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+---- Thread: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view (/showthread.php?tid=25497)
How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - NO BAIL - 03-06-2012
Hi i am trying to set my mybb forum so guests can view the thread titles but cant view the posts inside. I also need to make it so google can index the posts still just not the guests but the permissions wont allow me to do that with hide private forums set to yes in acp for my vip section and all the plugins i have tried makes google view the no permissions page when trying to view the posts.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - DAMINK™ - 03-06-2012
Cant be done and you should never want to do this.
Google expects to visit the site as a guest would view it.
To manipulate this could be dangerous and get you delisted.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - Crystal - 03-07-2012
Damink is right, dont try doing it
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - NO BAIL - 03-11-2012
(03-06-2012, 11:05 PM)DAMINK™ Wrote: Cant be done and you should never want to do this.It has been done on hackforums.net where guests can't view the threads but google does?
Google expects to visit the site as a guest would view it.
To manipulate this could be dangerous and get you delisted.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - Alreiger - 03-11-2012
(03-11-2012, 10:50 PM)NO BAIL Wrote: It has been done on hackforums.net where guests can't view the threads but google does?This is a custom script made by Omniscient, if I'm not mistaken, I swear I've seen him say so; I'll try and dig the comment up if you want.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - NO BAIL - 03-12-2012
That would be great as i would really like to know how he is allowing google to view the threads and guests get the error message
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - DAMINK™ - 03-12-2012
You could assign google a certain usergroup based on the ip address and headers sent i assume.
I imagine thats what omni must be doing.
I did hear at one point people were logging in to HF as google.
Still if im not mistaken this is generally frowned apon.
Google is supposed to view only what a guest views IMHO.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - NO BAIL - 03-12-2012
Yes i assume he has a custom plugin or something as u can just change your user agent to the same as google to view threads . I cant even get it to work by changing the usergroup for google so it must be something to do with the guests can't view threads plugin i have.
A few people have said now that it is not good for google to view threads when guests are not allowed to but then i see forums are doing it somehow and not getting in trouble for it.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - DAMINK™ - 03-12-2012
You need to know Omni is very skilled in this area.
He knows how far you can go and the sites he may do this on are very heavy traffic sites.
I seriously dont recommend doing it though.
If you want google to scrape your site then its obviously to get listed.
To have a user come to your site from that link and get a "no permissions page" is simply wrong IMHO.
I dont think it will give you an increase in registrations at all rather perhaps an even lower registration rate.
Either way good luck with which ever way you approach this.
RE: How to hide posts from guests but allow google to view - Alreiger - 03-12-2012
(03-12-2012, 01:48 AM)DAMINK™ Wrote: You could assign google a certain usergroup based on the ip address and headers sent i assume.
I imagine thats what omni must be doing.
I did hear at one point people were logging in to HF as google.
Still if im not mistaken this is generally frowned apon.
Google is supposed to view only what a guest views IMHO.
Google operates from many addresses, you'd need to figure out if they had a specific range, and if they didn't, that could be troublesome.