SEO for brand new forum

[patrick24601]

1. Are the setup/config rules different for a brand new VB forum?

2. If so is there a post highlighting the best way to config a brand new forum using vbseo?

Thanks,
Patrick

[Joe Ward]

Hi Patrick,

The defaults are often all you need to do to get started. However, we do have a few excellent resources available as well to get you on your way. Firstly, once installed, you should open a critique request for extra tips:
vBulletin SEO Discussion - Critique Please at vBSEO.com

Then you can check out two of our more popular tip documents that outline several other optimization tips you can apply:

• Briansol's Ultimate Guide to vBSEO
• Your Site Review - Stuff to Do First

Also - please post any questions at all you have for our team and we'll get back to you asap with the answers you need.

Welcome aboard.

[patrick24601]

Thanks. I'd be installing right now except that my CC seems to make the VB people unhappy. I'll be back in a day or two once I get them straightened out.

[Joe Ward]

Ok - sounds great. See you in a few days.

[patrick24601]

OK. Finally got vb bought and installed. Looking for their 'set up recommendations' now. And something else came to mind.

Does vb mask links by default or is that something that vbSeo does? i.e. for affiliate links.

Thanks,
Patrick

[Joe Ward]

vB doesn't mask links. However, you can achieve that effectively with our Custom Redirects feature where you can map something like:

yourdomain.com/specialoffer/

to

vendorsite.com/trackaffiliate.php?id=yours&landingpage=goodone

[patrick24601]

Thanks Joe.

Is this just something I can pretty much set up and forget (or not tweak too often), or do I have to set up custom rules for each type of link I'll be posting?

In other words... affiliate manager sends me an offer in HTML with the the link:

<a href=vendorsite.com/trackaffiliate.php?id=yours&landingpage=goodone>Bu y it Now</a>

I'd like to (after configing) vbSEO just be able to copy/paste that in and hit 'Submit'. I suppose I can also just take out what is in the href= and paste that in.

[Joe Ward]

You would enter your vbseocp.php, scroll to the Custom Redirects, clone (i.e. copy/paste) on of the ones you have setup already. Then quickly change the text you want to display, and paste in the new link.

I would estimate this to take less than 30 seconds once you are familiar with the process (2 or 3 times doing it).

Note: Some affiliate programs provide snippets that include invisible images, etc, for tracking purposes. If those are required in order for you to get the sale credit, you might not be able to use the above method. However, you should check with the particular affiliate program manager to find out for sure (if that's the case for the program you are promoting).