inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 4, 2014 10:15:22 GMT -8
Forum URL: weightlosssurgery.proboards.comMy main goal is to increase our ranking on search engines. The best I have found is page four on Google under a specific search term. As everyone knows, most people don't venture beyond the second page, if that. I want my board on page 1. A knowledgeable acquaintance told me this: "The biggest issue holding down the ranking of your forum is the LACK of ability to use meta tags which Google/SEO relies on. That is because proboards overrides your forum. They use THEIR meta tags, and nothing that an admin can do on a proboards forum is ever going to change or overcome that insurmountable fact. It is ALWAYS going to limit how high the board’s ranking can go on Google." Because of the .proboards in our url, we are just a subdomain. I don't mind if active members never see the custom domain. My target is only the search bots. Will the custom domain allow my forum to have meta tags? If not, does the custom domain provide any other benefit towards my goal of a first page return on Google? Thank you for your help! Kelly
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inherit
(??_?)
181912
0
1
Jul 6, 2015 20:35:17 GMT -8
CheatAreZee
56,804
March 2005
zyvoloski
Ricky's Mini-Profile
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Post by CheatAreZee on Jan 4, 2014 10:20:53 GMT -8
Hi Kelly, I don't know where you got that info from, but you can add your own meta tags to the forum if you wish. Visit your admin panel then navigate to Themes > Layout Templates, then click on the Forum Wrapper template. On the next page place your meta tags within the <head> section of the HTML  In regards to the custom domain, that just affects how users visit your forum. Doesn't make any other changes to the forum itself. |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 4, 2014 11:49:30 GMT -8
Hi Kelly, I don't know where you got that info from, but you can add your own meta tags to the forum if you wish. Visit your admin panel then navigate to Themes > Layout Templates, then click on the Forum Wrapper template. On the next page place your meta tags within the <head> section of the HTML In regards to the custom domain, that just affects how users visit your forum. Doesn't make any other changes to the forum itself. The guy who told me that is a co-author of The Internet for Dummies. He seems to like to hear himself speak and I take his advice with a grain of salt. I doubt he did any research into Proboards before he wrote that. Which is why I brought this subject to you guys. Will my existing members still be able to access the board with the old link? Thanks for your help! Kelly |
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inherit
(??_?)
181912
0
1
Jul 6, 2015 20:35:17 GMT -8
CheatAreZee
56,804
March 2005
zyvoloski
Ricky's Mini-Profile
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Post by CheatAreZee on Jan 4, 2014 11:56:55 GMT -8
Ah, I see. It may have been true with the v4 software since you didn't have direct access to the HTML, so using the traditional headers and footer system had the possibility of not being entirely effective when it comes to meta tags. But yes, with v5 since you do have access to the HTML you are able to put the meta tags in the proper placement If you use a custom domain name on the forum, the old URL we provide will still function along side of your custom domain. However if you set the custom domain name as the default domain name for the forum, visitors that come to your forum with the old ProBoards URL for your forum will be directed to your custom domain name after they login to their account. |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 4, 2014 12:52:23 GMT -8
Ah, I see. It may have been true with the v4 software since you didn't have direct access to the HTML, so using the traditional headers and footer system had the possibility of not being entirely effective when it comes to meta tags. But yes, with v5 since you do have access to the HTML you are able to put the meta tags in the proper placement If you use a custom domain name on the forum, the old URL we provide will still function along side of your custom domain. However if you set the custom domain name as the default domain name for the forum, visitors that come to your forum with the old ProBoards URL for your forum will be directed to your custom domain name after they login to their account. The last edition of that book was printed in 2011. I'm not surprised if he's a little rusty and resting on his laurels. Is there a test board where I can experience the direction to a custom domain after login? What happens in a year if I decide that this experiment is not working? Will everything revert to the .proboards url? Including the members who joined under the custom domain? |
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inherit
(??_?)
181912
0
1
Jul 6, 2015 20:35:17 GMT -8
CheatAreZee
56,804
March 2005
zyvoloski
Ricky's Mini-Profile
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Post by CheatAreZee on Jan 4, 2014 13:48:57 GMT -8
We don't have a demo that you could try, but I can see about setting one up though if you would like? <- unfortunately my domain provider doesn't support sub-domains, so I'm unable to create that test. But a couple of example forums that I can think of off the top of my head that use custom domains are forum.f-106deltadart.com and www.yellowsforum.co.uk/ If you decide a year from now that you no longer want to use the domain name, it would be as simple as switching the default domain name back to the original proboards address which would be done through the Upgrades > Custom Domains area of the admin panel. Then the forum would be reverted back to only using that address |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 4, 2014 16:59:53 GMT -8
We don't have a demo that you could try, but I can see about setting one up though if you would like? <- unfortunately my domain provider doesn't support sub-domains, so I'm unable to create that test. But a couple of example forums that I can think of off the top of my head that use custom domains are forum.f-106deltadart.com and www.yellowsforum.co.uk/ If you decide a year from now that you no longer want to use the domain name, it would be as simple as switching the default domain name back to the original proboards address which would be done through the Upgrades > Custom Domains area of the admin panel. Then the forum would be reverted back to only using that address That Yellow site is something else. It has had more guests in the last 24 hours 2,200+ than it has members 1,800+. And I thought that I had a lot of guests. Anyway, you wouldn't happen to have their old .proboards url ? It is the process of redirecting new members that I am most interested in. People get twitchy about being redirected. And in a year, if I revert back to the .proboards url, would it also be seamless for the members who joined with the custom domain? |
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inherit
(??_?)
181912
0
1
Jul 6, 2015 20:35:17 GMT -8
CheatAreZee
56,804
March 2005
zyvoloski
Ricky's Mini-Profile
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Post by CheatAreZee on Jan 4, 2014 17:19:49 GMT -8
Sure thing, it's yellowsforum.proboards.com -- basically they won't even know that they've been re-directed to a different URL unless they look for it in the address bar. It'll be somewhat seamless; since you would be taking away the custom domain name, those that used that domain name as a primary means to reach the forum may become a bit confused to find it not working one day, so you would likely want to provide some good notice to your members that the custom domain would be disappearing so they know to update their bookmarks to the original forum URL. Otherwise the forum will still operate the same as it always has |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 4, 2014 23:42:49 GMT -8
Sure thing, it's yellowsforum.proboards.com -- basically they won't even know that they've been re-directed to a different URL unless they look for it in the address bar. It'll be somewhat seamless; since you would be taking away the custom domain name, those that used that domain name as a primary means to reach the forum may become a bit confused to find it not working one day, so you would likely want to provide some good notice to your members that the custom domain would be disappearing so they know to update their bookmarks to the original forum URL. Otherwise the forum will still operate the same as it always has Well that's interesting. The full board is up on the .proboards url. I clicked on the Forum Information board and the url was still .proboards. I don't think that's a problem. It is better for the existing members if they are not inconvenienced by a change in the url. My interest in the custom domain is just to remove the subdomain of Proboards issue to get a higher ranking on the search engines. So, this would be perfect. Thanks again for your help! Kelly |
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inherit
The Great Cinnamon Roll
191518
0
Oct 19, 2016 22:17:44 GMT -8
David Clark
Care for some tai chi with your chai tea?
17,602
March 2013
davidlinc1
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Post by David Clark on Jan 5, 2014 9:10:14 GMT -8
Hey goodkel, I also just wanted to mention that the pre-existing meta data on ProBoards forums does not impose any sort of limit on how high your board's ranking can go on Google, as claimed by your acquaintance in your original post. In fact the opposite is true - ProBoards forums are optimized for SEO and cooperate with Google's indexing systems to be placed as highly as they can be in relevant searches. To give an example, try searching for ProBoards Support or Pandce, and take note of the links that appear underneath the main result - this is a product of your forum's pre-configured settings that pass on information to search engines. |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
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Post by goodkel on Jan 5, 2014 12:11:38 GMT -8
Hey goodkel, I also just wanted to mention that the pre-existing meta data on ProBoards forums does not impose any sort of limit on how high your board's ranking can go on Google, as claimed by your acquaintance in your original post. In fact the opposite is true - ProBoards forums are optimized for SEO and cooperate with Google's indexing systems to be placed as highly as they can be in relevant searches. To give an example, try searching for ProBoards Support or Pandce, and take note of the links that appear underneath the main result - this is a product of your forum's pre-configured settings that pass on information to search engines. Attached is a search of my forum name. Not fond of the space devoted to Login and Register. (A large portion is open to guest viewing, but we do have some private areas.) Would meta tags correct that?  And the fact is that potential new members are not going to be using my board url in their search terms. For "weight loss surgery message board" I am on page two. But, not many people researching my subject would search that either. For "weight loss surgery" I stopped at page 10 without seeing my link. This is what I need to fix. It seems I'm stumbling around bumping into walls to find, if not a solution, then something that would provide solid help in raising my board's ranking. |
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inherit
The Great Cinnamon Roll
191518
0
Oct 19, 2016 22:17:44 GMT -8
David Clark
Care for some tai chi with your chai tea?
17,602
March 2013
davidlinc1
|
Post by David Clark on Jan 5, 2014 12:24:42 GMT -8
As time goes on and Google's systems get a better of where your forum should appear in search results, goodkel, your ranking will improve, and the links for Login and Register will become other links. Remember too that different users get different search results based on a number of different factors. I searched "weight loss surgery message board" and didn't find you at all, but searching "weight loss surgery forum" or "weight loss surgery board" places you in the first few results for each. |
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inherit
174885
0
Oct 13, 2016 12:40:49 GMT -8
goodkel
259
December 2011
goodkel
|
Post by goodkel on Jan 5, 2014 12:54:53 GMT -8
As time goes on and Google's systems get a better of where your forum should appear in search results, goodkel, your ranking will improve, and the links for Login and Register will become other links. Remember too that different users get different search results based on a number of different factors. I searched "weight loss surgery message board" and didn't find you at all, but searching "weight loss surgery forum" or "weight loss surgery board" places you in the first few results for each. How interesting. A year and a half ago, I devoted an entire section in the open to guest viewing area to diabetes and the duodenal switch, a bariatric surgery that has a 98% cure rate for type II diabetes. More than half the posts are composed of peer reviewed scientific studies I posted myself. Members have posted their own experiences on the remainder. You would think that Google would have caught on by now that there is more to my forum than Login and Registration. sheesh With those results, I'm more inclined to be proactive about it than sit around waiting for them to get their act together. |
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