Using Google webmaster tools for a site that is frequently updated, how often should the sitemap be downloaded in the Webmaster > Sitemaps page? I'm wondering if updating the sitemap too often can make it harder for them to index your site being that the sitemap keeps constantly changing, or if there's nothing to worry about.
So long as the site is white hat, there should be nothing to worry about. There are lots of sites that update almost minute by minute and google can keep up with them. I'm not sure if you are talking about a WP blog, but if you are, take a look at Google XML Sitemaps which will create a sitemap for you.
Yeah there should be nothing wrong with frequently submitting a new sitemap. If your pages change a lot, you should be giving Google your new page info. Crawling is all automated anyway. They probably wouldn't realize how often your sitemap is updating.
I am actually using the WordPress CMS and I have already downloaded the XML sitemap plugin. Do I still have to log in to webmaster tools and update the sitemap every time that I add new content, or does the plugin do that automatically too?
No worry how frequently you are submitting your sitemap in Google webmaster tools. Your submission in Google webmaster tools tell the Google to index new pages of your site. But be sure that you have included some pages which is new in your sitemap then you are going to submit that in Google webmaster tools.
No, you don't need to let Google know each time you update your site. Just let Google know the location of your sitemap. Google will download your sitemap and when you log into webmaster tools, you can see how frequently it downloaded the sitemap. From there, make adjustments as needed.
I created a cron job that updates my sitemaps. If it detects that I added articles on my site, it updates sitemap.
If you use the xml sitemap generator (http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/) (the unlimited version) it will automaticlly ping google everytime you update your sitemap
I'm not submitting sitemaps... A plugin does this job for me. It would be very time consuming if I would do it every time I post a new article.
when ever you make any changes in site, only then you should re submit, where as i know.. please give me your suggestion.
You can update your sitemap when ever you want to. But if you are talking about Pinging google and other search engines, then I guess one time in a day [if sitemap is updated] is OK.