How important are sitemaps?

I just learned out how to "make" a google site map, but my question for you all is, is it worth the effort to make?

 

I use a few automated tools to create them for me. For VB I use a hack and for other smaller sites I use www.autositemap.com which works out well.

I have seen some good results by using them.

 

It depends on your site.

If all your pages are indexed by google then a sitemap won't help.

 

Try to search in google to find sitemap softwares. Sitemap creator softwares are better & quicker than online sitemap creators. (fx. php sitemapper)

 

I've noticed my new pages seem to get picked up quicker by Google if I create a sitemap and tell Google that I've done soon (relative to doing nothing at all).

I use Site Map Builder.NET to create mine, but I'm sure there are quite a few programs just as good. Doing it manually seems like an unnecessarily huge chore.

 

Ok so am I done? I created a sitemap, added it to my account and I verified it.

Is this all that needs to be done?

 

Yes google will take some time to display green tick sign

 

From the day I submitted sitemaps to Google my sites have gone in and out of their index and up and down in the serp's!!
My experience is that it is better NOT to use sitemaps and just use index and follow because that gives me better results in the serps. Sitemaps is not for us web site owners, it just helps Google in some way. Not sure how they use it for their index but an index follow would do the same things, right?

 

I haven't noticed any changes as far as my search engine listings or rankings go since doing sitemaps on a few of my sites.