How to Get People to Register on My Forum?

[tommydamic68]

I think I am going to try this (example). What do you think?

cats | forum | my site title

 

[cdub]

Would you recommend this on my forum? I rank #1 on google if you search for the specifics on my niche - example if you search "cat forum" (just an example) you would get me #1 for my forum niche (only one of its kind really), however, if you search just "cat" you will not find me. If I add "cat" in place of "call of duty" - would that help if one searched "cat?"

"Cat" is a pretty generic term. It'll be hard to get it on the first result unless you have a ton of great content.

Maybe you could make a "Cats playing Call of Duty" site.

 

[tommydamic68]

"Cat" is a pretty generic term. It'll be hard to get it on the first result unless you have a ton of great content.

Maybe you could make a "Cats playing Call of Duty" site.

Lol- that would be a good niche for sure! I actually used "cat" as an example, my site is about cats, but a specific type of cat.

 

[Carlos]

And also, why wouldn't you just change it here (see attachment) instead of adding it to the template as you recommend @Carlos ?
View attachment 92828

That's what I was talking about here:

Go to www.codforums.com and see an example of this being used. If your domain has a short name, but identifies the niche in a subtle way, then the best way to tell people is by putting a description next to the board title WITHOUT having to put description in board titles. I see people putting description in board titles, and it looks bad. Not just on forum index, the entire board title appears in thread titles. You don't want that.

You don't want description to appear in every thread title. No, you don't. Mostly because google omits the last 10 letters or the last 10 words in the description.

So, you end up losing keywords from it.

If you put "CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discussion" into that field...
Google sees it as exactly that, in every thread title. So, your thread looks like this "Really long thread title here | CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discussion" but when it's indexed on google, and your potential users sees your thread: "Really long thread title here | CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discu..." So, I reiterate: You don't want that.

I put "CODForums" into board title, as you attached... But I put "Call of Duty Forums" in that template to bring this result: "CODForums | Call of Duty Forums."

Every thread title looks like this "Really long thread title here | CODForums."

Get it?

Lol- that would be a good niche for sure! I actually used "cat" as an example, my site is about cats, but a specific type of cat.

Then, put "CatForumSite" (whatever your site is called) in Board Title, and then use the template I showed you, and replace "Call of Duty Forums" with whatever keyword you want to rank high for... If you want to target a specific cat, then there you put it. But the way you said you want to test it out here...

I think I am going to try this (example). What do you think?

cats | forum | my site title

Is wrong.

 

[tommydamic68]

That's what I was talking about here:

If you put "CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discussion" into that field...
Google sees it as exactly that, in every thread title. So, your thread looks like this "Really long thread title here | CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discussion" but when it's indexed on google, and your potential users sees your thread: "Really long thread title here | CatForums - Cat Forums / Cat Discu..." So, I reiterate: You don't want that.

I put "CODForums" into board title, as you attached... But I put "Call of Duty Forums" in that template to bring this result: "CODForums | Call of Duty Forums."

Every thread title looks like this "Really long thread title here | CODForums."

Get it?

Then, put "CatForumSite" (whatever your site is called) in Board Title, and then use the template I showed you, and replace "Call of Duty Forums" with whatever keyword you want to rank high for... If you want to target a specific cat, then there you put it. But the way you said you want to test it out here...

Is wrong.

Do you think it matters If the site name is first or last? So to be clear, if my site was about Bengal cats, I would put "Bengal site" in board title and Bengal cat forum in the template? What If I wanted to rank high in Just the cat name "Bengal."

 

[Carlos]

Do you think it matters If the site name is first or last?

Yes. Google wants you to be truthful. If you confuse the bot, you end up losing whatever you set out to do. To accomplish. And besides, what you're thinking of doing is considered black hat. Let me put it this way; someone put "Black Ops Forum" (where "Call of Duty Forum" is supposed to sit) in board title of a vB4 site and was able to ride a tidal wave of success for a little while until google caught onto their game.

I believe that RapGenius also [sort of] did the same [thing]. They were banned from google.

So to be clear, if my site was about Bengal cats, I would put "Bengal site" in board title and Bengal cat forum in the template?

Read my memo: Yes.

What If I wanted to rank high in Just the cat name "Bengal."

I will quote someone else for your information...

"Cat" is a pretty generic term. It'll be hard to get it on the first result unless you have a ton of great content.

Maybe you could make a "Cats playing Call of Duty" site.

...Basically, it can work, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I would focus on the other pool of keywords... Because that's how you'll get traffic.

 

[cdub]

To accomplish. And besides, what you're thinking of doing is considered black hat. Let me put it this way; someone put "Black Ops Forum" (where "Call of Duty Forum" is supposed to sit) in board title of a vB4 site and was able to ride a tidal wave of success for a little while until google caught onto their game.

I believe that RapGenius also [sort of] did the same [thing]. They were banned from google.

What are you talking about? I'm not sure I'm following what's wrong. You mean it wasn't a "black ops" forum and they were trying to trick google? I'm confused.

 

[tommydamic68]

Yes. Google wants you to be truthful. If you confuse the bot, you end up losing whatever you set out to do. To accomplish. And besides, what you're thinking of doing is considered black hat. Let me put it this way; someone put "Black Ops Forum" (where "Call of Duty Forum" is supposed to sit) in board title of a vB4 site and was able to ride a tidal wave of success for a little while until google caught onto their game.

