ways to improve what SEs index

I have been thinking of ways to improve what SEs index, unfortunately I may have some ideas but I will need some help (editor: What’s new Zoo).

Anyway here’s my ideas. To remove everything that is unneeded to the unregistered user group, of course we will all have our own ideas as to what is unneeded but here goes.

Forum Index Home.

• What’s going on. Done
• Link to last post (I have got rid of mine). done
• Mark read / leaders (removed) done

Thread Index Pages (not sure what it is called).

• Thread/ Thread Starter removed to be replaced with the word ‘thread’ as a column description.
• Link to last post (I have got rid of mine). done
• Rating, last Post, replies, views no longer clickable (i.e just column descriptions).
• Forum Tools (removed) Done
• Display options (removed) done
• posting rules (removed) done
• Thread starter (posters name) and last post by (posters name) no longer a link to the public profile just plain text.
• View First Unread (removed)

Thread

• Thread tools (removed) done
• display mode (removed) done
• View Single Post Link (removed)
• Drop Down Postbit Menu (removed) and the name once it is removed not a link. done (sort of
• Posting rules (removed) done
• View First Unread (removed) done

I am interested in what you guys think, less code on pages is sure to add to the ratio of content to code.

I was going flying colours until I came to the postbit_legacy

My adds are in red, I must be missing something as the user name does not work. IE is reporting an error on the page it has to be the something to with the user name link as I had not done anything else on that page at that point. Can anyone here spot it.

Code:

 
<!-- post #$post[postid] -->
<if condition="$show['spacer']">
$spacer_open
<div id="edit$post[postid]" style="padding:0px 0px $stylevar[cellpadding]px 0px">
<if condition="!$post['islastshown']"><!-- this is not the last post shown on the page --></if> 
</if>
<table id="post$post[postid]" class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
<if condition="$show['announcement']">
<td class="thead" style="font-weight:normal" colspan="2">
<img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/post_$post[statusicon].gif" alt="$post[statustitle]" border="0" />
<phrase 1="$post[startdate]" 2="$post[enddate]">$vbphrase[x_until_y]</phrase>
</td>
<else />
<td class="thead" style="font-weight:normal" $post[scrolltothis]> 
<!-- status icon and date -->
<a name="post$post[postid]"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/post_$post[statusicon].gif" alt="$post[statustitle]" border="0" /></a>
$post[postdate]<if condition="!$show['detailedtime']">, $post[posttime]</if>
$post[firstnewinsert]
<!-- / status icon and date --> 
</td>
<td class="thead" style="font-weight:normal" align="$stylevar[right]">
&nbsp;
<if condition="$show['postcount']">#<a href="showpost.php?$session[sessionurl]p=$post[postid]&amp;postcount=$post[postcount]" target="new" rel="nofollow" id="postcount$post[postid]" name="$post[postcount]"><strong>$post[postcount]</strong></a></if>
<if condition="$show['inlinemod']">
<input type="checkbox" name="plist[$postid]" id="plist_$postid" style="vertical-align:middle; padding:0px; margin:0px 0px 0px 5px" value="$post[checkbox_value]" onclick="inlineMod.toggle(this)" />
</if>
</td>
</if>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td class="alt2" width="175">
 
<div id="postmenu_$post[postid]">
<if condition="$show['profile'] AND $bbuserinfo[userid] != 0"> 
<a class="bigusername" href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]">$post[musername]</a><!-- v3 Arcade --> <if condition="$post['arcadeawards']"><a class="bigusername" href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]"><img src="$vboptions[arcadeimages]/trophy.gif" align="absmiddle" alt="$vbphrase[arcade_champion]" border="0" /></a></if>
<!-- /v3 Arcade -->
<script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("postmenu_$post[postid]", true); </script>
<else />
$post[musername]
</if>
</div>
 
<if condition="$post['usertitle']"><div class="smallfont">$post[usertitle]</div></if>
<if condition="$post['rank']"><div class="smallfont">$post[rank]</div></if>
 
