When you hear the term Google Sitemap, you most likely assume that it is a tool used by Google when ranking websites. If you do, you are assuming wrong. Google sitemaps are actually used by multiple search engines during their indexing and ranking process. In short, the Google sitemap is a basic XML file which contains all of the separate pages from a particular website in a format that is simple for search engines to read and index. The format used by Google Sitemaps was actually developed by a team that included members from Microsoft, Google and Yahoo, but it is known by most web surfers as “Google” XML Sitemaps.
Google XML sitemaps were developed to address what was quickly becoming a growing problem. In short, each of the multiple search engines has different requirements for sitemap submissions. This meant a web developer would need to develop and maintain several different versions of their sitemap if they wanted it to be indexed by different search engines. To combat this problem, which was only getting worse as more search engines came into being, Microsoft, Yahoo and Google got together to develop a set of specifications, allowing developers to submit one XML file to several different search engines.
Incorporating a Google XML site map in your web page is important. While it is true that your site will get indexed without one, you are likely to see a faster indexing with a properly implemented site map. A Google XML Sitemap typically includes the date that each web page was last modified. This information is used by the spiders to know how new the information on the website is. You can use the sitemap to prioritize individual pages or even sections to let search engine spiders know what information you consider particularly important. Another feature lets the spiders know how often you update your site, meaning they will know when to come back to the site to review it for new and updated information. Many developers use Google XML sitemaps to allow sections of their site that are not linked to be indexed. It can also provide links to Ajax Sites, Flash Sites and data driven sites that may not typically be included when a site is indexed by a spider.
Most of the major search engines reference Google XML sitemaps in their search algorithms. These include:
Yahoo
Ask.com
Google
Bing (Msn)
These sites have made submitting your sitemap to them very easy. You simply have to change your sitemap URL to their format. For example, to submit your sitemap to Google, you would use: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/ping?sitemap=YOUR SITEMAP URL. It is important that your sitemap be resubmitted whenever you change the URL of the sitemap. This will ensure that the search engines have access to your current information. Better yet, install dynamic site map capability which automatically updates the sitemap and submits to the search engines every time the site is updated with new content. We recommend using “Google Webmaster Tools”.
As you can see, utilizing a Google XML Sitemap can speed up your search engine rankings; it should be an integral and essential element of your SEO Process.
Contact us for help and live consultation on how to get your websites submitting winning Dynamic Google XML Sitemaps. We can also create an automated (dynamic) sitemap for your site.
Why Should I Use XML Google Sitemaps?
Google XML sitemaps were developed to address what was quickly becoming a growing problem. In short, each of the multiple search engines has different requirements for sitemap submissions. This meant a web developer would need to develop and maintain several different versions of their sitemap if they wanted it to be indexed by different search engines. To combat this problem, which was only getting worse as more search engines came into being, Microsoft, Yahoo and Google got together to develop a set of specifications, allowing developers to submit one XML file to several different search engines.
Incorporating a Google XML site map in your web page is important. While it is true that your site will get indexed without one, you are likely to see a faster indexing with a properly implemented site map. A Google XML Sitemap typically includes the date that each web page was last modified. This information is used by the spiders to know how new the information on the website is. You can use the sitemap to prioritize individual pages or even sections to let search engine spiders know what information you consider particularly important. Another feature lets the spiders know how often you update your site, meaning they will know when to come back to the site to review it for new and updated information. Many developers use Google XML sitemaps to allow sections of their site that are not linked to be indexed. It can also provide links to Ajax Sites, Flash Sites and data driven sites that may not typically be included when a site is indexed by a spider.
Most of the major search engines reference Google XML sitemaps in their search algorithms. These include:
These sites have made submitting your sitemap to them very easy. You simply have to change your sitemap URL to their format. For example, to submit your sitemap to Google, you would use: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/ping?sitemap=YOUR SITEMAP URL. It is important that your sitemap be resubmitted whenever you change the URL of the sitemap. This will ensure that the search engines have access to your current information. Better yet, install dynamic site map capability which automatically updates the sitemap and submits to the search engines every time the site is updated with new content. We recommend using “Google Webmaster Tools”.
As you can see, utilizing a Google XML Sitemap can speed up your search engine rankings; it should be an integral and essential element of your SEO Process.
Contact us for help and live consultation on how to get your websites submitting winning Dynamic Google XML Sitemaps. We can also create an automated (dynamic) sitemap for your site.