I believe that RapGenius also [sort of] did the same [thing]. They were banned from google.

Read my memo: Yes.

I will quote someone else for your information...

...Basically, it can work, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I would focus on the other pool of keywords... Because that's how you'll get traffic.

So what I ended up doing is this.

Board title is my site name (example) "cat site" and in the template I added "cat forum." So it looks like this "Catsite | Cat Forum." However, it used to be in the board title "catsite community" - I remove the community part. Thoughts?

Thanks for the input by the way @Carlos .

 

[Carlos]

What are you talking about? I'm not sure I'm following what's wrong. You mean it wasn't a "black ops" forum and they were trying to trick google? I'm confused.

Okay, in my example... I own CODForums.com, right? Naturally, I have to put CODForums as the board name. But if I own (let's say for example...) EverythingHalo, and I put "Halo Forums" in the place of EverythingHalo... You're confusing the bot itself. It needs to know everything about your site before it starts indexing and filing your threads, posts, etc. It is, in fact a computer. There's a WHOLE datacenter just to google's algorithm/search engine.

So, if your domain name is CODForum.com, your board title shouldn't be "Black Ops Forum," your board title should be CODForum or CODForum.com period. If you put "Black Ops Forum," google indexes you in the wrong place. Hey, you can game the system, but.. employees sees something wrong, you see that wrist of yours? Slapped. Even though it's in the same niche, you still have to be really relevant. Really consistent.

Say it with me: Consistency, consistency, and consistency.

(To answer your question in colored: Yes, in theory, the site is a Black Ops "forum," but they were trying to trick google into thinking they're the same BlackOpsForum.com site.)

So what I ended up doing is this.

Board title is my site name (example) "cat site" and in the template I added "cat forum." So it looks like this "Catsite | Cat Forum." However, it used to be in the board title "catsite community" - I remove the community part. Thoughts?

A lot of people on these xenForo forums say that "Community" is a popular word in a site. But otherwise, good job!

Thanks for the input by the way @Carlos .

Y'welcome!

 

[DaveL]

Hi @Carlos ,

Could you help advise what I should put on mine please. This is my site.

Im thinking

Airport City Game | Airport City Game Forum

 

[sbj]

@Carlos

Can you do this little tweak as an add-on? Yeah, we can edit it by our own but having a add-on reminds us what kind of changes our boards have. And also for lazy people like me we could check/uncheck the add-on and see if it makes any difference for google. Just asking.

 

[Carlos]

Hi @Carlos ,

Could you help advise what I should put on mine please. This is my site.

Im thinking

Airport City Game | Airport City Game Forum

Yep. That's it. Nice domain name. Nice catch. Nice catch. NICE. CATCH.

@Carlos

Can you do this little tweak as an add-on? Yeah, we can edit it by our own but having a add-on reminds us what kind of changes our boards have. And also for lazy people like me we could check/uncheck the add-on and see if it makes any difference for google. Just asking.

It's a simple look and find, then replace. Nothing needs to be done.

I'm not a coder, this particular edit was from someone else on these forums. I forgot which thread.

 

[TPerry]

Okay, in my example... I own CODForums.com, right? Naturally, I have to put CODForums as the board name.

So, if you have JustSayApple.com, SayApple.com, Apple4Me.net and they all point to the same forum then you have to put all of them in there by your example?

 

[Carlos]

So, if you have JustSayApple.com, SayApple.com, Apple4Me.net and they all point to the same forum then you have to put all of them in there by your example?

Both "JustSayApple.com," "SayApple.com," are the same thing, so you catch both keywords. If you're redirecting SayApple to JustSayApple, you're capturing BOTH keywords. Apple4Me.net is a nice name and all, but not really necessary. So, whatever site is the main destination - you use.

EDIT: Looking at your redirects. My only suggestion is to put "Say Apple" in board title, while "Just Say Apple" is your description going by my logic. That's just my logic. In your case, tho... Leave it alone. Unless you want the "Apple Forums" keyword or another keyword (like your slogan "An Apple Discussion Forum."), which is what this new discussion is about.

If I were you, I would have used "JustSayApple.com" as the main staging forum, while "SayApple.com" is the redirect. But it's too late now. Google already indexed you a long time ago. This is a subject I covered elsewhere. Let me find the thread.

Edit: Here... https://xenforo.com/community/threads/forum-or-forum-website-input-please.67675/

Anyway: The [long] keyword is useless if the domain is redirected to the short name. Think of it this way: Two circles next to each other, and both are attracted to each other and has a little bit of an overlap - so, the middle has a bright spot. You want your keywords to be in that little spot.



So, unless your [long] domain name is already ranked high on google, it's useless [as a redirect]. The short one is just an "easy way to remember." So even if you use the keyword "Just Say Apple," it won't be 100% keyworded. It can work, however, not as effective as using the [long] domain to MATCH the keyword.

 

[DaveL]

Thanks @Carlos , Just made the edit. Nice little SEO trick - really appreciated.

 

[Carlos]

Thanks @Carlos , Just made the edit. Nice little SEO trick - really appreciated.

Yeap, anything to help people. Y'welcome!

EDIT: I was reading, and came across an "ah ha" post, more like "this is what I was saying!" https://xenforo.com/community/threads/xf-seo-tweaks.67500/#post-709520