forum signatures

[temi]

I was informed over the weekend that Google index forum signature and count it as a link, is this true? I have always assumed that only links in the body of a post is indexed and counted as a link by Google and other leading search engine. Please enlighten me.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Indeed, depending on the setup of the forum, signatures are counted as links. I have just checked a cached version of one of the pages here, and the sig links are cached.

 

[temi]

Thanks for that info OWG, this explain why some people register, create flamboyant signature but never post anything, so they have been getting free links. I will put a stop to that.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Thanks for that info OWG, this explain why some people register, create flamboyant signature but never post anything, so they have been getting free links. I will put a stop to that.

LMAO

that is why I have a rugby forum with under 500 members but almost 200,000 posts We NUKE the buggers as they come through the door.

You also need to keep watch to make sure no one is linking to bad neighbourhoods. the odd one or two will not hurt, but if you get a handfull bvad linking then it can drag you down.

 

[temi]

Thanks for that OWG, I will be more vigilant now. Ovi, please read this thread and help me mop up whatever I miss.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

The easiest way is to go intothe memberships panel, cort by post order, and only look at those with a website link to them. Any that have registered with no link are not a problem. they are probably genuine.

 

[temi]

Thanks for that tip OWG, that is precisely what I will do, doing it that way will save me lot of time.

 

[PrivateInvestigator]

I thought all sig links were indexed by the SE's. They just don't really do much for your PR as you'd need 1000s of PR0 links to get a PR1 !!!! But they are good as a way of getting the SE's to index your new websites.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

On Vbulletin as standard option and as an add on to PHPBB, you can cloak the signatures. IE show them to the browsers but hide them from the spiders. Many people do this on their forums.

 

[temi]

In VB do you know exactly where I can find this option? I have had a look in all setting but no luck. I found the option to disable BB code which I really do not want to do. That will get all signatures displayed as text.

Ideally I will like to enable signature for members who have contributed 30 posts as I think its a good benefit for active members to have their links indexed from this site.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Temi, I don't know where, But Scottie is a really good frined of mine (she admins highrankings forum) I will ask here where the option is in VB. She will only just have got out of bed and be getting to grips with her kids at the moment as she is in South carolina. I will chat with her on MSN later.

 

[temi]

I appriciate you help very much OWG

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Scottie says:
you set up a new user group called spiders
Scottie says:
or you just treat spiders as guests
Scottie says:
and you turn off signatures for guests
Old Welsh Guy says:
right gotcha.
Old Welsh Guy says:
dude wanted to set it so that spiders would not see sigs
Old Welsh Guy says:
then decided he would show them after x number of posts
Scottie says:
that's how I do it
Old Welsh Guy says:
so how do you do that then?
Old Welsh Guy says:
another group?
Scottie says:
if you want the sigs to show after X amount of posts, make a members group, then an Active Members group
Scottie says:
and have them automatically promoted after x posts

--------------------------------

Hope this helps you.

OWG

 

[MamboCube]

The easiest way is to go intothe memberships panel, cort by post order, and only look at those with a website link to them. Any that have registered with no link are not a problem. they are probably genuine.

i have this problem all the time when i register at forums,

i enter my homepage in the homepage field, then i think no wait, the members might think im just trying to get my link in here, ill leave it. Then I think, nah people won't think that, so i stick it back in.

I do this EVERY time i sign up to a forum! :bonk:

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Nothing wrong with that, only if you don't post. I have lots of members that do not post. Periodically I email them all and tell them that their accounts will be turned off if they do not confirm by Pm they want them kept open. Lots of people like to read but not post, which is OK I guess, as if nothing else it pushes up the page impressions.

 

[temi]

This is brillian OWG, I appriciate you finding the time to obtain this info for me, thank you very much
Temi

Scottie says:
you set up a new user group called spiders
Scottie says:
or you just treat spiders as guests
Scottie says:
and you turn off signatures for guests
Old Welsh Guy says:
right gotcha.
Old Welsh Guy says:
dude wanted to set it so that spiders would not see sigs
Old Welsh Guy says:
then decided he would show them after x number of posts
Scottie says:
that's how I do it
Old Welsh Guy says:
so how do you do that then?
Old Welsh Guy says:
another group?
Scottie says:
if you want the sigs to show after X amount of posts, make a members group, then an Active Members group
Scottie says:
and have them automatically promoted after x posts

--------------------------------

Hope this helps you.

OWG

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Glad to be of help.

Now if you had asked me that question on my blog you would have got a backlink LOL.