SEO Rankings flying all over the place, and why is this..

[realmaverickuk]

http://www.tehkseven...bile-theme.html

Your honestly there is very refreshing, Matt.

I think this definitely needs testing now, the options, and suggestions, as it is a problem larger than most people realise, especially if Google suddenly slam a penalty on people using the software, when it could have been avoided, as I have a horrible feeling (and some of my testing shows this), that Google are placing a lot of content into the supplementals, because they are duplicated, and this is because in their eyes, they are competing, instead of being seen as just 'related' pages.

I think if a penalty were to be served, it would be more related to the duplicate content from sorting tags etc. However, I agree, it would be nice if ALL of the SEO woes were taken care of ASAP. They are far more important by about a billion percent, than any new feature. The whole point we have a website, is to attract visitors.

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Well we can't really remove Gallery from the title...IPS put it in there. I could hijack the skin and change it, but I don't want to. [/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thanks for your advice. [/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Although I wouldn't want to edit every picture my users upload...wish there was a better way. Sorry I kind of derailed this thread. :S[/font][/color]

TBH the word gallery, isn't the end of the world. I just doesn't serve much of a purpose. I have a dev who takes care of altering my titles, but it's never been a big task.

Ultimately, above all else, you have to think about your users. Having a title that includes context i.e wallpaper, picture, will help improve ranks for related searches AND increase click through rate from the search engine.

[Steven UK]

Another example here: The following thread was on page one yesterday, without the extra string, and now it is on page 2 with the extra string of:

page__p__5087

http://www.makemoney...o/page__p__5087

There is absolutely no reason for that extra string to be there, and Google have penalised the thread for it, no doubts.

It is getting extremely frustrating now.

Where is Google reading that string from??

[realmaverickuk]

Take a look in the top right of every post. It links to the post ID. It allows a user to link to a particular post on the thread.

In reality, when an entry is clicked, it should simply append the url with #entry5087, I don't really understand the purpose of the page__pid__ part.

What's odd is that there is a canonical tag

[color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]<link [/size][/font][/color][font=monospace][size=1]id[/size][/font][color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]="[/size][/font][/color][font=monospace][size=1]ipsCanonical[/size][/font][color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]" [/size][/font][/color][font=monospace][size=1]rel[/size][/font][color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]="[/size][/font][/color][font=monospace][size=1]canonical[/size][/font][color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]" [/size][/font][/color][font=monospace][size=1]href[/size][/font][color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]="[/size][/font][/color]

http://www.makemoney...ony-devine-wso/

[color=#881280][font=monospace][size=1]" />[/size][/font][/color]

But it appears Google is ignoring it. Though it may just fix itself in a day or so.

I'd not consider this duplicate content, based on the fact that the canonical tag is firmly in place.

However, I'd be tempted to hide the links to the post ID, from guests and Google. Just to stop Google even seeing them.

[Marcher Technologies]

Another example here: The following thread was on page one yesterday, without the extra string, and now it is on page 2 with the extra string of:

page__p__5087

http://www.makemoney...o/page__p__5087

There is absolutely no reason for that extra string to be there, and Google have penalised the thread for it, no doubts.

It is getting extremely frustrating now.

Where is Google reading that string from??

the post markers?

http://www.makemoneyforum.com/topic/1405-bamboo-video-loophole-reviews-anthony-devine-wso/page__view__findpost__p__5088

skin those out pronto... maybe?

[Steven UK]

I am going to place this small test here on this thread.

As of right now, a thread that was created yesterday is position 6 on the first page of Google, right underneath their own website, and in front of many competing websites for the same keyword:

http://www.google.co...iw=1262&bih=738

There are no {strings} attached, and there is only one page on the thread. Hopefully it won't change. There are no tags associated, and it is just static now, and SHOULD stay that way.

Let's check it day by day, to see what happens to it.

[realmaverickuk]

Just edit out the link in the skin ID or create an if statement that hides it from guests.

