XSitePro Website Design Software Message Board

The new XSP v2 is really great and with so many features. But, I really hoped and prayed that one feature would be included and that is SBI integration.

Actually, it is very simple to make XSP compatible to SBI and here is how:

Let me first give a brief about SBI requirements.

SBI has a very strict folder and file structure:

SBI allows just three folders under the root folder and having the same name as below:

ROOT FOLDER
--> image-files
--> media-files
--> support-files

Root folder can have .html, .shtml, robots.txt, and RSS feeds (.xml). (.htm and .rss extensions cannot be used). Google/MSN/Yahoo sitemap files are automatically created by SBI system.

Image-files folder can have files with extension --> .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png

Media-files folder can have files with extension --> .avi, .mov, .mp3, .mpeg, .mpg, .pps, .ppt, .qt, .wav, .wma, .wmv

Support-files folder can have files with extension --> .css, .flv, .js, .pdf, .swf, .txt, .xml

SBI! will not accept any other file types other than those listed above.

SBI! will also not accept any other additional folders or nested folders other than those listed above..

SBI only supports controlled built-in FTPing. So, external FTPing is not possible. So, we have to upload individual files from our local folders. Because of this, the above structure has to be very strictly followed or else SBI will not upload that file.

So, Xsitepro's FTP module cannot be used for SBI.

The sub-folder interface in XSP v2 needs to just be slightly improved to accomodate the above requirements. In its current form, it does not satisfy the SBI integration requirements.

I really wish that Paul will consider SBI integration in this v2 itself and, that too, soon. Definitely, people like me who have SBI sites will be ever thankful. Actually, there are quite a number of such people using XSP as well as SBI from the number of forum posts on this subject in SBI.

Right now, it is very tedious to create content pages for SBI if own html is uploaded instead of using the built-in SBI site-builder. The other option is to use Dream Weaver or Front Page, which I want to definitely avoid.

Raj

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I have an SBI site that I have sort of abandoned because their builder is so hard compared to creating XSP sites that I can upload with ease. The education I got however was worth my annual subscription fee.

Anyway, there is a book in the Resources section of SBI that outlines how to use XSP with SBI. I think you basically just need to publish your XSP site to your local hard drive and then change your structure to match what SBI wants and then upload it.

I could see Paul creating an add on feature that might cost extra for SBI folks but I would think there would have to be a TON of SBI folks that use XSP and are clamoring for said application for him to make it a part of the software...but we can hope and dream.

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Rebecca in Montana
Some sites of mine

http://www.montanasoftubs.com
http://your-yard-gardening-tips.com
http://lounging-outside.com
http://www.15lawsofattraction.com

Hi Rebecca,

Manually changing the files created using XSP to a SBI site would be extraordinarily time consuming and error prone. Especially, when the site is large.

Unlike SBI, which uses a template system through .shtml files, XSP files does not do that. So, we need to change each and every .html, .css and other files. It would not be worth the effort.

I am a programmer, so, I do not believe that it is too difficult to implement this integration in XSP since the basic framework, in the form of sub-folder structure, is already available in XSP.

The only place, I feel, they might have problem is the .js files stored in the root by the external menu builder software, Milonic DHTML Menu. Normally, these menu builders are not flexible enough to store these javascript files in a sub-folder.

But, XSP must be having a mass licensing agreement with this company, so, I believe, Paul might be able to influence them to make the necessary modifications in their software.

Let us hope for the best.

Raj

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Hi,

I do not use SiteBuildIt, however I have had contacts in other forums with quite some people that use SIB and would like to swap to XSP as they see it as the better solution.

An integration of SBI sites to automatically convert to XSP would therefore be appreciated by a lot of, not only a few people I would guess.

All The Best,
Marcel

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After listening to two years or more of SBI - XSP comparisons and stories from SBI veterans who converted to XSP... I can't imagine why anyone other than the owners of SBI would want to do this.

The combination of XSP, a handful of free tools and a few paid ones (mostly a one time purchase price) seem to far exceed SBI in performance and total ownership cost (TOC).

I've never been a big fan of conspiracy theories and I certainly have no "proof" but I've always wondered if some of the "off the wall" criticism that appears here periodically (I'm NOT talking about you Raj!) wasn't the work of fearful competitors.... The most likely being SBI.

Who knows.... It's just conjecture but "... it is something to make you go hmmmmm."

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Cheers,
Chris

I will have to beg out here. I used SBI to learn about IM and got a great education. I don't what to trash SBI because for beginners and advanced users alike it fills a place that people like.

Once I began using XSP I could not honestly figure out why I would struggle on with the archaic site builder at SBI and why would I want to spend $299 for each domain I built.

I have built over 30 sites in the past 3 months and if I had limited myself to SBI I would not be where I am today. Since XSP offers me the SEO functionality I need why go back to that SBI world.

I will say, that BECAUSE of SBI I know why I need to SEO my pages and how to create my website, but I would just not waste my time trying to integrate these two softwares together.

This is my humble opinion...

As a business venture rajagopalan_vk, if you are a programer, why not create an app that changes the page extenstions then a resource guide for SBIers and sell it to them to show them how to integrate these processes....set up an affiliate link to sell XSP to them and then you can show Paul all the money you have made by being a super affiliate with all the SBIers that will flock to your solution. Money talks and then Paul will see that there is a compelling monetary reason to support this other software and then, maybe then Ken Evoy will throw some money at Paul in a Joint Venture....but at least you will make your money going in .. all I ask is for 1% of your proceeds for using my idea

P.S. Marcel, I love the Rich Jerk too...great resource site....

