1. Advertising
    y u no do it?

    Advertising (learn more)

    Advertise virtually anything here, with CPM banner ads, CPM email ads and CPC contextual links. You can target relevant areas of the site and show ads based on geographical location of the user if you wish.

    Starts at just $1 per CPM or $0.10 per CPC.

Using XML Sitemap?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by DannyBly, Nov 11, 2007.

?

Have you submitted an XML Sitemap to Google?

  1. Yes

    9 vote(s)
    64.3%
  2. No

    5 vote(s)
    35.7%
  1. #1
    How many of you folks are using an XML Sitemap submitted to Google in webmaster tools? I've heard it's worthwhile, but have not set it up yet.
     
    DannyBly, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  2. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #2
    The real question is "Why would you not setup an XML Sitemap? With XML sitemaps being the standard for all search engines it would only hurt your SEO efforts. I recommend to anyone serious about their website to do the following...

    1. Create an XML Sitemap (Entire Site)
    2. Create a Robots.txt file
    3. Create a link on your homepage to your XML Sitemap
    4. Submit your XML Sitemap to Yahoo! & Google

    Below are some resources to help you do this...

    Google Webmasters Central - http://www.google.com/webmasters
    Yahoo! Webmasters - siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/
    Robots.txt Information & Standards - http://www.robotstxt.org
    XML Sitemap Generator - www.vigos.com/products/gsitemap/


    You might also want to check out my threads I made on DP. They are guides to XML Sitemaps & Getting Indexed By Google...

    XML Sitemap FAQ - http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=531765
    Indexing by Google 101 - http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=524797
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  3. DannyBly

    DannyBly Peon

    Messages:
    411
    Likes Received:
    16
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    hey, thanks alot for the info ssandecki :)
     
    DannyBly, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  4. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

    Messages:
    6,032
    Likes Received:
    436
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #4
    XML sitemaps are not as useful as many people make them out to be. They're great for when you initially submit your site to the search engines, but not really worth much afterword. Seriously, think about it. A Web site that has been built with accessibility and semantics in mind will have no need for an XML sitemap most of the time (if at all) since the search engine spiders will be able to crawl the natural menu text links anyway.

    Once the site has been indexed, and you start noticing that pages are not being crawled at all, then that's going to be indicative of two things - your pages are not accessible to your users (especially search engine spiders in this case), and/or the content hasn't changed enough (been updated) to warrant being crawled more frequently. In either case, revamping the page/site may be a good idea.
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  5. DannyBly

    DannyBly Peon

    Messages:
    411
    Likes Received:
    16
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #5
    this is great - 3 illinois webmasters in one thread! thx for the comments Dan : )
     
    DannyBly, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  6. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

    Messages:
    6,032
    Likes Received:
    436
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #6
    And the Bears won, too! :D
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  7. Forrest

    Forrest Peon

    Messages:
    500
    Likes Received:
    25
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #7
    Because there's no tangible benefit, and I can put the time to better use.
     
    Forrest, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  8. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #8
    They sure did! Dan, do you ever go to that riverboat near Auroa ;)
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  9. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #9
    From reading many of your other posts that really isn't much. There isn't a need to copy excatly what Dan said and repost it again. I also disagree with Dan, if Google says on their own site to create a sitemap then guess what I'm doing it. (this is not intended towards Dan)

    Check it out: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35769
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  10. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

    Messages:
    6,032
    Likes Received:
    436
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #10
    What part of my "XML sitemaps are not as useful as many people make them out to be. They're great for when you initially submit your site to the search engines, but not really worth much afterword." statement did you not agree with, ssandecki?
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  11. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #11
    I wasn't not agreeing with your statement.

    I just feel the little time it takes to create a XML sitemap and the one time addition line to your robots.txt file is worth it. You can use the freeware program GSitemap by Vigos. I can map 2,000 pages in about 5-6 minutes while in the shower before work, then just upload and click resubmit in Google Webmasters Central.

    I do this daily with one of my sites, since it is updated daily. I also see my newest pages indexed the next day, maybe if I didn't do it they still would appear the next day, I don't know.

    I'm just using my theory thats worked and which I believe helped me hold my #3 position on Google for the term "funny pictures" and top 15 for "funny pics".

    Chances are it doesn't matter, but its part of my routine and if it doesn't hurt anything why not. From these results I have gotten I'll personally always recommend it's worth the 5-10 minutes in updating your sitemap :)
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  12. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

    Messages:
    6,032
    Likes Received:
    436
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #12
    Ah, sorry. Just happened to mis-understand what you were saying (I'm digging around the insides of WordPress right now trying to bend it to my will).
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 11, 2007 IP
  13. Forrest

    Forrest Peon

    Messages:
    500
    Likes Received:
    25
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #13
    I'm not sure why you're upset. You asked a question, and I answered it. That's how forums work.

    My experience has been that on a site that's changed regularly, the end of the next day is a long time to wait for a new page to appear in the index.

    Site maps don't have anything to do with ranking in the SERPs. They can help a site be indexed in a handful of very specific situations, most of which have to do with things making it difficult for a spider to navigate a site. Ranking has to do with anchor text in links, title and heading tags, et cetera.
     
    Forrest, Nov 11, 2007 IP
    ssandecki likes this.
  14. DannyBly

    DannyBly Peon

    Messages:
    411
    Likes Received:
    16
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #14
    It sounds like it totally is worth it, as it seems to take weeks for some of my content to get indexed!
     
    DannyBly, Nov 12, 2007 IP
  15. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #15
    I think I know how to rank on SERPs, I never said sitemaps do effect SERPs, you assuming I ment that and your assumption is wrong.
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 12, 2007 IP
  16. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

    Messages:
    6,032
    Likes Received:
    436
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #16
    DannyBly, what does your site look like (feel free to PM the link to me if you want)?
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 12, 2007 IP
  17. DannyBly

    DannyBly Peon

    Messages:
    411
    Likes Received:
    16
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #17
    DannyBly, Nov 12, 2007 IP
  18. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #18
    astup1didiot, Nov 12, 2007 IP
  19. markov

    markov Peon

    Messages:
    3,010
    Likes Received:
    37
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #19
    Can we submit a site map for the sub-domain too ... even if it contains only one url?
     
    markov, Nov 13, 2007 IP
  20. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

    Messages:
    5,926
    Likes Received:
    270
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    280
    #20
    I use a sitemap\robots.txt file for my sub-domains.
     
    astup1didiot, Nov 13, 2007 IP