So, I searched Sports Card Forum on Google and...

[200lbhockeyplayer]

I just googled:
leaf metal draft

Not a single appearance of FCB on the first 100 links.

At this point, Google has either penalized FCB for various reasons, or simply sees FCB as having zero content value.

 

[AKA Coastal]

full post below..

 

[PujolsCollector]

I found this site because of the McGwire Collectors Thread. I was trying to see how many people on the internet had the pujols/Musial/mcgwire print signed like I did. Came across big mac mcgwire (don) and I became a member to send him a messege. Lol and here I am nearly 2 years later.

 

[A_Pharis]

Backlinks are important. So is hits as a result of searches. When someone Googles "sport card forum", it's going to be hard to top Sportcardforum.com. The more it gets clicked as a result of those search terms, the more relevant Google considers it. Word of mouth is great in some ways, in other ways - we NEED to be found by searchin gin order to move up in site rankings.
That or use AdClicks.

 

[AKA Coastal]

Even though FCB kept the same domain the redesign and rebuild process erased the entire web footprints by changing their file extensions from .html to .asp, .php, or .jsp. Unless you absolutely have to change your file extensions, you don't do it. Just what it is now. New articles, tags, and quality threads/information will bring the backlinks back. I know FCB at one point was getting a ton organic traffic. Nothing a little time can't fix.

Examples.. checklist (sportscardradio is a seo juggernaut), product release information, box breaks, "breaking news threads/article", quality forum threads about what's hot (this is why hot list are popular on all sites). Google rankings is must for a site to thrive. Paying for "clicks" isn't worth it if you aren't selling a product. It wouldn't do much good for a forum based site.

First page for Hot List (FCB at the top)
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclie...24e812c212ae0f&bpcl=35243188&biw=1680&bih=933

Search any checklist..Sportscardradio is at the top. The community just needs to work on hitting more niches in the hobby.

 

[UMich92]

Interesting comments. I just googled "Sports Card Forum" and FCB is the 3rd entry on page 4 for me. "Sports Card Forums" searched puts FCB at the top of page 3. If you replace "Forum" with "Message Board" I didn't see FCB in the first 10 pages. Yeah, I'm bored at work. I think it's time for lunch.

 

[cgilmo]

URL's are very important to search results.

Our old site formatted links like this.

http://www.freedomcardboard.com/forum_old/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=161670

The new site formats software like this

http://www.freedomcardboard.com/forum/threads/113891-So-I-searched-Sports-Card-Forum-on-Google-and

see the difference?

 

[nborton]

I agree with the bolded part but unfortunately I think it is to late to undergo a name change.To build the user base will take promoting the website now.BO started promoting their forum in Beckett magazine and they have new users popping up all the time.As much as Beckett is a thing of the past to most users here,it is still alive and well in the hobby.

It is too late. In reality the name of anything isn't really a huge issue. Beckett made it with a name that means nothing.

 

[AKA Coastal]

It is too late. In reality the name of anything isn't really a huge issue. Beckett made it with a name that means nothing.

Chris could pony up 3 million or so and purchae www.fcb.com. Way to late in the game for a name change. At the end of the day it is all about content, content, content..The names fine.

 

[A_Pharis]

Say what you want, but if you Google "Ferret, chainsaw, humdinger, Bryce Harper, banana" FCB is he TOP result.

<--- Thank this man. And - well - Chris, too, for putting it in his sig.

 

[cards01fan]

Say what you want, but if you Google "Ferret, chainsaw, humdinger, Bryce Harper, banana" FCB is he TOP result.

<--- Thank this man. And - well - Chris, too, for putting it in his sig.

Lol I googled it to try it. It worked ! Lol

 

[Austin]

In reality the name of anything isn't really a huge issue. Beckett made it with a name that means nothing.

Are you serious? Beckett's message board's popularity was driven by decades of reputation as the #1 authority in the sports card industry. The website and message board instantly became popular because of the Beckett name.

And if you're saying that the original Beckett Magazine in 1984 became popular with a generic name, you can't compare that with searching websites on Google. Beckett was basically the only major price guide and was universally used by dealers with issue one.
Jim Beckett was also a hugely respected leader in the industry long before the first Beckett Magazine, and he was behind the popular Sports Americana guides in the '70s and early '80s.

If I search for amateur astronomy message boards, for example, I'd first click on names that sound like astronomy sites, not Freedom Star Board.
It makes no sense and I wouldn't waste my time clicking on it when there are several other sites that sound more like what I'm looking for.

Nonsense names only work when the site has built a large following and the people or company behind it has an enormous reputation in the industry.

 

[Brewer Andy]

I read good

 

[exigussrex]

I've heard of companies who make money optimizing a website's "searchability." Not just for google, but for other search engines as well. I'm pretty sure google's results are dependent upon how many sites link back to your site.

 

[MojoDan]

I read good

You should feel well about that.

 

[AmishDave]

I read good

Guess who gets a neutral colored ribbon ?

 

[cgilmo]

I will say that if any of you know SEO pretty well and would like to get involved, we would love to have you. It's a glaring weak spot here. I only know it in theory.

 

[ljw29]

When Andrew came over, I followed and am glad I did

 

[matfanofold]

Oddly enough I just did a google shearch for 'Harper love' and FCB took 9 of the 11 available spots on the first page!

 

[vwnut13]

Most of us would never have found this site if we didn't come over as a group during the great Beckett exodus.

I searched and searched to see where all the members from Beckett went but couldn't find it. I wasn't a member on beckett (I was a lurker) so I had nobody to tell me where everyone went.

I found the site in April 2009, when I saw someone mention FCB on blowout.