How to link to your vBulletin forum

[Joeychgo]

Over time, I have noticed many forum owners dont really know how to link to their forum. Usually I see this:

http://www.vbulletin-faq.com/

or this

http://www.vbulletin-faq.com/forum/index.php

or even this

http://vbulletin-faq.com (http://vbulletin-faq.com/)

None of those are the best way.

when you link to your forum, either from another site or within your own site, the best way is to use anchor tags, and be consistant with the URL.

This is the best way:

Link Building (http://www.vbulletin-faq.com/link-building.html)

the HTML code for this looks like this:

<a href=http://www.vbulletin-faq.com/link-building.html>Link Building</a>

The difference is the Anchor Text.

In a normally built site, anchor text is usually used to indicate the subject matter of the page that it links to. For example, the text "Link Building" indicates to visitors that they can expect to see content about building links if they visit the link. This pattern of usage has been applied in search engine algorithms to enhance the relevance of the page" URL for the keywords appearing within the anchor text.

Anchor Text Enhances the Relevance of the Linked Page

That is, the keywords used in the linked anchor text enhance the relevance of the linked page. While the relevance of the page containing the anchor text is also enhanced to some degree (because of relevant keywords appearing on that page), the real gainer is the target page URL. Use this knowledge to build the relevance of each page of your site, through optimized anchor text containing important keywords, relevant to the theme of such pages, from other pages of your site.

SO you should always use anchor text where possible. (This applies to signatures as well. ) Now, further, where possiible, use anchor text that is comprised of the best keyword phrases from and SEO standpoint for the page. What that means is that people search for some terms and phrases more then others. You want to use anchor text that people are likely to look for while still being descriptive enough so that regular people know what the page content is. Use as few words as possible in the process.

[Peggy]

That's what I try to do... but didn't know why I should til now ;)

[cpvr]

Great article, but I knew all about this.
Hopefullly SEO newbies learn.

[Brandon Sheley]

good stuff ;)

[GrendelKhan{TSU}]

glad you brought this up, I'm an looong time SEOer--and very white hat about SEO --so been doing this for years on "regular" sites... but just started in vbforum seo stuff, so don't know how how lots of stuff applies with vb..... and from the get go ... I've wondered about forums and bbcodes.

Unless one has html enable in a forum. this won't work.
Have you don't any testing to see if [ url= ] [ /url ] is crawled the same as a straight-up < a href = > tag?

I'm general too lazy (and forum users are) to add the url codes for all links I put up (the link button is easy) even if html was enabled and security issues were thrown to the wind... I HAVE been using proper titles to link but using [ url= ] bbcode.

I noticed you don't even html enabled. so....
does [ url= ] have the same potential link building effect as < a href= > ??

inquiring minds want to know.

[Joeychgo]

Yes - I would say so.

[Noppid]

glad you brought this up, I'm an looong time SEOer--and very white hat about SEO --so been doing this for years on "regular" sites... but just started in vbforum seo stuff, so don't know how how lots of stuff applies with vb..... and from the get go ... I've wondered about forums and bbcodes.

Unless one has html enable in a forum. this won't work.
Have you don't any testing to see if [ url= ] [ /url ] is crawled the same as a straight-up < a href = > tag?

I'm general too lazy (and forum users are) to add the url codes for all links I put up (the link button is easy) even if html was enabled and security issues were thrown to the wind... I HAVE been using proper titles to link but using [ url= ] bbcode.

I noticed you don't even html enabled. so....
does [ url= ] have the same potential link building effect as < a href= > ??

inquiring minds want to know.

Look at the page HTML source. The [url] links are converted to <A> links. You only see the vB codes in the editor. They are SEO friendly or should be.

[Hell³]

Unless the admin has setup the rel="nofollow" hack. In it's default implementation it parses all links from the users with less than 50 posts with the rel="nofollow" param.

[GrendelKhan{TSU}]

Unless the admin has setup the rel="nofollow" hack. In it's default implementation it parses all links from the users with less than 50 posts with the rel="nofollow" param.

what does?

[Hell³]

Essentially it tells the spiders not to crawl the link. It's very effective in google since that link won't get (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/01/preventing-comment-spam.html) any page rank credit also.

Edit: Besides the security issues of having html enabled, in a default vB installation you won't get any difference by using vBcode tag parsed instead an HTML <a> tag.

[GrendelKhan{TSU}]

Unless the admin has setup the rel="nofollow" hack. In it's default implementation it parses all links from the users with less than 50 posts with the rel="nofollow" param.

sorry. I wasn't clear...

I meant which "it"? id"it's default implementation..." ... vb's or nofollow tag?


Essentially it tells the spiders not to crawl the link. It's very effective in google since that link won't get (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/01/preventing-comment-spam.html) any page rank credit also.

Edit: Besides the security issues of having html enabled, in a default vB installation you won't get any difference by using vBcode tag parsed instead an HTML <a> tag.

rgr that. I wsa just wondering about bbcids vs html.

