Google's "forum software" rankings

MikeMpls

Well-known member
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 :rolleyes:
Obviously, XenForo rocks!
 
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I think it's different in different countries. I get IP Board On Top followed by phpBB and xenForo respectively.
 
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Different countries? Search results are specifically tailored to your interests.

Using startpage or incognito I get phpBB, Wikipedia, IPS, XenForo.
 
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
 
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
 
Did the search again and came up with

logged in got XenForo twice - LOL

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

Screen Shot 2013-08-05 at 10.08.59 AM.webp


Me logged out:

Screen Shot 2013-08-05 at 10.08.24 AM.webp


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