Sitemaps

[Ben232]

Hi

Is there a simple guide to creating a sitemap out there anywhere?
I have a fairly simple site...no frames, only 10-20 pages.
I understand a sitemap makes life easier for the search engine bots.
Thanks

Ben
http://www.mobilediagnostics.info

 

[sabian1982]

Ben, there are two different types of sitemap.

The first is aimed towards the search engines; to create one visit www.xml-sitemaps.com - this will generate an xml file which should then be uploaded to your hosting account. Search engines (SEs) can then use this to quickly and easily see all the pages contained within your site; you can also point Google in the direction of your xml sitemap (and also when you update it) through Google Webmaster Tools.

The second type is a physical sitemap aimed more specifically towards your visitors. Its visual and means that visitors can use the sitemap to find and locate any page on your site. Of course the physical sitemap is also quite good for the SEs as it essentially means that any page within your site is within 2 clicks of your main/index page. As SEs don't always crawl very deep into a site (they only start by looking one or two levels deep) this can help highlight pages on deeper levelled pages that aren't immediately accessible from the main page.

 

[Ben232]

thanks a lot...it was the first variety I wanted and its done now. If I add a new page to my site, do i have to create a new sitemap, or will that be an automatic process? I have to add a page about the lumbar spine shortly.

Best Wishes

Ben
http://www.mobilediagnostics.info

 

[Kneoteric_eSolutions]

Hi Ben,

I am sure you would have created you XML sitemap by using the website referred by Sabian.

If you are adding a new page after you have created you sitemap, all you need to do is add that URL to the existing sitemap.

If you look at your xml site map file, you will notice that it is repetition of one block, and looks like

<url>
<loc>http://www.xyz.php</loc>
<priority>0.80</priority>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
</url>

All you need to do is copy the block, paste it below the last blow on your file and then replace the URL with the new webpage's URL, save it and upload it. Your job is done.

If you are unsure, create the sitemap all over again. Hope this helps.

 

[fisicx]

Ben,

All the sitemap will do is give google the heads up that there has been a change to the site. It won't get you crawled any faster, nor will it help your ranking.

I know this isn't a website review but if you got rid of the Dreamwaever rollover navigation you probably wouldn't even need a sitemap.

 

[Birmingham]

xml sitemaps (google sitemaps) are only appropriate when you have hundreds or more pages on your site. with 10-20 pages just link to them all from your homepage, or create a standard html page with links to all pages and call it "sitemap" and it will be useful to humans not just to robots (which is what search engines ethically prefer)

 

[Ben232]

So would you just put links at the top.......and this is easier for the search engines to analyse?

thanks for the input

Ben
http://www.mobilediagnostics.info

Ben,

All the sitemap will do is give google the heads up that there has been a change to the site. It won't get you crawled any faster, nor will it help your ranking.

I know this isn't a website review but if you got rid of the Dreamwaever rollover navigation you probably wouldn't even need a sitemap.

 

[Birmingham]

one a very long page, put the important links near the top. but on a standard page it makes negligible difference whether top or bottom