What would I download?

I have vbulletin version 3.8 Gold installed. Would I download vBSEO 3.2.0 and the patch? Where are the install instructions? Is it easy to install. (Never done this before.) Are new versions that are released free to customers? Do we pay a one time price or do we have to renew each year? Is it easy to use? Thank you in advance for your help.

For vBulletin 3.8, you would install vBSEO 3.2.0 + our released patch (as you stated).

When vBSEO 3.2.5 is released, you will upgrade to that version which is fully compatible and does not require the patch.

Install instructions are included in our readme file, available after you download. You can also read it online here:
vBSEO 3.2.0 Readme File

The install is very straightforward. If you have any questions, you can ask our vBSEO Total Support Team via our priority support ticketing system. Alternatively, we also have a paid install service available if you would like our team to do it for you, plus additional configurations of our sitemap and setup of our Relevant Replacements, etc.

Your license is a lifetime license. You can use it for as long as you run your forum. This includes 1 year of free access to upgrades.

After your license expires, you may optionally renew for $35 for another year. This gives you access to all new upgrades as well as access to the priority support ticketing system for another year.

While this is optional, we do recommend that all customers stay up to date with the latest version of vBSEO, which always includes a host of new SEO features, updates, and bug fixes that you should take advantage of.

vBSEO's default settings are what many customers use. Therefore, the configuration is simple. If you wish to explore the options more, you can do so in our vBSEO Control Panel (vbseocp.php). You can see an example using our demo:
vBSEO - vBSEO Demo Signup

Any help you ever need regarding the settings will be provided by our Total Support Team, via the forum or via a support ticket.

If you would like us to evaluate your forum once you get vBSEO up and running, to spot areas for further improvement, we typically do so in our Critique Request forum.

I hope that answers your questions fully. If you have any more, please feel free to post and let us know. We look forward to getting your forum maxed out with vBSEO.

The install is very straightforward. If you have any questions, you can ask our vBSEO Total Support Team via our priority support ticketing system. Any help you ever need regarding the settings will be provided by our Total Support Team, via the forum or via a support ticket.

If you would like us to evaluate your forum once you get vBSEO up and running, to spot areas for further improvement, we typically do so in our Critique Request forum.

Are all of these free services?

vBSEO's default settings are what many customers use. Therefore, the configuration is simple. If you wish to explore the options more, you can do so in our vBSEO Control Panel (vbseocp.php). You can see an example using our demo:
vBSEO - vBSEO Demo Signup

So after the install, I don't necessarily have to set anything? Is there recommendations for how to do the settings? If so where do I find those?

I hope that answers your questions fully. If you have any more, please feel free to post and let us know. We look forward to getting your forum maxed out with vBSEO.

Of course, only 1 per forum, correct? I may also use this on a test forum, correct?

Is it necessary to do the things mentioned in these 2 threads: Briansol's Ultimate Guide to vBSEO
[How to] Setup www.yourdomain.com or yourdomain.com (www vs. non-www) - With .htaccess 301 redirects

Re: Free Services

Access to the priority support ticketing system is available for all technical support requests, free for 1 year. After 1 year, renewal is required at $35.

However, requests for help via the vbseo.com forums is always available to you for technical support requests and always free to license holders.

Our Critique requests are currently provided free of charge, by request only, and involve one of more members of the team taking a brief look at your site, and providing some tips from experience.

Re: Configuration after setup

Many users get away with the default setup. However, there are several things (some of which involve changing your configuration settings) that we would recommend proactive customers take a look at, which may include simply asking us for advice or assistance. These two resources point out some common configuration recommendations:

Your Site Review - Stuff to Do First

Briansol's Ultimate Guide to vBSEO


Re: 1 Forum Per License

Yes, your vBSEO license is valid for one forum only, single URL.

Re: Test forums

Yes - we allow for installation on test forums. To do so, you must provide us with the location (URL) of the test forum before installing, so that we can assign it to your license. You do that via the ticketing system.

Re: Brian's Guide

Briansol's Ultimate Guide to vBSEO

Brian is one of our most experienced users, who is considered to have expert level knowledge in vBulletin, vBSEO, and AdSense optimization.

He outlines his preferred setup in the above article along with additional tips. You do not have to implement Brian's exact setup. However, it is a good idea to see how he has everything configured since he is very experienced, and runs a very successful (and profitable) forum. If you decide you would like to try his setup, you can rest assured that it was designed by a professional user.

Re: www versus non-www

I would consider this tip essential.

When do you expect vBSEO 3.2.5 to be released?

Do you send email notifications when there are new releases? Will there be a note about it in your admin CP when there is a new release?

If I decide to purchase this and install it myself and find I can't may I still purchase installation at a later date?

If I install this on a test site then do the install later on the intended site I just need to inform you of the change in urls?

One of the reasons I am considering this is because my site has been having alot of problems with getting suspended for excessive CPU quota usage. I read this can be illiminated some by switching your site from php pages to html pages. Is this correct?

Thank you for your help. You have provided me with quick, very informative answers. I really like that.

Re: vBSEO 3.2.5 Status

3.2.5 is in internal testing phase, almost ready for our Pre-Release team. This is one of the final tasks we need to complete before it is released. As soon as we are sure it is ready, we will package it up and launch it.

Re: Email notifications

Yes, we always send email notifications and create official announcements for each new release.

Re: AdminCP Notices

Our current vBSEO Control Panel is not equipped to provide update notices.

Re: Test site setup

When you purchase, please provide us your "official" site where you intend vBSEO to be used. This will be assigned to your license.

Then you let us know your test URL via a ticket and we add that to your existing license.

You can have it installed on both your live and test site at the same time, as long as you let us know the URL for the test site and we add it to your account.

Please don't provide your test URL when you purchase. We need your main forum URL for the license, even if you do not plan to install it there until after your testing is completed.

Re: CPU Performance Issues

Unfortunately, if you are having CPU excessive quote usage right now (pre-vBSEO), there are really only 2 ways to solve this:

1. You upgrade your quota with your current host, or switch to a new host with a better account. This is a common problem for growing forums on a shared hosting setup.

2. If you have a dedicated server, you may be able to analyze your server configuration to find out what is causing the high CPU usage, or determine if it's simply because your forum is getting so many visitors that it has used up all the resources one server can provide. In this case, you would need to add a second server. Please note that this is normally only required for very large and active forums.

Re: Are vBSEO pages really HTML?

Remember, that vBSEO "rewrites" your URLs. The pages may look like simple static HTML pages, but in the background they are still very much your dynamic, .php, vBulletin driven scripts.

In reality, there is really no solution available that could convert a site as active as a forum, into static copy HTML files. However, there are "caching mechanisms" for your server available that do something similar programmatically. Basically, they store copies of the scripts in memory for faster performance, and lower CPU usage (access to the harddrive reduction, query reduction, etc). You should investigate some of those options for your forum. The common solutions in this area are also fully vBSEO compatible.

Re: Is vBSEO Right for you?

For SEO for your forum, absolutely.

However, I have to advise you that you must solve your CPU issue before you install vBSEO. vBSEO will not be a solution for the issue of consuming your CPU quota.

How many active users to you have on your forum on average? Are you on a shared hosting account? Who is your hosting provider?