Vbulletin & Facebook - Right Idea

[akia]

Has anyone seen the Facebook integration vbulletin has announced. It looks like they've got the right idea about something, I was almost tempted back for a split second.

 

[Carlos]

Already been discussed.

Stick a fork in me.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Has anyone seen the Facebook integration vbulletin has announced. It looks like they've got the right idea about something,

What's so good about it ? Do you mean FaceBook Connect ?

I was almost tempted back for a split second.

vBulletin 3.x was great software. Apparently, those days are over (vBulletin 4 sucks).
vBulletin is run by a visionless Mega Corporation.

As people have mentioned, Internet Communities are a changing landscape. It was easy to start a community 5-10 years ago and be successful. To survive and thrive, Forum software should undergo major changes. Xenforo will lead the way here and vBulletin's only hope is to try to keep some of their customer base until they can release something worth using with vBulletin 5.

Look forward, not behind.

 

[TheLaw]

The last thing any forum wants is to have:

1) Their own users spending even more time using Facebook instead of on their site
2) Facebook ads being displayed instead of their own revenue generating ads
3) To have to deal with even more data sharing and privacy issues
4) another site that doesn't feature the entire offerings their website offers, e.g. I have a Wordpress blog, an expert database, etc. none of which will be integrated.

I have a forum and a website. There is a Facebook integration already. Going to my website is as easy as going to this integrated one. Yes, it is pretty cool from a programming standpoint but I can't understand why, as a forum owner, I'd want to have my users using it. This is yet another gimmick that was likely created pursuant to executive order which was spawned as such: "It doesn't really matter how useful it really is at the end of the day - once you say "Facebook app" these forum licencees will come running with their credit cards already out..."

 

[Marcus]

TheLaw, exactly. I believe it is a management thing. "Facebook > go you have this budget" "Twitter > try that, small budget" "App Store? > sure, invest this" "incremental improvements? I gave you the budget for it last year, stick to it"

The internet is not wild west anymore where there's room for everyone. Now it is the time to fight for ressources. I don't want my users going to other communities to share topics they could discuss on my platform.

 

[Markos]

Is useful/unuseful? Do you want to see an addon similar to this for Xenforo? I'm talking about the vb facebook app.

Here a video:

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[ChemicalKicks]

Not for me.

 

[Markos]

For me is an interesting idea for increase the userbase. But maybe is too complicated for the average fb user...

 

[dieketzer]

id rather have twitter login and see xf status updates posted to twitter than to see more facebook crap.

 

[ragtek]

Why do you think you'll increase the userbase?

1. With the app i'm losing "traffic" from my page to facebook.
2. Because they're visiting only facebook and getting only data, without my "style", my ads aren't shown no income => losing money

3. most of my communities aren't only forums. i'm having galleries, databases, extrapages, etc... and i'm not sure how easy it is to include this into the app.

so all in all => nothing for me

 

[Floris]

Please advertise vBulletin on a vBulletin community .. no need to waste our time with that fudge over here.

 

[ChemicalKicks]

Please advertise vBulletin on a vBulletin community .. no need to waste our time with that fudge over here.

If you stuck with your own advice you'd have no customers.

 

[Fred Sherman]

For me is an interesting idea for increase the userbase. But maybe is too complicated for the average fb user...

If you mean lose user to FB, sure - go for it. If you mean an app that violates FB security policies, yeah.
PT Barnum was right.

 

[Carlos]

Please advertise vBulletin on a vBulletin community .. no need to waste our time with that fudge over here.

*Shakes head* I'm sorry, Floris, but I don't see this as advertising.

 

[Shelley]

I think the topic is relevant for this time of year. As halloween draws closer. *twitches*

 

[Steve10]

This isn't advertising, I think it's a relevant discussion.

 

[Fred Sherman]

This isn't advertising, I think it's a relevant discussion.

Sure it is - at vbulletin.com

 

[ChemicalKicks]

I feel sorry for the OP, he obviously isn't in the 'clique'.

He's asking for opinions on a product that has been released by a competitor it happens all the time especially in the addon request forums.

 

[Markos]

If you mean lose user to FB, sure - go for it. If you mean an app that violates FB security policies, yeah.
PT Barnum was right.

As you can see, many many blogs now uses the facebook comments, with great results (more comments and visibility). I think you can gain visibility...but i understand that the are some privacy issues about this.

I opened this topic just to hear if in your hopinion there are a majority of pros or of cons.

Why do you think you'll increase the userbase?

1. With the app i'm losing "traffic" from my page to facebook.
2. Because they're visiting only facebook and getting only data, without my "style", my ads aren't shown no income => losing money

My idea is this: now, a user comment a thread in fb app. Their friends see the notification about this comments...2 of them repond to this comment. Result: +2 extra comments. Extra content for the forum. You are right about the ads but in my experience the majority of clicks in a forum are by google visitors, not the users that know how here are the ads and don't click...

 

[digitalpoint]

It's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I have yet to see an upside for using the vB Facebook App as an end user OR as a site owner.