<if condition="$show['avatar']">
<div class="smallfont">
&nbsp;<br /><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]"><img src="$post[avatarurl]" alt="<phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[xs_avatar]</phrase>" border="0" /></a>
</div>
</if>
 
<div class="smallfont">
&nbsp;<br />
<if condition="$post['joindate']"><div>$vbphrase[join_date]: $post[joindate]</div></if>
<if condition="$post['field2']"><div>$vbphrase[location_perm]: $post[field2]</div></if>
<if condition="$post['age']"><div>$vbphrase[age]: $post[age]</div></if>
<div>
$vbphrase[posts]: $post[posts]

Ok so far I have found the following reductions in page size.

• • ForumHome 10%
  • ForumDisplay 20%
  • Thread 20%

I still have the following to do:

• Thread/ Thread Starter removed to be replaced with the word ‘thread’ as a column description.
• Rating, last Post, replies, views no longer clickable (i.e just column descriptions).
• Thread starter (posters name) and last post by (posters name) no longer a link to the public profile just plain text.
• View Single Post Link (removed).

Very interesting the changes you've done so far... My main concern would be the real headache of upgrading templates when these are updated with vBulletin's new releases.

Note: I just found a js error on this page: http://www.hfuk.org.uk/Hospitality-F...s-reuters.html

The principle behind what you are doing is something we've been giving some thought lately: hiding stuff for guests and spiders to increase C2C ratio (or clean/reduce size of the source). A first step I'd say is a new option being introduced in 2.3.3 that enables users to remove thread preview text for guests and spiders, that is, if the admin has not disabled the feature altogether (from the vB admincp) - it was inspired on this thread (Thread Preview - Detrimental to SEO.)

Keep us updated on your changes as I'll be checking out this thread for more inspiration

** Moved to Template Modifications **

Originally Posted by Juan Muriente

Very interesting the changes you've done so far... My main concern would be the real headache of upgrading templates when these are updated with vBulletin's new releases.

To be honest I had already come to the conclusion that unless vBulletin's new releases come up with a big change (and I can not think of 1), I will be sticking with 3.5.1 for the long term.

I have an old test account for anyone who wants to check out the saving them selves.

user name: mbclub
password: mbclub

I came to this conclusion after reading much about c2c and ot importance to the serps and understanding that on the hole people do not join forums because of a clickble post-bit but because of the content on the page.

I will keep you undated of my progress and the finale results.

BTW I have posted my vbseo bot report it is coming upto middday in the UK, and as you can see google has been happy on the site today.

Originally Posted by Juan Muriente

Note: I just found a js error on this page: http://www.hfuk.org.uk/Hospitality-F...s-reuters.html

It has something to with the postbit (members are not seeing it), TBH I can live with it until I sort it.

Originally Posted by Juan Muriente

The principle behind what you are doing is something we've been giving some thought lately: hiding stuff for guests and spiders to increase C2C ratio (or clean/reduce size of the source). A first step I'd say is a new option being introduced in 2.3.3 that enables users to remove thread preview text for guests and spiders, that is, if the admin has not disabled the feature altogether (from the vB admincp) - it was inspired on this thread (Thread Preview - Detrimental to SEO.)

That was what inspired me. There are a lot of web sites fighting for the same SERPs (and a lot of them are forums, all with standard installs), so anything that gives you a little push has to be good. I was reading recently that well formed URLs only give you a 2% (the writer was trying to break the aclo down to percents) bonus and as such are not worth doing, well in my opinion (I do not believe it is only 2% just something I have read, I personal believe it is more. Every time I search for something the URLs of the results disprove that or maybe it is true and 2% really is just that important on the web) 2% means that is 2% more of a chance of getting traffic and as such is a valid part of your SEO plan. And I have come to that conclusion with c2c, I think this is a big bonus to the SERPs.

