• Registered: 2006-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Topic: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

Firstly, I'm happy about the 1.3 (congratulation to the pun developers team!).

I love the search engine friendly URL. But the only drawback about the latest version is the meta description tag.

As all we know, meta description tag might or might not appeal to search engines, but it appears in the website snippets of the search results, which have a great impact on whether the searchers will click on the link or not (CTR rate).

The current settings of Meta Description Tag simply duplicate the Title Tag. Check out this example here. In the example, the title for search results "Calendar? (Page 1) - 1.3 extensions talk - PunBB Forums" would be "Calendar? (Page 1) - 1.3 extensions talk - PunBB Forums - Unfortunately no one can be told what PunBB is - you have to see it for yourself."

I'd suggest the best solution would be using the snippet of the first post as the Meta Description Tag. In thread with multiple pages, it would be the snippet of the first post of the page.

Would it be possible? Is there any hack to it?

In the meantime (if all the above is not possible), is there anyway we can remove the default meta description tag generation? (in this case, search engines will automatically detect the first post and put up the snippet of it).

Thanks much.

  • User33
  • PunBB senior member
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  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

I can make a really simple extension that removes the default meta description tag.

  • Registered: 2006-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

Garciat wrote:

I can make a really simple extension that removes the default meta description tag.

That would be fantastic. big_smile

4 Reply by User33 (edited by User33 2008-11-15 03:36)

  • User33
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  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

Edit: Try this.

  • Registered: 2006-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

Thanks Garciat. That works perfectly fine. This temporarily solved my worries.

Now to take it a step further, would it be possible to use the snippet of the first post as the Meta Description Tag?

I have search around and found the following threads that might help on approaching a solution:

Modifying Meta Description: http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … -meta-tag/

Generate Meta Tag (1.2): http://punbb.informer.com/forums/topic/ … each-post/

6 Reply by User33 (edited by User33 2008-11-13 05:32)

  • User33
  • PunBB senior member
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  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

The topic's info (posts, user's info, etc.) is loaded after header.php is included into the script, and, because the description meta tag is in header.php, I don't think we can fetch any information from the topic and add it to the meta tag.

Note: I could be wrong, so wait for the big guys to post what they think.

  • Slavok
  • PunBB Developer
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  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2008-06-11
  • Posts: 1,238

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

stevielove wrote:

...would it be possible to use the snippet of the first post as the Meta Description Tag?

Yes, of course it possible. Describe in more detail, what in your opinion the meta description should contain.

Slavok's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

According to various sources, Google and other search engines display up to 160 characters of the website as snippet.

So, I think it's best to take the first 160 characters from the first post of the thread to include in the Meta Description.

For this page in particular, the meta description tag would be:

Firstly, I'm happy about the 1.3 (congratulation to the pun developers team!).
I love the search engine friendly URL. But the only drawback about the latest version is the meta description

9 Reply by User33 (edited by User33 2008-11-15 03:36)

  • User33
  • PunBB senior member
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  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 875

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

Edit: Try this.

10 Reply by vankon

  • From: Wuhan, China
  • Registered: 2008-11-12
  • Posts: 20

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

The search engine is very well for English, but is not good for Chinese.
it only can get Result for English, no Result for Chinese!

  • From: Russia
  • Registered: 2007-12-13
  • Posts: 642

Re: Meta Tag (Description) & Search Engine Friendliness

vankon wrote:

The search engine is very well for English, but is not good for Chinese.
it only can get Result for English, no Result for Chinese!

What's wrong with Chinese?
(Are you on the topic? Create new topic if this is not related to this one, please.)

Carpe diem

Anatoly's Website