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.

[scottreeve]

I've had this hack installed for a couple of days now, and have seen huge gains in guest registrations already.

Keep up the good work Ted

Best,
Scott

[Smoothie]

I'm very tempted to use this, but what do you guys think? By limiting what guests can view and forcing them to register, do we piss them off and drive them away or does this really increase membership?

I look at some of the really big forums and they wouldn't touch a mod like this with a 10 foot pole. Seems most of the smaller forums are trying this to build a more active community and I'm not sure that's the right course of action. Thoughts?

[Smoothie]

Originally Posted by scottreeve

I've had this hack installed for a couple of days now, and have seen huge gains in guest registrations already.

Keep up the good work Ted

Best,
Scott

I'm not doubting you, but besides your word do you have any concrete poof this type of mod actually increases registrations?

[Bad Bunny]

Well, think about it from your perspective. I have it set to show a notice after five views. If you have looked at five threads so far, you must be at least mildly interested in the forums.

I have my blocking set at 20. If you have viewed 20 threads at my site...well I think it's easy to say you are a big fan of the forums. I know that by the time I have read 20 threads somewhere I am signed up.

[scottreeve]

Originally Posted by Smoothie

I'm not doubting you, but besides your word do you have any concrete poof this type of mod actually increases registrations?

Just sending my appreciation.
There are valid for and against arguments above, each to their own if they like it or lump it.
So far, I am happy with my experience with this hack.

If you need proof, see my attachment. Prior to installing the hack my forum was averaging 3-4 registrations p/day. The last couple of days have averaged around 15.

I supose it also depends if your website offers good content which potential guests desire.

Note, I have set the block-message at 7 page views (excluding some of the sub-forums from the count).

Best,
Scott

[Smoothie]

Thanks, I appreciate the time you took to show those stats.

[Smoothie]

Originally Posted by Ted S

The issue with invalid urls has been addressed. Please download the latest version (1.0.5) and upgrade by uploading the new plugin and allowing overwrites.

Quick question. I just downloaded the latest version (1.0.5) but in the install file it still says:
This article and its associated code was updated on October 7th, 2006
Version: 1.0.3

In the first post it says:
11/20/2006 - Minor update released to fix error with links in some messaging. Updates recommended.

[s25]

Originally Posted by Ted S

s25,
What other addons do you have installed? Do you have any vlaues in the exclude field?

Sorry for taking so long to reply was just busy!
I don understand what you mean by values in the exclude field :s But I have the following addons installed:

Geek Auto-Link 4.5.0

Hide Links From Guests 1.32

Limited Guest Viewing 1.0.5

Link Anonymizer 1.10

Prevent Spam 1.0

Shoutcast Status Forumhome 2.0 (not working at the moment)

vB Importance 1.0.0

Welcome Headers 4.1.3
Zoints SEO 2.2.2

Zoints Thread Tags 1.2.1

[Fusion2]

Originally Posted by Ted S

It checks for the bots I've listed (google, aol, msn, yahoo). Any other bot will be blocked unless you add it to the plugin manually.

Ouch, i was about to install this. But, you mean to tell you you only installed only four bots into your program? So the thousands of other bots, including several major ones missing from your list, wont be able to index my forums?

[JimmyN]

So far Yahoo, google, msn etc are fine

Tested and working on my forums
They may be some smaller bots not allowed, but they will not be that important as they will only get you like 5 guests a month? as long as the big bots like google and yahoo are acsessing your site you are right.

Just goto "who's Online" and see whats going on and if there is any permission probelms from the bots.

Maybe if this hack is regually updated with a new list of bots than it will be ok.

scottreeve - your are very correct in that i to have got a heap more registrations per day also. Gone up 14 used to be 1-4 average. Really is getting my forum on the go again, thanks to this hack