I am nor mathematician but a 20% reduction must change c2c hugely, but the results will be the judge on this matter and for that only time will tell.

I have got this page down from 56k to 39k a saving of 17k (30%).

BTW anyone who wants to know what and where I have edited just ask (can this sort of thing be made into a product for VB).

edit 4/2/06: this page is now 30.5k without headers (my headers are around 5k). I took my first reading with headers tuned off, so this is getting close to 50% reduction in page size and it is all code.

On a this page I have reduced the size from 40k (53k logged in) to 27k again around 30%.

My next action on the threads is to make the following not viewable to usergroup 0:

online/offline display.

rep points

avatar

View Single Post Link will become just plain text.

edit notes

I use the thanks hack: both thanks in thread and the thanks hack stats will not be viewable to usergroup 0.

BTW anyone who wants to know what and where I have edited just ask (can this sort of thing be made into a product for vBulletin).

Some of these things can be done either by products for vB or combination of products and rewrites (vBSEO) - again, I'll keep a close eye on this thread, thanks for you input!

It will be Saturday before I do anymore work on the site, although I have some more ideas of what I am going to do and will post them here before Saturday. I have turned my welcome headers back on now (I intend to turn them off when see page sizes) so take in to account that they are around 5k if viewing the page.

I got a chance to do some work last night.

The category titles on forumhome are no longer links just text, the category's can no longer to collapsed by guests. I have removed the time of the last post.

http://www.hfuk.org.uk/Hospitality-Forum-UK/

http://www.hfuk.org.uk/Hospitality-F....php?hits=true

I have been working on vba links today after taking part in this thread SEO advice much needed, I have got the crr working thanks to this thread Custom rewrite for vBA Photogallery & Links?.

You can follow the tree with the links below.

http://www.furnessforum.org.uk/links/
http://www.furnessforum.org.uk/links/linkcat-16.html
http://www.furnessforum.org.uk/links/link-2.html

I have removed all the unneeded on page links which should push the spiders towards the link. You will also note (apart for nav and footer) there are no other links on the show links page.

I also think this looks more like a links directory now and not a forum (but that is IMO).

btw- I just noticed that you are still using 2.3.2 in http://www.furnessforum.org.uk/... there's a bug (which is fixed in 2.4.0) with vBa in the front page... links not being rewritten

[taking notes on the hospitality forums strip off]

I already have do this on my forum.
I use this to edit templates, for I can find edited places easely.

PHP Code:

<!-- Removed for guests :: start -->
<if condition="!is_member_of($bbuserinfo, 1)">
...code to hide from guests 
<!-- Removed for guests :: Else --><else />
...code to show (when used)
</if>
<!-- Removed for guests :: end --> 


Thinking Games

Originally Posted by Zooman

I have been thinking of ways to improve what SEs index, unfortunately I may have some ideas but I will need some help (editor: What’s new Zoo).

Anyway here’s my ideas. To remove everything that is unneeded to the unregistered user group, of course we will all have our own ideas as to what is unneeded but here goes.

Forum Index Home.

• What’s going on. Done
• Link to last post (I have got rid of mine). done
• Mark read / leaders (removed) done

Thread Index Pages (not sure what it is called).

• Thread/ Thread Starter removed to be replaced with the word ‘thread’ as a column description.
• Link to last post (I have got rid of mine). done
• Rating, last Post, replies, views no longer clickable (i.e just column descriptions).
• Forum Tools (removed) Done
• Display options (removed) done
• posting rules (removed) done
• Thread starter (posters name) and last post by (posters name) no longer a link to the public profile just plain text.
• View First Unread (removed)

Thread

• Thread tools (removed) done
• display mode (removed) done
• View Single Post Link (removed)
• Drop Down Postbit Menu (removed) and the name once it is removed not a link. done (sort of
• Posting rules (removed) done
• View First Unread (removed) done

I am interested in what you guys think, less code on pages is sure to add to the ratio of content to code.