But as I say, the canonical tag is in place, to tell Google the preferred version of the post. I just don't understand the reason for a new URL. #entryID would be ideal and wouldn't be considered a new page, just an anchor.

[Steven UK]

the post markers?

http://www.makemoneyforum.com/topic/1405-bamboo-video-loophole-reviews-anthony-devine-wso/page__view__findpost__p__5088

skin those out pronto... maybe?

Please could you post how we would do that?

[realmaverickuk]

I'd usually get my developer to do this kind of stuff. Are you wanting to hide it from guests or everybody?

Keep in mind, it's a useful feature. It allows us to link to a particular post, vs an entire thread.

I'm still unsure why Google has ignored the canonical tag. As I say, it may fix itself quickly and there maybe no need to even edit the skin.

[realmaverickuk]

If you want to hide if from guests only, and you find the code in the templates, you can use the following:

<if test="$this->memberData['member_id']">CODE</if>

This will mean only members will see the links.

[Steven UK]

I'd usually get my developer to do this kind of stuff. Are you wanting to hide it from guests or everybody?

Keep in mind, it's a useful feature. It allows us to link to a particular post, vs an entire thread.

I'm still unsure why Google has ignored the canonical tag. As I say, it may fix itself quickly and there maybe no need to even edit the skin.

Hiding it from guests would be ok though? And hiding it guests would hide it also from Google, as it is causing the problems.

I do not think it will fix itself, as this has been happening for quite a while, and we waited to see if it settled down, but if anything the new updates have made is worse. Another thing we noticed, is that since we updated a few weeks ago, spidering has also gone down by a third, but I doubt that is connected.

[Marcher Technologies]

Upgrade your skin, and i mean REALLY even if you nuke every template, upgrade your skin.
that link is wrong in the first place.. post is #entry{id}, page_st_{num} is page.

[realmaverickuk]

I do not think it will fix itself, as this has been happening for quite a while, and we waited to see if it settled down, but if anything the new updates have made is worse. Another thing we noticed, is that since we updated a few weeks ago, spidering has also gone down by a third, but I doubt that is connected.

Do you have more examples of this? I don't mean the page__ but of this exact issue?

[realmaverickuk]

Upgrade your skin, and i mean REALLY even if you nuke every template, [u]upgrade[/u] your skin.

that link is wrong in the first place.. post is #entry{id}, page_st_{num} is page.

I agree, I'm not sure why your threads are linking to the wrong url.

On IPB default forum, it's actually linking to the #entryID which is correct and isn't a new page, just an anchor.

p.s MT, I didn't realise it was you, your updated Avatar threw me off ;)

[realmaverickuk]

In the short term, get the link hidden and then asap, upgrade your skin, to ensure there aren't any other weird leaks like this one.

[Rimi]

They should change the post link to be a popup again instead of changing the URL in the address bar.

[Marcher Technologies]

Please could you post how we would do that?

... um, sure... no good hook point which was my first look.. but, topicView->post

<span class='post_id right ipsType_small desc blend_links'>

	 <if test="hasPages:|:$this->request['st']">

	  <a itemprop="replyToUrl" href='{parse url="showtopic={$post['post']['topic_id']}&amp;st={$this->request['st']}#entry{$post['post']['pid']}" template="showtopic" seotitle="{$topic['title_seo']}" base="public"}' rel='bookmark' title='{$topic['title']}{$this->lang->words['link_to_post']} #{$post['post']['post_count']}'>

	 <else />

	  <a itemprop="replyToUrl" href='{parse url="showtopic={$post['post']['topic_id']}&#entry{$post['post']['pid']}" template="showtopic" seotitle="{$topic['title_seo']}" base="public"}' rel='bookmark' title='{$topic['title']}{$this->lang->words['link_to_post']} #{$post['post']['post_count']}'>

