Why Aren't phpBB Forums Ranking Well in Search Engines?

[ArdithGregory]

Many forum communities, particularly those powered by phpBB, struggle to rank well in search engines compared to other types of websites or platforms. We would love to gather insights from SEO experts, developers, and forum administrators on why this might be happening.

Could it be due to the platform's inherent structure, outdated coding practices, lack of mobile optimization, or perhaps weak content strategy? Are there specific SEO practices that phpBB forums are missing out on, or is the competition from other content management systems (CMS) making it harder for them to rank?

Moreover, do search engines inherently favor other platforms over phpBB forums, or is there something more nuanced in how forums are perceived in modern SEO algorithms?

We invite you to share your thoughts, experiences, and potential solutions on this topic. Whether it’s a technical insight, content strategy, or SEO perspective, your input is valuable.

[KevC]

Try a search on here. This topic has been done to death over and over.

[nou nou]

Many forum communities, particularly those powered by phpBB, struggle to rank well in search engines compared to other types of websites or

(my emphasis)

Source please?

[danieltj]

Many forum communities, particularly those powered by phpBB, struggle to rank well in search engines compared to other types of websites or platforms.

That's anecdotal at best.

I would argue phpBB has a low market share compared to 20 years ago which may be why it appears that phpBB ranks low even though there's probably just not as many phpBB forums still running. Most forums I've seen personally tend to run on either Discourse or XenForo. I'm sure if you search for the copyright text for either of those platforms and go to page whatever on Google you'll find just as many that rank low as phpBB forums with the same search criteria.