.mysite.com/forums/vbseo_sitemap/index.php to see if mine reflects what yours shows in the screenshots...I have nothing.

I dunno what I did wrong. Any of the vbseo guys, pm me and I will let you have a look. I really would like to get this up and running.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

[iojam]

sdp777,

Hello!

you don't need vbseo_sitemap.xml file in the forums/ folder (all files are stored in vbseo_sitemap/data/).

Are you able to generate sitemap from your Sitemap Generator interface (http://www.mysite.com/forums/vbseo_sitemap/index.php)? (there is "Run Sitemap Generator" link)

If the problem still exists, please PM me the URL of your vBSEO Sitemap Generator so that I can have a look

[sdp777]

I removed the vbseo_sitemap.xml file completely from the /forums/

Unfortunately, when I run the sitemap generator, all I get is a done in FF and blank white page.

PM'ing ya. Thanks.

[mbader71]

I have a problem with google sitemap. Could you help me please?

The problem is that google needs to verify the website for their spider to crawl. They asked me to create an empty file names google#.html and put that in the root of my website and according to my website provider I am not allowed to upload files to the root of my website!!!! Is there a way to make this SiteMap generator consider www.mywebsite.com\vb\ as the website instead of www.mywebsite.com ?

[iojam]

mbader71

the verification in google webmaster account is NOT a required step to submit google sitemap (it is related to seeing the stats for your site, not to sitemaps).

[mbader71]

Originally Posted by iojam

mbader71

the verification in google webmaster account is NOT a required step to submit google sitemap (it is related to seeing the stats for your site, not to sitemaps).

sorry :nervous:

thanks :up: