Is WebForumz too good?

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 09:07

I've had a thought guys. I'm not a SuperMember (I know I know I should part with the pence it costs but I'm a. poor and b. never get round to it.) but I think in the critique forum, it should hide threads from search bots by default.

I'm not having a go at the supermember idea, it's a good idea that raises money for the site, but what has prevented me from posting my own site for critique is that the SEO on WebForumz is so good, people searching for my site will be shown the critique thread first! I know I should strive to make my SEO better but when the owner/founder is an SEO expert it's like me opening a karate school with 'Jackie Chan's dojo' next door.

I ask, then, that hiding of critique threads be made default and supermembers be given the option of wether they want it or not.

Thankyouplease.

welshstew · Dec 11th, 2007, 10:02

Good Suggestion Dan

Cheers.

dangergeek · Dec 11th, 2007, 12:32

I agree with you minute44

I dont want to post in the web critique section because doing a search in google can actually bring up some negative comments that people have left about sites i am making.

Can you review this polict please as Dan has suggested

Stuart · Dec 11th, 2007, 12:45

This is a good idea. I know it's hard to get your site out there when we have Rob, the SEO guru!

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 12:49

I wouldn't be so bothered if you could find the critique thread by doing a google search and it appeared 3 or 4 results down the list but I'm just saying that WF seems to be a victim of it's own success in that it's SEO pretty much trumps anything else out there and gets a google result higher than that of the site you're actually searching for.

Daniel · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:13

I must be the exception - my site comes up before webforumz lol..

FMFA Manager - I'm first and Webforumz comes in 6th

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:16

I suppose a lot of it is how you word the title to your critique as wel as how you word your google search, but still, webforumz is strong competition.

c010depunkk · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:18

I would say you have REALLY bad SEO. If you search for c010depunkk, my site is at the very top, and Webforumz doesn't appear for at least 3 pages.... And I've submitted my site twice in the Critique Forum.

I'd say y'all need to stop whining and put just a tiny bit of effort into SEO. Rob may call himself an "SEO guru," but that doesn't make him "the SEO God with top rankings on all search terms on earth...." !!!

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:27

I get what you're saying, however blunt and, frankly, rude you might have been. All I'm saying is that by making critiques hidden by default Webforumz isn't putting the poster at a disadvantage straight out of the gate. Not everyone knows about SEO, people on here are learning, don't forget. If a beginner posts a site with poor SEO he is placed at a further disadvantage just by having posted his site on here. That seems a bit harsh to me.

JacobHaug · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:40

Well, I will say I agree. I know exactly what everyone is saying here. If you post a critique within the critique forum and give it the same title as your website, there is a good chance that Webforumz might come in first.

We used to have the option for $5 bucks you could make your critique hidden, but we have recently changed that, and I'm not sure I like it. We will discuss this in our next staff meeting. Which should be when I return from my vacation.

Rob · Dec 11th, 2007, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by c010depunkk

I'd say y'all need to stop whining and put just a tiny bit of effort into SEO. Rob may call himself an "SEO guru," but that doesn't make him "the SEO God with top rankings on all search terms on earth...." !!!

I have to totally agree here - i dont own google, or particular search terms (however, we may as well own 'web design forum(s)' and many others ..lol)

I never started the 'SEO Guru' thing and certainly never called myself it..... it was others who dubbed me that and I guess it stuck - I gave in to using it for myself and why not

I would think this went without saying, but the critique is actually a pretty valuable service - we do not restrict who can post for a critique.

Hiding a thread from search engines has always been a superMember benefit and will continue to remain so..... May I just point out for fairness however that this applies to ALL threads and not JUST critique - supermembers can hide any of their threads - at least, thats how it is set up. We may have some legacy wording or threads which may suggest otherwise but as far as I know supermembers can hide any thread.

Daniel · Dec 11th, 2007, 14:19

I think Jacob's idea is good - what you think Rob - could it be implemented?

alexgeek · Dec 11th, 2007, 15:08

I agree with Jacob.
The point of modding vb so that it can hide threads was to have it as a supermember mod, which allows you to hide threads.
If you're not a supermember then it's the price you pay

Rob · Dec 11th, 2007, 15:20

I dont know of other forums that offer this option, and until they do I cant see why anyone can complain. At least the option is available. I personally think it will stay as a value added option for super-members. Members post for critiques on many many websites not just webforumz - at least here they have the option of hiding their critique or not. If our own SEO out-ranks other forums then that should be neither here nor there and should bear no relevance on whether a custom built option should be free or otherwise or whether it should be made available to all. It's an SEO option. I stress option. The option is available to supermembers for all threads.

As Jacob has pointed out, we will discuss it in the next meeting, but given the indisputable facts surrounding this matter I see very little reason to re-hack this mod.

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 15:22

I'm not talking about it out-ranking other forum threads. I'm talking about it out-ranking the site that's been posted for critique.

Oh well, I won't persue the matter any further if the powers have spoken.

karinne · Dec 11th, 2007, 15:23

I have to agree with Rob's last post here.

This is the ONLY forum that offers this. People have been plastering their website in every other forums without complaint ... yes ... even SitePoint with is ALOT bigger than this one.

I have never had a problem with this and, like Rob said, if it's so important, then it's an added value to SuperMember status.

That's my 0.02 cents

minute44 · Dec 11th, 2007, 15:25

.002 dollars?