Create a forum guidelines

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by websitetools, Jan 27, 2007.

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  1. #1
    Hi all,

    I am thinking about creating a forum for my products / website.

    I have following questions:

    Do any of you know good forum software that allows:
    * Easy customization
    * Easy to update
    * Easy to customize + update :)
    * Good for SEO (mod_rewrite)
    * Good against automated spam robots

    Ideally I would like to either integrate it with my site or at least show top forum threads on front page (threads started by me probably). I imagine I can do so by e.g. extracting posts from DB.



    Also, I see many websites that use e.g.
    forums.example.com
    blogs.example.com

    Is there any reason why the address isn't
    example.com/forums/ ?


    I have experimented with phpBB and miniBB before.


    best regards
    Thomas Schulz
     
    websitetools, Jan 27, 2007 IP
  2. oseymour

    oseymour Well-Known Member

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    #2
    vbulletin...Its hands down the best forum software out there..A license should run you about $150
     
    oseymour, Jan 27, 2007 IP
  3. Matts

    Matts Berserker

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    #3
    VB for sure. Get the NoSpam! mod from vbulletin.org and for rewrite get VBSeo from VBSEO.com. Vbulletin does a rewrite for archives but not for current content, and for that you need VBSeo (which costs $). VBSeo has a plus that it comes with a sitemap plug in and a tool to moderate sigs. I think sigs are fine but not for spammers so using the vbseo tool you can set some thresholds for posts before folks sigs show.

    VB is open and you can change the look and feel easily with styles. Try my forum in my sig, I'm toying with changing the style, and there are 3 styles there. You can choose styles at the bottom of the page in the style chooser to see how easily VB does it.

    If you're delving into custom styles it will help to know photoshop so you can customize the images into the look you want. On the other hand, DP runs here in the default style provided by VB. That's simpler for maintaining ... one less thing to worry about.

    Matt
     
    Matts, Jan 27, 2007 IP
  4. KC TAN

    KC TAN Well-Known Member

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    #4
    I recommend VB too :)
     
    KC TAN, Jan 28, 2007 IP
  5. Diether

    Diether Peon

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    #5
    Vote for SMF here.
    Very easy to include recent posts or make your own frontpage with the ssi funcions.
    SMF also has static url's build in. But there is also a great SEO mod for smf.
    Here's a demo of the ssi functions you can use: http://www.forumaffiliates.net/ssi_examples.php
    They're quit powerfull.
    For some of the functions it's also possible to return an array with all the data. Which allows you to completly customize the look of it.
    But you'll have to dig a bit through the code then.
    Am also currently writing some kind of frontpage with those ssi functions.
    It's just a small example but it can give you a basic idea of the posibilities:
    http://www.forumaffiliates.net/seo-and-advertising-techniques.php
    (that page is not finished yet though).
     
    Diether, Jan 28, 2007 IP