[Hell³]

sorry. I wasn't clear...

I meant which "it"? id"it's default implementation..." ... vb's or nofollow tag?I meant the rel="nofollow" hack.

[semann]

Ill put image codes for banners

Simple One (opens in the same window/tab)
<A HREF="www.your.link">
<IMG SRC="www.your.image.url">
</A>

Targeted One (Opens in a new Window/Tab)
<A HREF="www.yor.link" target="_blank">
<IMG SRC="www.your.image.url">
</A>

[friscogal]

aha...so i need 50 posts to be able to put an anchor link sig? (am i even saying that right?) ok, i will stop trying until i get more posts...i was wondering why i couldn't do what you guys could...duh :rolleyes:

edited to say...i just read and i have more than 50 posts...ok...i will keep trying.

[Noppid]

Ill put image codes for banners

Simple One (opens in the same window/tab)
<A HREF="www.your.link">
<IMG SRC="www.your.image.url">
</A>

Targeted One (Opens in a new Window/Tab)
<A HREF="www.yor.link" target="_blank">
<IMG SRC="www.your.image.url">
</A>

Do not use upper case for XHTML on forums. Use lower case. You must also use alt tags in img tags and you should use a border tag as well.

[Hell³]

Tammy I was talking about a hack that adds a param to every link that blocks the spiders from crawling that link. It removes the param for users with more than 50 posts. This helps to prevent abuse from new users when they just register to your forum to post a link to his own site. They can still post their links, but at least they don't recieve any SEO benefit from that.

[friscogal]

oh, ok...do you know how to make my sig have an anchored link to my forum? on my profile, it says html disabled. does this mean i don't have the ability to do it. i am really unfamiliar with which buttom (html, code, php tag to use)

[Noppid]

oh, ok...do you know how to make my sig have an anchored link to my forum? on my profile, it says html disabled. does this mean i don't have the ability to do it. i am really unfamiliar with which buttom (html, code, php tag to use)

[ url=http://www.example.com/ ]Anchor Text[ /url ]

Remove the spaces before and after the brackets to make it work though.

[Hell³]

noppid, let me help you this time, in recent versions vBulletin introduced the [noparse] tag. Whenever you want to explain the use of any bbcode (custom ones included) you just have to wrap them in noparse tags and the bbcode will not be parsed. It's easier for the bbcode unsavvy to understand that way.

My anchor text example (http://www.myexampleurl.com)

As you can see, it even works recursively :D.

My anchor text example (http://www.myexampleurl.com)

[GrendelKhan{TSU}]

noppid, let me help you this time, in recent versions vBulletin introduced the [noparse] tag. Whenever you want to explain the use of any bbcode (custom ones included) you just have to wrap them in noparse tags and the bbcode will not be parsed. It's easier for the bbcode unsavvy to understand that way.

My anchor text example (http://www.myexampleurl.com)

As you can see, it even works recursively :D.

My anchor text example (http://www.myexampleurl.com)

lol. cool.. I ddint' realize they added that bbcode :p and I've been running 3.6 for a while now. :doh:! doh!

[2010]

I think I use one of those bb codes, it just looks better.

[adrenalis]

Is there any type of bombing penalty in the search engines if you don't change up your anchor text?

[Joeychgo]

This isnt known and hasnt been proven. However. I believe its better to have a combination of anchor text surrounding a theme. Also, links going to pages deeper then the homepage, such as to specific articles or pages inside your site.

[MikeDammann]

Deeplinks seem to work great, especially when embedded in text, like on blog posts or even within a forum post. Me and some other guys had a mini contest for the term "Bidding Web Directory" and my site reached number 1 just because of that. Also because I appeared on top of some other bidding web directories and they have on top the top bidding url in big letter. Having a top link in big letters is something Google sees as a major reference.

[C_J]

I have not started still Link Exchanges :(

[MikeDammann]

I have not started still Link Exchanges :(

I think it's better not too waste time on them. If you find some good link partners, go for it. But more important is one way links. You can buy them or get them for free in some niche directories related to forums.

[Joeychgo]

I dont have that philosophy.

Mine is simple. Get any link you can coming to your site, especially in the beginning. Just try not to link out if you dont have to. Also dont link to sites that are spammy.

BUT - endeavor to get good one way links in a topic similar to yours.

[MikeDammann]

Very true, I normally try to go where the traffic is. Link exchange is just a general way to put it, but targeted traffic exchange is something that not only gets you immediate traffic, but also helps you rank, basically the search engine spiders imitating the human eye and human behaviour (or rather trying to). And yeah, if you link to crap, eventually you become guilty by association. Not saying anything new here, basically saying I agree. What I meant was more or less not to bother with the random kind of link exchange many waste their time on. What's been working really well for me has been link exchange with semi related sites e.g. real estate - home decoration or real estate - mortgage sites. Those links are often easy to get when the competition factor is not there.

[Fireproof]

Wow - cool - just learned about "noparse" tag. Thanks! :wave: