Embedded vs Local Vanilla Install for SEO (Wordpress)

justinsthompson

We've recently launched a Vanilla 2 forum that is locally embedded into wordpress site. The site is located at http://TallUnited.com/discuss. I have some questions related to the Search Engine Optimization as it relates to a local non-embedded install vs. using the "<embed> Vanilla" plugin. From reading around on the forum it sounds like the non-embedded version is best for SEO purposes.

Details:

• The base site is Wordpress, users are registered on Wordpress only and the user data is ported over to Vanilla using the Wordpress "WP Vanilla Connect" plugin
• The <Embed> Vanilla addon is used within Vanilla
• The forum is located at http://tallunited.com/vanilla and users are redirected to http://tallunited.com/discuss navigating to the /vanilla address
• I've activated the vanilla addon "SEOCompanion" which adds the post title to the /vanilla posts titles, but not the /disuss location

Questions:

• Will google be able to index the information on the /discuss location?
• Does it matter if google cannot index discuss, since the info will be on the /vanilla location?
• Does it matter that the SEO optimized titles are not showing on the /discuss location?
• Now that the /vanilla forum is styles, how difficult will it be to transfer the files in this folder into the /discuss folder

Support:

• I'm looking for a Vanilla developer who I can contract with on these types of topics. If you feel that you can port the /vanilla location to the /discuss location so that it is not embedded, please contact me at jt {at} tall united {dot} com.
• Additionally, the send email notification function is not currently working on the site. I'm looking for some support on this topic as well
• For what it's worth, I'm located in MI. You don't need to be local, but I know there are some Vanilla guys around the mitten.

Shadowdare

@justinsthompson: The links would look cleaner and less confusing on a non-embedded install. It's good that bots see /vanilla because they will be able to see the header tags from SEO companion and such. I believe there is an option in the embed plugin to redirect all users who end up on /vanilla to /discuss, meaning that links from Google will bring them to the correct page all the same.

Shadowdare

If I recall correctly, the search bots are detected and sent to the direct /vanilla link and not your embedded link. I prefer to use a local Vanilla install meant to be viewed directly.

For that type of setup, you should copy the design of your WordPress theme over instead of calling WP actions, as this is usually the easier way to do it if you don't change your WP theme around a lot.

justinsthompson

@Shadowdare: thanks for the response. I'm curious though, if the bots are directed to the page which is better optimized for SEO, is there a driving reason to put it on a non-embedded location vs. embedded? It seems like it's cleaner and there is no risk that the users get confused when seeing, the /vanilla links once in awhile, but I'm wondering if there is a hard reason to do this.

Shadowdare

@justinsthompson: The links would look cleaner and less confusing on a non-embedded install. It's good that bots see /vanilla because they will be able to see the header tags from SEO companion and such. I believe there is an option in the embed plugin to redirect all users who end up on /vanilla to /discuss, meaning that links from Google will bring them to the correct page all the same.