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Rebecca in Montana
Some sites of mine

http://www.montanasoftubs.com
http://your-yard-gardening-tips.com
http://lounging-outside.com
http://www.15lawsofattraction.com

Hi Rebecca,

you mean SBI takes the $299 for each domain you build?

All The Best,
Marcel

_________________
http://www.PDC-Products.com
Multiple PDC Niche Products at one place.
Affiliates Earn High 70% Commission on ALL our products.
.
http://www.Homepage-Building.com
My Site for Webmasters and Affiliates!

They consider it a hosting fee and you also get keyword and research tools that are really state of the art. They run deals all the time, but yes each domain costs you well over $100 a year, and if you don't renew it you lose it.

They want you to basically rule your niche by building authority sites one domain at a time and creating massive sites with lots of pages. The concept of 100 websites of VRE is anathema to them.

Again for a newbie to IM, SBI is a great place to start. They have extensive training videos, but once you realize that it will take you a long time to make money with one site many people, like myself, find other solutions like XSP to help advance our cause.

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Rebecca in Montana
Some sites of mine

http://www.montanasoftubs.com
http://your-yard-gardening-tips.com
http://lounging-outside.com
http://www.15lawsofattraction.com

I am a rabid SBI user and a big XSitePro fan. I'm also a 10-year veteran of web design.

They are both awesome tools. My SBI site is top of the heap for my niche and I'm making some great money from it. I plan on doing another one very soon.

BTW, if you quit SBI, you do not lose your domain. It is yours for the keeping. The domain comes with the price of your package.

I really like XSitePro for my landing page/small/medium sites. It's a fantastic piece of software and I'm really glad I purchased it.

I do and will continue to use both tools as long as the money keeps coming in. That's the bottom line for me.

Tony

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Isn't It Time To Own The Search Engines?

Hi,

I was considering using SBI because they claim to submit your site to ALL search engines and the sites posted with them seem to have a track record for very, very good rankings (usually on the first page).

Now, I am reluctant because they seem to have such rigid standards for submitting web sites.

If someone does not use SBI, what is the best strategy to get the best rankings with search engines?

Being a newbie, any suggestions about maximizing rankings would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
dylanthorn

Actually, SBI does not claim to submit to all SE's; only the top 4: Google, Yahoo Search, Live and Ask.

They make sure that your pages pass Analyzer so that you can compete for top rankings. Nothing wrong with that. I personally like being on the first or seconds pages for my keywords.

My site hit the top of the SE's in a very short time, through no effort of my own. I'm giving some head-to-head competition to the Oregon Coast Visitors Association!

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Isn't It Time To Own The Search Engines?

I started with SBI four years ago because the amount of information on creating a site out there was overwhelming for me and I was glad to find something that was pretty much all under one roof. However, as I learned and grew, I came to realize that I was being severely limited to what I could to with my 4 SBI sites, never mind the $1200 per year my 4 SBI sites were costing me too.

So I recently left SBI and got unlimited domain hosting for an entire year for what I was paying to have just one sbi site. I don't for a second regret making the move but I am left with having to rebuild two sites that are a mess due to sbi's proprietary stuff.

Steve

SBi is a great product for the absolute beginniner and I would recommend it even before XSite Pro to any newbie for that very purpose. Where it shines is in the learning curve it offers the user who wants to understand IM from the grass roots up. If you have no knowledge of IM, get SBi, and if you don't buy the software at the very least download the SBi free action guide (assumning you can still do that).

However SBi pales into insignificance next to XSP when it comes to rapidly producing multiple sites with adequate features and functionality at no additional cash cost bar that of the requisite number of domain names.

I love what Ken Evoy (of SBi) has done. He made Internet Marketing a joy for the absolute beginniner. But beyond a certain stage he begins to come across as a school master who issues inconveniently restrictive rules to his pupils, the worst of which is that you can't build multiple sites without paying his company more for each additional site that you build, plus you stand to lose your site (and all of that hard work you put into it) if you don't pay next year's subscription.

XSite Pro is a great piece of software that deftly avoids the worst of SBi's pitfalls. I, too, cannot imagine why an XSP user who has previously worked with SBi would want to go back to it.

I think why XSP is a better model for the affiliate is because its creator, Paul Smithson, was previouslyan affilaite marketer himself, and so he knows very well what affialite markters want. That isn't the case for Ken Evoy. He didn't begin his IM career as an affilaite marketer, even though he likes to tak as though he knwos all abou titas such.

As for SEO, I didn't find SBi's analyzer all that great for getting my pages listed highly in the search engines. I got better listings with the first XSP site I built.

Thanks for your response Wendell.

That is interesting that your xsp site ranked better than the sbi built site. Got any idea why that could be? Is it just because you know more about seo now than you did when you started with sbi?

Thanks again.
Steve

It's always possible that my pages did better because I just know more about SEO now than I did then, but then for that very reason I don't think that SBi is all that it's hyped up to be (largely by Ken himself) in the SEO department. As I'm sure you know, most SEO is down to good one way backlinks not keyword positioning, and it bothers me that Ken fobs off low listings by saying that if your pages don't get into the top results at first, then wait for the Google reshuffle, as though there is nothing more that can be done but to wait for Google when there certainly is. He writes like someone who has done less SEO himself than he lets on.

I also figured out fairly early on that the Brainstormer tool in SBi that Site Sell raved about having won awards etc. was based on data that came exclusively from the Overture keyword suggestion tool results which is known to be very inaccurate. If you are reasonably nifty with the free keyword tools avilable on the net, you should be able to do a far better job of finding highly searched keywords with little competition.