	 </if>

	 #{$post['post']['post_count']}

	 </a>

	</span>

becomes

<if test="!$this->member->is_not_human">

<span class='post_id right ipsType_small desc blend_links'>

	 <if test="hasPages:|:$this->request['st']">

	  <a itemprop="replyToUrl" href='{parse url="showtopic={$post['post']['topic_id']}&amp;st={$this->request['st']}#entry{$post['post']['pid']}" template="showtopic" seotitle="{$topic['title_seo']}" base="public"}' rel='bookmark' title='{$topic['title']}{$this->lang->words['link_to_post']} #{$post['post']['post_count']}'>

	 <else />

	  <a itemprop="replyToUrl" href='{parse url="showtopic={$post['post']['topic_id']}&#entry{$post['post']['pid']}" template="showtopic" seotitle="{$topic['title_seo']}" base="public"}' rel='bookmark' title='{$topic['title']}{$this->lang->words['link_to_post']} #{$post['post']['post_count']}'>

	 </if>

	 #{$post['post']['post_count']}

	 </a>

	</span>

</if>

what would leave it for guests, but hide it to the crawlers.
Side note... look at all that meta-data markup for that... :unsure:

[Matt]

We changed the #123 post link to use a proper anchor in 3.3. Before it used the old /page__p__123 format.

It was during one of my many SEO clean ups.

[Steven UK]

Examples, yes, I would say, 30/40% of threads are now turning this way, I usually only notice when I am checking in the IPB admin on what keywords we are found on, and then I see the thread being "not found", or something, so I check them, and yes, usually a tag that has replaced the thread, or something similar, like a blank 'search' entry. It is very frustrating, as you can imagine, knowing that you try to do what you know works, only for the software to have a mind of it's own.

One thing is 100% definite, that the {strings} are being penalised by Google, I know this, and Google then demotes the thread down the rankings, which basically kills the traffic, so if you take 40% of what is up to 1000 uniques a day, then you can quickly see how much traffic is being lost daily, with the reduction in traffic.

[realmaverickuk]

We changed the #123 post link to use a proper anchor in 3.3. Before it used the old /page__p__123 format.

It was during one of my many SEO clean ups.

Oh so it used to link to page__p__123! Good fix.

@Steven, definitely go over the upgrade again and catch these extra bits.

[Steven UK]

I'll be honest guys, all the fixes being recommended are fantastic, and appreciated as always, they really are; but surely it should be done at upgrade level, if these known problems are there? Because when you consider that many people using forum software will not have developing experience, then I think ideally it should be taken as granted, that it is done at upgrade/installation point.

Again, not moaning, but it is getting to a critical, almost terminal point now, where there is only so much effort you can put in, with it being ruined, before you have to question what is wrong. :sad:

[Steven UK]

@Steven, definitely go over the upgrade again and catch these extra bits.

We are sure we have, and doubled checked that all is upgraded, does not seem to be having the desired result. Hence the examples given here.

<<< I am wondering if staff would check it for us :poke:

[realmaverickuk]

I'll be honest guys, all the fixes being recommended are fantastic, and appreciated as always, they really are; but surely it should be done at upgrade level, if these known problems are there?

In the case of the last issue, this was fixed at upgrade level in 3.3, as Matt said.

But there is still some way to go, before it's properly optimised for modern day Google, which is an evil monster!

[realmaverickuk]

We are sure we have, and doubled checked that all is upgraded, does not seem to be having the desired result. Hence the examples given here.

Maybe Matt can point you in the direction of the exact files effected. But if the skin was fully upgraded, it would definitely link to #entryID, vs the page__p__x/#entryID

I'm not a dev, so really not sure what files you need to edit, sorry :(

[Rimi]

Maybe Matt can point you in the direction of the exact files effected. But if the skin was fully upgraded, it would definitely link to #entryID, vs the page__p__x/#entryID

I'm not a dev, so really not sure what files you need to edit, sorry :sad:

No files. It's a template. Marcher gave the fix.

[Marcher Technologies]

Steven.
Do yourself a huge favor
either use the template merge center, or revert all templates.
and for the love of god... dont customize the stock IP.Board skin
all of the bugs you are having are because you customized the stock templates instead of making a new skin from it like sane people.