Google sitemap-good idea or not?

[She Says]

Just wondered if anyone has any opinions on the Google sitemap? Anyone have one? Or anyone NOT have one for a particular reason?
Wold appreciate any views :)

[eshopcreator]

Yes most definately a good idea, we have even integrated with Google Mobile site ,maps, as google expands it is seemingly setting the systems in place so that a the search engine can sort teh most relative sitres from the non.

Also have a look at google site maps pages http://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login

I quote them.......

Google Sitemaps is an easy way for you to submit all your URLs to the Google index and obtain detailed reports about the visibility of your pages on Google. With Google Sitemaps, you can automatically keep us informed of all your web pages, and when you make changes to these pages to help improve your coverage in the Google crawl.



With Google Sitemaps you get:

Better crawl coverage and fresher search results to help people find more of your web pages.
A smarter crawl because you can tell us when a page was last modified or how frequently a page changes.
Detailed reports to learn more about how Google directs traffic to your site and how the Googlebot sees your pages.Quoted from google, you can see where you are searched and found from. integrate further with Urchin, when you can subscribe and you will really see a bigger picture as to activity on your site.

We integrated it very shortly after release. They are looking to streamline and make the delivery of the right information to the right keyword or phrase query its their mission - delivery of acurracy.

Darren Wiseman
www.eshop-creator.co.uk (http://www.eshop-creator.co.uk)

PS yes i do have them

[ewan]

I use 'em, seems to have improved the extensiveness of crawling certainly.

[ewo]

I use a Google sitemap

I seem to be indexed more efficiently now - and the cache seems to be updated with greater regularity.

Whether it's related, I can't say

[eshopcreator]

This is the case, it is possible to set your google site map update feed to tell google of your changes on a time base, so that google knows when you change your content, hourly, daily, weekly etc.

The beauty of this is that the information you are adding to your pages is indexed as it happens (ewll asap) or not! as you so choose, we have our shops set to immediately tell google when the owner adds any new content as a default thus obviously increasing the pages indexed as well.

This should in turn generate more exposure for the site which is always good.

Darren
www.eshop-creator.co.uk (http://www.eshop-creator.co.uk)

[Niper1]

Hi,

I've just done mine, so I can't comment on the usefulness of it or whether its going to make a big difference, but what I did find was a great piece of software, which is available for evaluation which builds the sitemap for you and then all you do is upload to your site!!!

Have a look at gsitecrawler.com

[Niper1]

Darren,

How did you tell the sitemap that your site was updated often? is it some sort of setting within the sitemap itself? "Daily", "Hourly", "Weekly", etc??

[earner]

I'd say: compulsory.

[CG Effect]

How does one create a google sitemap?

[Carl-CSNM]

How does one create a google sitemap?

http://www.audiofi.co.uk/reviews/comments/db_conn.php

HTH,

[franglo]

I can't yet comment on how effective it is, but I can't see there being any disadvantages to NOT having a sitemap. :)

[Invicta]

Darren,

How did you tell the sitemap that your site was updated often? is it some sort of setting within the sitemap itself? "Daily", "Hourly", "Weekly", etc??
Yes.

How does one create a google sitemap?
There are lots of utilities available that will build your Google sitemap for you. Some are web based others are software that you download to your PC. Some have a cost but many are free. For a list of them go to tinyurl.com/zvqyh

I've successfully used a free java based one from AuditMyPC that's here: tinyurl.com/8zeuh