XML sitemap

[FrenchFries]

Dear all,

When typing OPNSense on Google, sometimes an answer is given for pfSense, which I don't want to hear about.

Do you have an XML sitemap attached to the main site and forum and do you submit them to Google maps?
Usually, with an XML sitemap, this kind of error pfSense/OPNSense should be limited.

Also, Google relies on humans making verifications. You should open an issue on GoogleSiteMap and wait for them to answer. My cousin worked for Google, i can tell you Google humans crawl the Internet. They may create a separate index or whatever I don't know, anything that can be done. They really and truely do love Free Software, so might do something for you if you contact them.

i also realize that you don't have long URL names. This is pretty bad as years ago they switched from META to URL reading to catch important words. If you don't provide long URL names, you cannot register well on Google ... unless a human decides otherwize at Google.

This topic:
https://forum.opnsense.org/index.php?topic=5754.msg23583#msg23583

Should be:
https://forum.opnsense.org/en/opnsense-17.7/xml-sitemap

Google algorithm will calculate distance between those words and when typing "opensense" and "sitemap", here you are. Google algorithm is pretty simple I guess.

Kind regards,
French Fries

[AdSchellevis]

We're using Simple Machines for our forum, I'm not sure what the best approach for sitemaps is with that system. Any tips?

Best regards,

Ad

[whitwye]

Something has improved. Today when I enter OPNsense in Google, it no longer insists on substituting pfSense in the search string, with an option to restore it to OPNsense only if I really mean it.

Google used to be a far better search engine, back before they took most of the options away. Its surprising someone doesn't build one to work as well as they used to, and eat their lunch.

[FrenchFries]

We're using Simple Machines for our forum, I'm not sure what the best approach for sitemaps is with that system. Any tips?

Sorry, I was away for some time.
Everytime I try to look for OPNsense on Google, it points me to pfSense, thinking I made a spelling error.

There are tree issues involved:

* Long URLs. There should be a MOD on simplemachines.org

* XML sitemap. Try using an XML sitemap generator. Example:
http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=3393

* Then create an account on Google Webmaster Tools
and upload your XML sitemap.

You might need to redirect old URLs to new URLs (long ones) during migration, but this is managed by MODs again.

This project should be considered priority for the community.
Stop everything and ask your dev team to concentrate on that and in 2 days, it is done.

As long as you are not registered on Google properly, you are loosing 90% of potential customers and users.
It is quite a pitty to see so much effort driven down by such a poor SEO.

Don't wait for Google to do the job properly. Google employs humans verifiers and some of them watch TV while verifying websites, with 30s to 60s to make a choice. They are eating popcorn and will not understand the difference between "pfsense" and "opnsense".

if you trust a human to understand what is OpnSense compared to pfSense in 30s, wait for Google to react. Otherwize follow the usual way : long URLs, XML sitemap and Google webmaster account.

If you are stuck and don't know how to do this, I can provide this as service as I am looking for a job, BUT I think you can manage that alone. It is VERY simple to do compared to programming OpnSense, so it is only a matter of days or hours for you.

[AdSchellevis]

ok, we do have a sitemap now and a reference in robots.txt, we will add it to google later if it doesn't pickup automatically.

https://forum.opnsense.org/robots.txt
https://forum.opnsense.org/sitemap.xml

Let's see if this helps....