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Negatives of vBSEO

Discussion in 'vBulletin' started by Burta, Mar 19, 2007.

  1. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #61
    So the annual fee is for upgrades.

    What if there is no need for upgrades? For example, no vB changes, no Apache changes, no bugs found. Will the $35 be refunded or used for next year - or is this an opportunity fee?

    Can the user skip a year or two, then do an upgrade, or does one has to have continuous payments?
     
    Libertate, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  2. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #62
    The fee is for access to upgrades and our support ticketing system.

    Users are not required to pay the fee, if they do not plan to upgrade or a new version is not available.

    However - we do recommend that when new versions are available that everyone upgrade to take advantage of any bug fixes, updates, and new features available.
     
    jward, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  3. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #63
    So if I skip a couple of years, and then pay the annual fee - do I get all the upgrades I did not recieve since purchase?
     
    Libertate, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  4. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #64
    Yes. Of course, you will then just install the most recent release available.
     
    jward, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  5. DannyBly

    DannyBly Peon

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    #65
    This is pretty alarming to me....having said that I am interested in better optimizing my forum!
     
    DannyBly, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  6. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #66
    Hi Dan,

    Firstly, vBulletin forums who are seeing significant SEO advantages from using vBSEO are not likely to ever uninstall. :)

    Nonetheless, for whatever reason, should they ever decide to do so, we can provide .htaccess 301 directives allowing them to notify the search engines that the CRUs (Content Relevant URLs) should be transferred back to the old dynamic URL format.
     
    jward, Apr 2, 2007 IP
  7. ninjashoes

    ninjashoes Well-Known Member

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    #67
    Thats good to hear
     
    ninjashoes, Apr 3, 2007 IP
  8. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #68
    Would you be kind and provide us the data?:D Just installed, uninstalled, kept, and the methodology of the information collection.
     
    Libertate, Apr 3, 2007 IP
  9. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #69
    jward, Apr 3, 2007 IP
  10. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #70
    That is excellent anecdotal feedback. They all seem quite happy with your product.

    Would you happen to have something more substential, something more verifiable, something with less availability heuristics?
     
    Libertate, Apr 3, 2007 IP
  11. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #71
    If you are looking for an opposing viewpoint, you can search here for vBSEO. Several members have expressed different concerns. This may help balance your research.
     
    jward, Apr 4, 2007 IP
  12. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #72
    jward, I have no interest in reading people complaining about a product per se.

    I do, however, enjoy verifying comments when stated as fact. ;) Sort of truth in advertising thingy...
     
    Libertate, Apr 4, 2007 IP
  13. jward

    jward Active Member

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    #73
    Supporting data from our users would have to be collected including statistics related to indexing, crawling, and ranking (i.e. volume of Web traffic) both (a) pre, and (b) post vBSEO installation for a period of approximately 6 months which is more consistent with good SEO testing period.

    Since this is private user data, we do not have access to it.

    Instead, we focus on:

    (a) Strictly adhering to whitehat SEO principles, and
    (b) Determining our success rate on customer feedback

    Despite the technical complexity involved in re-structuring such a large dynamic application as vBulletin - we have achieved (a) with vBSEO.

    Regarding our success rate, we receive overwhelming feedback from customers acknowledging the results being delivered with vBSEO.

    Negative comments are typically from non-customers who: (a) have not used the product, (b) are skeptical in the sense of "is this too good to be true", (c) and have concerns that are not related to the effectiveness of the product (e.g. pricing, Acceptable Usage Policy, etc).

    We would love to have access to the complete data set. Thus far, as expected, we see some incredible results. Our customer review forums get a large volume of reports including charting showing Web visit acceleration within a short period after installation.

    We have major content publishers with upwards of 60 forums who tried the software, and (after evaluating its effectiveness) licensed their entire collection of forums. These individuals who make their living largely from CPC ad revenues (Google Adsense primarily) understand the power of having a big increase in traffic across their entire forum network, along with boosted AdSense relevancy and more targeted traffic.

    The basic rule of thumb is: adhere to whitehat SEO techniques and an improvement in search engine positioning should be achieved. vBSEO makes that possible.
     
    jward, Apr 4, 2007 IP
  14. slinky

    slinky Banned

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    #74
    Someone asked here about honest remarks about some of the potential negatives of VBSEO - I think it is the title? When someone can't find anything anything negative to say about their product, you have to question the veracity of the salesman. It usually means there is a lot of snakeoil. If our resident representative can't just name a few negatives honestly, I'll cite a few.

    (1) A lot of the negative comments about VBSEO are due to the vomitous volume of marketing propogated by vbSEO - there's more whoring by vbSEO in popular forums than in all of Nevada. Ask a simple question like "what are the negatives" and you get answers like in this thread - that there are just waaay too many features that you'll have to deal with!

    (1a) I remember the auction that was posted here for brand free versions of vbSEO. It set a whole new low level of sleazery in the software industry. This one was unanimous which is why you probably haven't seen it again.

    (2) Free vbSEO Advertising Slapped on Your Forum: You've just paid $150 for the privilege of adding their branding to your forums. To me, this cheapens the product you are providing, especially if you have other requirements. I can get rid of the branding for my vBulletin forum for a few bucks more, but the vbSEO tag will stick out in your header like Herpes.

