SEO advice much needed

Hi everyone at VBSEO

I installed VBSeo just over a month ago, however I'm only seeing a very slight result.

This is the history of the site:

The site began as www.blackburnlife.com and was running on Xoops (www.xoops.org)...

However as more members requested better forums I moved over to Vbulletin, and haven't looked back - it's great. I also changed the url to www.blackburn247.com

When this happened, I dropped right down the rankings of all the major search engines. I mean right down. At one point I could search for 'Blackburn' on Google and our site would appear on the first page of results. Now it doesn't appear at all.

Years on I've tried everything. So...

I purchased VBSeo hoping it would get our site back up there, and the spiders seem to stay on the site longer, but I wouldn't say there was any more than there was before. I'm still not back up the rankings.

Could anyone give me any advice on how I can get my site up the Google ranks?

My site is for the people of a small town in the UK called Blackburn, so I'd like it if when people search for Blackburn in google, www.Blackburn247.com is on the first page of results.

Thanks in advance

Hmmm, since posting this I'm now getting a message on my site saying

[ This copy of vBSEO is unregistered and expired ]

When I am a registered user

Where would I find my licence key? The current one is showing as red.

By the way, I purchased this on 12th December 2005.

Edit, I earlier upgraded to the latest version - but I had no problems until I posted here, then bam the site went. The site's back online now, but I'm still not getting a green licence key.

I've sent an email in to the vbseo team

Your license number is shown in your vbseocp, it is the one in red.. you have to grab a copy of that number and enter it into the box above to confirm it.

Originally Posted by ADM

Your license number is shown in your vbseocp, it is the one in red.. you have to grab a copy of that number and enter it into the box above to confirm it.

Many thanks for that ADM, I've fixed my license key issue.

This is really helpful Zooman, I really appreciate your input. I'll go through your comments:

Originally Posted by Zooman

I am no expert but here is some ideas.

I have found good results by this ways to improve what SEs index

This in now on my 'to do' list.

Originally Posted by Zooman

Turn your signatures off to guests the pages took an age to load and I have a 2.2mb connection.

I've now done this. Thanks for the mod.

Originally Posted by Zooman

How about a Blackburn history zone.

I don't know about this, there's already a really good site set up for this called cottontown.org.

Originally Posted by Zooman

What about building up your classifieds section. And have a set format using the forms hack.

Always make the title 'For Sale: Honda Engine, Blackburn Area' and make sure the address (if not street number at least 'Parish Name, Blackburn') is in the form.

How about using the form hack again for in whats on using sub forums for car boots, school plays etc. Make sure address have the word Blackburn in it. Maybe build on the whats on there will be loads of small groups who will thank you for the space.

This is a very good idea. I'm going to think about this.

Originally Posted by Zooman

Do you need the chat box showing to usergroup 0?

I've switched it off now Will this have been causing a problem with search engine spiders?

Originally Posted by Zooman

Welcome message could be rewrote to include keywords (ask your members to come up with ideas).

Again I have to really think about this.

Originally Posted by Zooman

How about losing the CMS parts and just have the forums on the homepage.

I've switched off the CMS part for unregistered users.

Originally Posted by Zooman

http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/su...urn&country=uk have a look and build somepages around what you see.

Will do

Originally Posted by Zooman

Heres a link to a site I am building, http://www.furnessforum.org.uk/forums/ and I really am just building it. I am now of the opinion that domain age counts that why it is live. You will notice that the chat forums are not on yet. And I need to build the "whats on" forums.

Does the domain itself not have to be very carefully selected? For example if I type into Google 'Blackburn pubs' we make the second page of results. However if I type in 'Blackburn247 pubs' our site is first on the list!

What I'm thinking is this. We currently own the domain blackburn.gb.com - would this domain get us higher up the rankings than blackburn247.com?

Originally Posted by Zooman

After thought, I think vba links is a good addition to area sites (edit: I have now put vba links on my site www.furnessforum.org.uk/links/ I will look at SEO later today, I will do both my sites at the same time). Links to all the local schools, estate agents, churches, carpet cleaners etc. What I am getting at is to provide a service. SEO vba links and get it listed well and that will bring it own members who want to promote hotels, bar, and every other website in blackburn.

I've got a license for VBAlinks - I wasn't aware it was SEO-able. Will re-implement this.

Originally Posted by Zooman

Here's one have a writing contest for the definitive history of Blackburn and invite all the local secondary schools to submit entries from the students and give the winner a £20 book voucher and 4 runner ups £5 book vouchers get the local press involved. Nice photos of you giveing the winners the vochers and a subforum full of entries all rich with keywords. You could say it has to inculde the following points etc.

See if someone (if you don't have the time) will be press officer for the site, your local papers will print anything.

Unfortunately our local press isn't very helpful I'm afraid, but maybe a good suggestion for the future.

Many thanks again

Zooman, your VBA Links looks far less cluttered than mine used to be. I thought the layout of VBA Links leaves a lot to be desired - it looked too much like the forums when it should look like a links page (in my opinion).

I wouldn't mind taking a look at your template changes when you are finished though

The biggest reason you have lost rankings is because Google does not recognize your site anymore because you moved domains. You need to have all of your previous links to your site pointing to your new domain and have to reoptimize it.