B4X GitHub and SEO Strategies

[aeric]

First, I want to say I am not expert in SEO. But, I believe it is related to algorithm used by some search engine robots and crawlers. Now there is also AI.

After so many years since we have talked about making B4X more popular, from my perspective, B4X is still growing slowly.

Even though I believe every day B4X members are working so hard to promote and contribute to bring it up, I think there must be somewhere or something is not right.

When I searched for "B4x programming language github", Google's AI search results show:
B4X is a suite of cross-platform rapid application development (RAD) tools. It uses a BASIC-like programming language and is not directly available on GitHub as a language. However, B4X projects and related code can be stored and managed on GitHub using Git for version control.

Here are my thoughts and suggestions:

1. B4X GitHub is not up-to-date even though every new version releases of IDE have updated the core libraries. I hope Erel can find someone to help him update the repos.
2. B4X GitHub username is AnywhereSoftware and there is no repo name AnywhereSoftware/B4X. There are only AnywhereSoftware/B4A and AnywhereSoftware/B4J for the core libraries for both B4A and B4J. I suggest to create a new repo or rename the existing account to b4x/b4x as the official repo. I guess this is Erel's intention to make it more convenient to manage the repo but I think this hurts the SEO and confused those stupid web crawlers.
3. Next, this is a big one. On B4X official website and any related resources such as documentation/guides, I suggest to separate all the FREE products (B4A, B4J and B4R) from the commercial products i.e B4i and hosted builders.
4. The official B4X website requires a full revamp on it's design. I suggest Erel to take time, properly plan and design a more professional look website. It should have a column that shows most recent news and updates e.g new version released. Focus on some SEO friendly design and tactics.
5. B4X is lack of exposure on tech news. Contact YouTuber and tech columnist for interviews and cover B4X stories.
6. I know it is difficult but I think it is time for Erel to look into making B4X IDE cross platform (available on Linux and Mac).
7. Consider for the open source software user community requirements. Their power can make software grows faster.
8. We just need someone to create one killer app using B4X or make B4X strength in a specific field. We need some good selling points.
9. Lastly, I urge members to learn about collaboration. Working together on some projects. I know it happened in the past years but I hope we continue doing it.

Let's think of more ways to promote B4X! I believe we can do it!

Please give your comments if you think I am wrong or you have different opinion.

Thanks.

 

[Cableguy]

Well, I guess we cannot stay away from social media much longer.... That is way I created a FaceBook Group (Erel has creted a page, but it's been sitting numb, as a page relies on the creator creating content for it).
The idea behind this new Facebook Group is:
- as it is a group, any member can create content, and by doing so, help keep the group alive
- each member has (usually) a friends group, that will see this group, and maybe get interested in it.
- each member, specially pro devs, usually are members of programming related groups, and by being member of our group, it will automatically advertise the existence of our group, thus reaching a wider population of potential members

If this FB group is successful, other social media may be included in the future

 

[aeric]

Well, I guess we cannot stay away from social media much longer.... That is way I created a FaceBook Group (Erel has creted a page, but it's been sitting numb, as a page relies on the creator creating content for it).
The idea behind this new Facebook Group is:
- as it is a group, any member can create content, and by doing so, help keep the group alive
- each member has (usually) a friends group, that will see this group, and maybe get interested in it.
- each member, specially pro devs, usually are members of programming related groups, and by being member of our group, it will automatically advertise the existence of our group, thus reaching a wider population of potential members

If this FB group is successful, other social media may be included in the future

To be successful in social media, the page or account need to be active or updated frequently.
The best social media I think is YouTube. The algorithm is fantastic while other social media will "sink" the contents and difficult to find.

 

[Cableguy]

This is the current demographic stats of the most popular Social Medias:

I don't really consider Youtube as a social media.... although it fits into the definition, so does any forum, b4x included!
Youtube is, for me, a place to either learn new stuff specific to a searched term, of to just pass my time "doing nothing".
You can "follow" a particular theme channel, and even place a like or two, even leave a comment... but no "real" discussion comes from it and more often the comments are left unanswered! same for any video based social media... there's no real discussion, an it only serves as an "eye catcher"... Pinterest is even worse, as commenting is very limited and un-used.
SO, the REAL social medias to be targeting, imho, are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (or X) as they provide real discussion abilities, which help change opinions, not only state them!