How Important Is Having A Sitemap?

10 years ago

Hi LW,

Tons of sites don't have them and Google has to deal with that and does.

In all my testing, I don't see any SEO benefit to adding them at all though it's probably good site housekeeping.

Thanks

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Daones

10 years ago

It might help google index new pages but now days it does a pretty good job on its own. besides that I actually have used sitemaps to find specific pages on sites I browse. Sometimes if i cant find what im looking for ill look at their sitemap if they have a link to it.

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TotalWebsiteControl

10 years ago

Sitemaps help if your trying to get your site indexed

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LastWarrior

10 years ago

Ok, thanks for the replies thus far.

============================

Originally Posted by Henrich

Sitemaps help if your trying to get your site indexed

Yeah, that's what I pretty much asked. But the "Why?" would be more helpful. Like I suggested in my post, the answer comes up occasionally and wanted to know the merits of it and indeed if it were true.

Why do sitemaps help for getting site indexed?

Thanks,

LastWarrior

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nettiapina

10 years ago

Originally Posted by LastWarrior

Why do sitemaps help for getting site indexed?

Yukon answered the question already. I'm not quite sure why you're asking it in the first place. If you're doing it right it should be self-evident "why". You're delivering the links you want indexed directly to Google in a format that's easy for them to parse. Webmaster Tools guides you, helps you, and tells you what's the status of your request.

It's not crucial, and your site will get indexed eventually. However, it's one of those things that SEO agencies and practitioners like to push, probably because it gives them kind of "control" over Google and because of the status reports for each individual piece of content.

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LastWarrior

10 years ago

Originally Posted by nettiapina

Yukon answered the question already. I'm not quite sure why you're asking it in the first place. If you're doing it right it should be self-evident "why". You're delivering the links you want indexed directly to Google in a format that's easy for them to parse. Webmaster Tools guides you, helps you, and tells you what's the status of your request.

It's not crucial, and your site will get indexed eventually. However, it's one of those things that SEO agencies and practitioners like to push, probably because it gives them kind of "control" over Google and because of the status reports for each individual piece of content.

WTF!

Not sure why I'm asking? You drunk-typin'?(just kidding!) I'm talking a few pages here... not some 100+ page site. Google has invested MILLIONS in their bots and technology. You seriously believe they couldn't index a simple site no more than 15 pages.... like I said above, without a sitemap? Come on!

This is one of those deals where I have a strong idea or opinion on the matter, but unless I ask, I won't learn anymore. Being humble and to ask, even though one may have a strong grasp on the answers, is a great way to learn new information.(read that again) Thanks for your answer though, as I do appreciate the time you took in answering.

=================================

I'm not sure my question is resolved. I feel I'm back at square one. Yeah, a sitemap helps, but still wondering why, because like I just said above, I believe a G.bot can scan a site, albeit a smaller one, without any troubles in time, speed or efficiency.

If I can't a "technical" answer so to speak, I'll be happy with just knowing a sitemap is better than without one. I just won't be happy without knowing the technical merits of "why?".

Thanks for the replies. It's always a puzzle, headache and pleasure learning this stuff, isn't it?!!

Take care,

LastWarrior

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nettiapina

10 years ago

Originally Posted by LastWarrior

If I can't a "technical" answer so to speak, I'll be happy with just knowing a sitemap is better than without one. I just won't be happy without knowing the technical merits of "why?".

I gave you couple of solid reasons to use a sitemap and send it to Google, as did others. You need to make your own mind wether you're going to bother or not.

If you want a recap: XML sitemap is a way for you to ask Google to index new pages, tell them what you think is the order of importance (they may or may not use that data), keep you and them posted about the current situation, and see possible technical complaints Google might have about your individual pages. You're going directly to the source and not relying on Google's bot eventually finding your content.

For example, the pages on my company site have some broken microdata (according to Google, wasn't my intention). I know this because I've got an exclamation mark next to each and every piece of content I've submitted for that particular site. I can't be arsed to fix it right now, but at least I know it's there.

Thanks

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nettiapina

10 years ago

Well, this is weird. My reply to this thread has vanished. I've got no idea why it would have been deleted, but here's an edited version. Took out the word that could seem naughty.

Originally Posted by LastWarrior

If I can't a "technical" answer so to speak, I'll be happy with just knowing a sitemap is better than without one. I just won't be happy without knowing the technical merits of "why?".

I gave you couple of solid reasons to use a sitemap and send it to Google, as did others. You need to make your own mind wether you're going to bother or not.

If you want a recap: XML sitemap is a way for you to ask Google to index new pages, tell them what you think is the order of importance (they may or may not use that data), keep you and them posted about the current situation, and see possible technical complaints Google might have about your individual pages. You're going directly to the source and not relying on Google's bot eventually finding your content.

For example, the pages on one of my sites have some broken microdata. I know this because I've got an exclamation mark next to each and every piece of content I've submitted for that particular site. I don't want to fix it right now, but at least I know it's there.

Thanks

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Links in signature will not help your SEO. Not on this site, and not on any other forum.
Who told me this? An ex Google web spam engineer.

What's your excuse?

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Enuke

10 years ago

I think, If you have a car than why you will like to go onfoot? If you go onfoot you may be late and marked as late in Office. If you have important things handy in one cupboard than you can find your things very easily and fastly. but if your things are scattered than it takes time to find all things. XML sitemap is same. its up to you dear what you want.

but it is good idea to submit your xml sitemap in your website.

Thanks

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patco

10 years ago

It's a good point in SEO especially if your website has more than 500, 1000+ pages... Don't forget that your sitemap consists ALL your pages and this will be a good way to index ALL your internal links!

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farabi2

10 years ago

A sitemap file with .xml format really important for a website/blog, especially for a new blog/website. When anyone lunch a new blog/site and submit their xml sitemap file to the different search engine by webmaster tool then search engines easily find their blog/site all page and post and index quickly.
On the other hand if your blog/site already get a good page rank and keyword rank and your blog/site is live for over a long period of time then xml sitemap is not so important.