The vBulletin Facebook App

[System0]

I used vBulletin for years but after purchasing vBulletin 4 publishing suite I moved away from using them as I found their script bloated. Not to mention the fact their script is very very expensive.

I must admit though that I am very impressed with their new facebook app feature https://www.vbulletin.com/index.php?do=facebookapp. I've played around with it and it works really well.

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Would love to see something like this implemented on XenForo. Are there any plans for better social media integration with Xen?

Kevin

 

[Paul]

Erm... That actually is quite impressive.....!!

 

[System0]

Yeah it looks great. I like the vbulletin mobile suite and the facebook app. It's just a pity the actual forum software is quite crappy now. Plus they make you buy the publishing suite in order to get the user blog functionality and the publishing suite is truly awful.

 

[Mark.B]

Love how my avatar's actually in that video! Fame at last!!

 

[mrGTB]

Love how my avatar's actually in that video! Fame at last!!

Think they might have made a mistake including you, just saying... Or maybe they did it on purpose just to wind you up?

 

[Ranger375]

Love how my avatar's actually in that video! Fame at last!!

Sue them for using your likeness without your permission

 

[Lone Wolf]

This does look good, I still have my vb license, now if they can fix their forum software as well we'll see.

However I've got a feeling that XF 1.2 might just leave them even further behind

 

[bambua]

I guess my only issue with this, would be that if you are monetizing your forum using ads, how does it handle that on the Facebook side. I don't relish the idea of using my content to show ads from Facebook to users.

 

[Fred Sherman]

I guess my only issue with this, would be that if you are monetizing your forum using ads, how does it handle that on the Facebook side. I don't relish the idea of using my content to show ads from Facebook to users.

Its more than that. IB uses the app to data mine information about your friends and violates Facebook's developer policy. Try the app yourself and see what data you have to grant the app permission to see. Likes/dislikes of your friends? Seriously?

 

[mrGTB]

I guess my only issue with this, would be that if you are monetizing your forum using ads, how does it handle that on the Facebook side. I don't relish the idea of using my content to show ads from Facebook to users.

Don't blame you either, that's all IB are interested in with everything they offer. How they can either gather your data or make money out your site. I wouldn't use anything from them now, not even if they tied it in a red bow and give it free to use.

 

[System0]

I guess my only issue with this, would be that if you are monetizing your forum using ads, how does it handle that on the Facebook side. I don't relish the idea of using my content to show ads from Facebook to users.

That is obviously a big issue. It depends on how the app helped your forum grow. If most of your members starting using your forum on Facebook rather than the forum then you would be losing money. Though if the app was a success and it helped you get more members, perhaps ad revenue would even out, as all of the content was still being posted in your forum database so you would get more traffic via search engines. And if you monetize a forum via adsense, a high proportion of clicks come via search engine visitors rather than regular forum members (who tend to get ad blind).

 

[mrGTB]

I wouldn't say people "tend to get ad blind". I for one won't use a forum for discussion if obvious all they're interested in, is how much money can be made from ads. It's not run as a hobby passion. That's the problem these days with many forums, most run them only as a way to make money and no other reason. No wonder they've declined so much in their usage!

 

[System0]

I wouldn't say people "tend to get ad blind", I for one won't use a forum for discussion if obvious all they're interested in is how much money can be made. It's not run as a hobby passion.

I think you need to remember that the general public thinks differently from webmasters and forum owners etc. I've seen the way my parents and how other non-techy friends browse the web and they will generally click on anything that pops up to them. This has been reflected via my Google Adsense earnings too.

Last month, as a test, I placed Google Adsense ads on my wordpress blog. I integrated them all over the site. With over 3,000 uniques per day, I was only making about 1 or 2 uk pounds per day. Another small site of mine which at the time was getting less than 200 uniques per day was making 3 times that. The fact is, more tech savvy people are less inclined to click on ads than those who only use the web for forums and facebook (generally speaking)

 

[bambua]

Its more than that. IB uses the app to data mine information about your friends and violates Facebook's developer policy. Try the app yourself and see what data you have to grant the app permission to see. Likes/dislikes of your friends? Seriously?

I would but I would have to go back on Facebook for that :/

 

[Mark3121]

seeing as you need HTTPS enabled I'm guessing that rules out the majority of forums that could use it anyway.

I'd rather people like my forum page on fb then actually come back to my site to make money off em, people would soon get bored of there feed filling up with endless stuff from your forum.

 

[System0]

What I'd love to see is an option to publish highly rated posts automatically to my Facebook account. Alternatively, posts that meet certain parameters such as number of views, number of replies etc. This would encourage Facebook fans to visit my forum and participate in hot discussions.

Obviously this can be done manually but an automated solution would be great.

 

[Floris]

We use if this then that 's web site.
An RSS feed with popular content only gets parsed to a Facebook company page daily.