Google's "forum software" rankings

[MikeMpls]

Do a Google search for "forum software" -- aside from a couple paid links ("can't buy me love, no, ...") at the top, these are the results:

1. XenForo
2. phpbb
3. Wikipedia article on "comparison of internet forum software"
4. InvisionPower
5. vanillaforums
6. mybb
7. fluxbb
8. vbulletin
9. starting here hits are mostly general purpose sites about forum software
10. "SiteGround", purports to be a "Comparison of the Best Forum Software" but doesn't even mention XenForo
    

Obviously, XenForo rocks!

 

[TheBigK]

I think it's different in different countries. I get IP Board On Top followed by phpBB and xenForo respectively.

 

[Sheratan]

Comparison (Wikipedia)
IP Board
phpBB
XenForo

I guess @TheBigK is right.

 

[Andrej]

 

[Jeremy P]

Different countries? Search results are specifically tailored to your interests.

Using startpage or incognito I get phpBB, Wikipedia, IPS, XenForo.

 

[CTXMedia]

I get them in this order (UK - logged-in to Google):

• Wiki
• phpBB
• IP.Board
• XenForo
• Vanilla
• YaBB!
• XMB
• MyBB
• FluxBB
• eBlah
• MiniBB
• vBulletin 5

 

[Mark3121]

I get xenforo first, if I hide my i.p then it goes down to no5

 

[Adam Howard]

Different countries? Search results are specifically tailored to your interests.

Using startpage or incognito I get phpBB, Wikipedia, IPS, XenForo.

I'm not always sure about that....

Logged in or out and I get different results, both nothing I look up

 

[DRE]

Bloomfire came first: http://bloomfire.com/ vBulletin was second and Xenforo was like... number 8 or something.

 

[swatme]

heres mine

1. ipboard
2.wikipedia
3. phpbb
4.vanilla forums
5. xenforo

 

[Adam Howard]

Did the search again and came up with

logged in got XenForo twice - LOL

1. XenForo
2. XenForo Community
3. Socially Uncensored
4. phpBB
5. SMF
6. vBulletin
7. MyBB
8. FluxBB
9. vanilla forums
10. bb press
11. wiki pedia
    
12. IP Board

 

[jazz_aaf]

From Kuwait's version of Google (www.google.com.kw):

1. Comparison of Internet forum software - Wikipedia
2. IP.Board
3. phpBB
4. XenForo
5. Vanilla Forums
6. Best Forum Software Programs - Top Ten List
7. forum-software.org
8. MyBB
9. forummatrix.org
10. miniBB

And ofcourse vBulletin was advertised at the top as a forum software that includes "Full Arabic Support".

 

[aiman.h.kallaf]

google.com.sa
Saudi Arabia , it comes number 4

 

[Pereira]

Ireland

 

[Alpha1]

google shows different results depending upon your account profile and the version of Google that you use. For example: google.de gives different results than google.com

 

[Deepmartini]

Or try keywords like message board software, bulletin board software, forum tools, etc.

 

[Jason]

Or try keywords like message board software, bulletin board software, forum tools, etc.

As others have pointed out, it wouldn't really matter. The results you see are based on your geographic location, signed in state, past search history (assuming you haven't opted out, and again, based on your signed in state), etc.

A better metric would be to use Trends, at least then you'd have a better idea how often a particular term is being used relative to volume across parts of the world.

 

[Iconic]

I get with Google AU

Xenforo
MyBB
Wikipedia
PhpBB
IPB
Vanilla
vBulletin

 

[Anthony Parsons]

Logged in or out and I get different results, both nothing I look up

You get different results because Google base results on not just what you visit, but also things they believe could interest you based on their analysis of everything they have access to in your life, email, chat, groups, and anything else you let them access to gain browsing habits from.

Me logged in:

Me logged out:

Logged out of Google is the true results, based on your location, as localisation determines results.

 

[Jason]

Search personalization takes place whether you're signed in or out (obviously there are more signals to take into account if you're signed in), and whether you've explicitly opted-out of personalization. So, it's entirely likely the order of results you see may differ from those even in the same geographic location.