    (3) Encryption - The script is encrypted. This is not any benefit but only a negative for you, the customer. If the support for this product goes down then your long time investment is hosed, as could other things with your board since the failure of vbSEO means your entire board fails. If a bigger fish decides to buy out this company (as they are obviously pimping for), it won't be the first time support has dwindled. Others have mentioned you can uninstall it but you'll pay the price for doing that too. Decide if this risk is worth it.

    (4) Cost: Expensive - This is an investment, especially if you have several boards. It costs $150 for 1 year support. Question is whether you need it. As others have pointed out, most of the largest forums don't use it and are still at the top of Google SERPs.

    (5) Keeping Your Food Down If vbSEO is Installed: Let's say I could consider this product. I've seen so much pressure sell it's difficult for me to stomach it appearing on my forum. (Hey guys!!! Dom LePree is showing off the pictures of the yacht he bought along with all the Bond women he's sleeping with thanks to switching to vbSEO! It's true! Click here to show the graph, etc.)

    Those are just a few. I have no personal beef with any of the guys at vbSEO and at one time considered it a possibility but couldn't. The encrypting was bad enough and the branding made it an absolute no brainer not to install. Most of all, it's just hard to read these threads any more so forgive me if I seem a little frustrated with this post.
     
    slinky, Aug 4, 2007 IP
  15. Cal813

    Cal813 Active Member

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    #75
    1. Bad comments are posted because some people dislike the product. I know of about 20-30 forums, that have actually stopped renewing their vbseo licence because after awhile.. it just didn't help them.. so you see people with RC1 or RC4 etc.. still.. or even 2.4 version.. just because it hasn't made a big difference after awhile.

    2. I agree.. vbseo's marketing strategies are a bit odd. They basically try to do anything they can to advertise on your forum, EVEN after you have paid $150 for the licence.

    3. I don't get why they need to Encrypt? Do you see vbulletin Encrypting? it's funny when the company that actually MADE the core product isn't even using any sort of hidden Encryption, yet we have a 3rd party software using it...

    4. It's VERY expensive, people cna practically buy a NEW vbulletin OWNED licence for the same price... and the vbulletin can be optimized SEO wise for free using Zoints. so why pay so much for this product? BTW it's also a 3rd party addon.. if vbulletin one days says.. HEY! lets make our own SEO addon.. that $150 you spent.. is down the drain basically... and at the rate vbulletin is going.. they will have TONS of addons real soon, meaning 3rd party companies need to shut down..

    5. Yes, not only that.. uninstallation is a problem. You install this product, your STUCK with it.. and how do they make more and more money off you? by renewing.. you renew yearly.. and your screwed.. The only other way to uninstall is to actually uninstall it and watch your PR etc.. fall down for 1 year atleast.... and it will take awhile for you to get back up there because all the pages need to be re indexed..

    overall.. I'm not here to bash vbseo, because I think it can be a good product. However, the management and other factors such as costs,hidden files etc.. doesn't help them out in the end.. If they fix those things, I might buy it.. but till then.. I won't.

    PS: check vbulletin.org, there is a guy making a new SEO hack, which is pretty close to vbseo, mabye a few less features, but the core of it is the same. And the best part? It's free! :D
     
    Cal813, Aug 5, 2007 IP
  16. SoniCute

    SoniCute Active Member

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    #76
    $150 just for rewrite URL?I dont think so,I let down my forum using default vbulletin archive system and I have good PR (current PR5 now) and really good indexed on all search engine.If I have $150 better I get more $10 for buy new VBulletin license.

    And just like other members said,when VBSEO go down in development or support ( i hope they still keep in bussiness forever) like visionscripts.com what can you say?No support and when you uninstalled it,let see your forum will go to where you started it,that really become a nigtmare for all webmaster :(

    See visionscripts out of bussiness due VBulletin have develop all visionscripts made :)

    One day I believe vbulletin will made VBSEO for their script.
     
    SoniCute, Aug 10, 2007 IP
  17. Cal813

    Cal813 Active Member

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    #77
    yup.. I heard visionscripts is gone now.. that's what I mean with 3rd party tools. I don't care how much assurance the CEO's of vbseo and other addons give to it's members. The fact is they can close down WHENEVER and you lose out on your licence. Then nor can you sell it or properly use it.

    BTW Soni, for $149 you can get a vB licence. That is, if you have 2 already. So basically when people are buying a vbseo licence, they could have gotten another vbulletin licence..
     
    Cal813, Aug 11, 2007 IP
  18. nevetS

    nevetS Evolving Dragon

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    #78
    No complaints about the actual product.

    I'd have to agree. :)

    My experience is that it's a painless upgrade (upgrading vbseo instances), the impact on performance is negligible, and any support questions get answered quickly and effectively.

    Yeah, it's encrypted. I won't complain about that. I prefer open solutions too, but whatever.

    It's not a be all end all solution, but it does exactly the job it is supposed to do.
     
    nevetS, Aug 21, 2007 IP
  19. Dubz

    Dubz Peon

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    #79
    It's great I get alot more SE traffic than before I like the URL's and I have more pages indexed mind you I have more pages so who really knows.

    35$ a year... That's less than 10 cents a day...

    Rob
     
    Dubz, Aug 23, 2007 IP
  20. ForgottenCreature

    ForgottenCreature Notable Member

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    #80
    Well, have you even worked on your backlinks at all? Or did you just install vbSEO and leave it?
     
    ForgottenCreature, Aug 26, 2007 IP