X-Cart forums - free SEO mod - XC SEO -> needs testing & feedback

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- - free SEO mod - XC SEO -> needs testing & feedback (https://forum.x-cart.com/showthread.php?t=21383)

I have to commend you on what you're doing. I think this is a great mod, though I haven't tried it yet. Good job! and I think the community is really going to appreciate this too!

Thanks

thanks, I appreciate it ;-)

it'll be nice to get the code stable and tested. We're starting up a domain with this code soon and will submit it to google, to see how the shop will rank. It'll have the same products as a well-established shop that we have, running X-Cart 3.4, so that'll provide a decent benchmark.

Please keep us posted how your new site ranks....

I also appreciate all your hard work, intel352! :D
I'm really looking forward to your mod and hope you succeed in getting the code stable and bug free.

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to keep this thread updated with any and all progress regarding the mod and live-environment testing :-)

OKAY - time for a new release:

SEO MOD UPDATED - to version 0.5

Rewrote URL matching technique for better accuracy
Added URL verification, to ensure content is accessed by a single url ONLY. If an 'alternate' url is used, or a misstyped url, the SEO mod does it's best to redirect users to the correct URL, or return a 404 error if the url is not salvageable. For products, as long as the _p1234.html bit is found in the url, the proper url can be found. For categories, using Fuzzy String Matching technology, the closest match to a category will be selected.
Added 'lo-fi' option, when a bot visits, it is shown a version of the site with most HTML removed, all Javascript removed, most non-relevant images removed, etc. This version is flagged as NON-cacheable to proxies, browsers, and bots, so anything seen as a bot will get this non-cacheable low-end version of your site. This is OPTIONAL, and defaults to OFF.

The install instructions have been updated, please read! (2nd post)

Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megamuch

I'm trying to apply this mod to default 4.1 install.

I'm getting there. The category urls are working, just redirecting is not working actually. I just get kicked back to home.php.

Product urls are fubar, which is strange because the url system was not updated between 4.0.18 and 4.1 (To my knowledge).

I'll see what I can make of it.

I've just tried to install 4.1, it gets to step 9 and hangs. I can't test 4.1.0 if I can't install it, so I recommend you stick to 4.0.x when using this mod

can you just clarify something for me before i start having a go with this mod.

Quote:

$seo_enable = true; // enabling the seo url optimizer

in the install instructions, does this section mean i can just turn it on and off from here so that if something goes wrong - one change will revert it back to normal?

that's correct, that one setting will completely disable the mod :-)

What also might be handy is to add lynx browser to one of the recognised engines so we can see whats getting stripped out on the lo fi version.

or for those who don't use lynx

http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotc2001

What also might be handy is to add lynx browser to one of the recognised engines so we can see whats getting stripped out on the lo fi version.

The mod depends on X-Cart's definition of what a bot is. you can edit the include/bots.php file to add Lynx

Try the following:

open include/bots.php

Find

Code:

if(!empty($HTTP_USER_AGENT) && !defined("IS_ROBOT") && empty($is_robot)) {

        $ua = array(

After, Add

Code:

"Lynx" => array("Lynx"),

EDIT: just a note, that change worked for me, using the url you provided.

Another note, the lo-fi mode is not meant to be pretty, and is not meant to be viewed by a regular browser. This is just an attempt to strip down to bare HTML + Content, if you have any recommendations regarding this mode, let me know.

In my own testing, only product images are left (as is intended), as they are the only images that have alt values (again, on my install).

It's possible for you to alter what is stripped out in Lo-Fi mode (requires editing of the outputfilter.seo.php file, if I remember correctly)