Homepage Options?!

[JoeBannon]

Right now my homepage is the front page of vbulletin. I was curious as to what other people are using for their homepage. I'd like to use something that will interest first time visitors to use my board.

[Caddyman]

I use vbadvanced on www.talkphillysports.com it is one of the more popular options.

[Floris]

I use just vbulletin on most of the sites.

[cheat-master30]

I'd say you should evaluate what you want your site to be like. I personally use an actual website as the domain home page, and have the forum as part of a larger website, but it depends. If your forum is the main attraction, you should make your site based around the forum, maybe with a portal. If it's part of a website, a portal is completely non necessary and the forum index is fine for the forum.

[JoeBannon]

I'd say you should evaluate what you want your site to be like. I personally use an actual website as the domain home page, and have the forum as part of a larger website, but it depends. If your forum is the main attraction, you should make your site based around the forum, maybe with a portal. If it's part of a website, a portal is completely non necessary and the forum index is fine for the forum.


First I'd like to know my options.

[cheat-master30]

Your options are probably:

1. The forum index page.

2. A portal page (like vB Advanced)

3. An actual website or blog for the main page.

[JoeBannon]

2. A portal page (like vB Advanced)

3. An actual website or blog for the main page.


Where are the examples?! ;-)

[cheat-master30]

An example of each?

Try:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22Powered+by+vBadvanced+CMPS+v3.0.1%22&btnG=Search&meta=

for portal examples and... well for website examples, vBulletin.com... Or any normal site with a vBulletin forum.

[JoeBannon]

An example of each?

Try:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22Powered+by+vBadvanced+CMPS+v3.0.1%22&btnG=Search&meta=

for portal examples and... well for website examples, vBulletin.com... Or any normal site with a vBulletin forum.


You don't have any favorites?!

[Dilly]

Lol. Is it so hard to use google?

[Kimmi]

i use an index page i bought a layout for it. that tells about the site and about my forum then i have the forum link on that as well

[JoeBannon]

Lol. Is it so hard to use google?

What makes you think I didn't?!

[Floris]

You keep asking the obviously. Why should we google for you?
I think that's what Dilly meant.

[SSandgirls]

I use VBAdvanced for the home page.....

www.mlptp.net (http://www.mlptp.net)

I made a big register button so members could easily find that.... :)

[JoeBannon]

You keep asking the obviously. Why should we google for you? I think that's what Dilly meant.

Asking the obviously... hmmm. What is the obviously?

I never said I want anyone to Google anything. First, he gave me a list of options without examples, so I asked. When I asked for "favorites", I was asking for an opinion. Google isn't going to give me cheat's opinion, or Dillys. I'd rather have direct recommendations. If I didn't, then I wouldn't have bothered posting this thread and used Google.

Now, can we get back to the discussion at hand or we just wasting time for the hell of it?!

[Dilly]

You keep asking the obviously. Why should we google for you?
I think that's what Dilly meant.
Exactly. It's pure laziness.

[JoeBannon]

Exactly. It's pure laziness.

Lazy begets lazy.

Anyone else want to browbeat?

[JoeBannon]

I use VBAdvanced for the home page.....

www.mlptp.net (http://www.mlptp.net)

I made a big register button so members could easily find that.... :)


Have you tried anything else? If so, what were your thoughts?

[Dilly]

Lazy begets lazy.

Anyone else want to browbeat?
Nice try.

[JoeBannon]

Nice try.


It is true. Lazy begets lazy.

[SSandgirls]

Have you tried anything else? If so, what were your thoughts?

Hi Joe, I use to have a very bland plain HTML Page , it had a framed sidebar, which about killed my google placements....

Ive not tried any other CMS for the Main page, though I do use VBPortals sidebar in my actual forum....

[eJM]

Joe, for crimony sakes, do a little work for yourself. If you are having difficulty finding what you want on Google and the members here are unable or unwilling to satisfy you, then try visiting some of the member websites. Click their name and then "Visit [user name]'s website!" Pretty simple. Don't get snippy with people who aren't willing to help someone who isn't willing to help themself.

Jim
PS: some members actually have links to their websites in their signatures - sure cuts down on the number of clicks you have to do.

[JoeBannon]

Joe, for crimony sakes, do a little work for yourself. If you are having difficulty finding what you want on Google and the members here are unable or unwilling to satisfy you, then try visiting some of the member websites. Click their name and then "Visit [user name]'s website!" Pretty simple. Don't get snippy with people who aren't willing to help someone who isn't willing to help themself.

Jim
PS: some members actually have links to their websites in their signatures - sure cuts down on the number of clicks you have to do.


LOL. Let's stick to the topic please, I've already addressed why I didn't use google. Everyone take the highroad and drop the issue.

[JoeBannon]

Your options are probably:

1. The forum index page.

2. A portal page (like vB Advanced)

3. An actual website or blog for the main page.


Is there anything that adds all three into a homepage?

[JoeBannon]

So I can help getting everything back on track for this topic, here is what I'm thinking. I'd like to know what others are doing to make the most out of their homepage. I can search all day for sites that use vB and other add ons, but as my last sentence says, "I'd like to use something that will interest first time visitors to use my board." With this said, I want some opinions, thoughts, examples of what is good and what is bad. I have 105 visitors on my board right now and only 6 of them are members. I want to change that! Surely someone has done research or tested different homepages.

[peterska2]

I use a mixture of straight vBulletin, vBAdvanced, and vB Blog for my home pages (on different sites, not all at once!). They are not all open though, so the more innovative ones can't be seen because the sites are not finished and ready for public scrutiny yet.