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Sitemap Question

by GGpaul
14 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi, I was wondering how does sitemaps really work?

(Wordpress) Basically I have the XML sitemap plugin, and I have a sitemap page at the top of my site.

Do I just let it be? Am I supposed to submit it to Webmaster tools every day? Or once is fine? Or ????

Thanks.
#question #sitemap
  • Profile picture of the author DNAWRealm
    Banned
    Submit it once and you're done. Don't forget to generate Image and Video sitemaps too (wordpress plugins available)
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  • Profile picture of the author Yaduvanshi
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Elle Holder
      If you look at the settings in your sitemaps plugin - assuming it's this one - you can tell the plugin to notify Google and/or Bing as soon as something is changed or added to your site.

      I would imagine that's fairly standard, but if you're using a different plugin, check the settings as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author DNAWRealm
    Banned
    Bestseller's advice is horrid. DO NOT RESUBMIT YOUR SITEMAP AFTER EVERY POST. You'll be wasting your time. Wordpress automatically pings the necessary engines, they come and crawl. Depending on your site's 'authority' will decide how fast the pages are indexed.

    Generate a sitemap, submit it, leave it.

    Edit: Unless you have tons of URL's that don't get linked to, then don't bother resubmitting.
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  • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
    So even when I make new content, I don't have to rebsumit the sitemap? K cool.
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    RIP Dad Oct 14 1954 - Mar 14 2015.

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    • Profile picture of the author yukon
      Banned
      Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

      So even when I make new content, I don't have to rebsumit the sitemap? K cool.
      Most If not all, xml sitemaps generated by WP will always add your most recent post to the top of the xml file.

      You can add the xml file to your GWT account, & Google will update the last date indexed (inside GWT) for each individual xml sitemap you submit.

      You can also submit a zipped (.gz) version of your xml sitemap to GWT. Really the only reason/difference for the zipped sitemap is If the xml file is a huge file size.

      You can also break large sitemaps up into multiple smaller xml sitemaps, but I won't make this confusing, just letting you know it's possible.
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      • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
        Originally Posted by yukon View Post

        Most If not all, xml sitemaps generated by WP will always add your most recent post to the top of the xml file.

        You can add the xml file to your GWT account, & Google will update the last date indexed (inside GWT) for each individual xml sitemap you submit.

        You can also submit a zipped (.gz) version of your xml sitemap to GWT. Really the only reason/difference for the zipped sitemap is If the xml file is a huge file size.

        You can also break large sitemaps up into multiple smaller xml sitemaps, but I won't make this confusing, just letting you know it's possible.
        Crap, now I am beyond lost. LOL! For sure though. And I have something where it's like hxxp://www.xxxx.com/sitemap and that's what I submitted to GWT right?

        I had a plugin where I can just put it [wp_sitemap] on a page which creates it for me.

        And that's the URL that I submitted to Google keyword tool.
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        RIP Dad Oct 14 1954 - Mar 14 2015.

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        • Profile picture of the author yukon
          Banned
          Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

          Crap, now I am beyond lost. LOL! For sure though. And I have something where it's like hxxp://www.xxxx.com/sitemap and that's what I submitted to GWT right?

          I had a plugin where I can just put it [wp_sitemap] on a page which creates it for me.

          And that's the URL that I submitted to Google keyword tool.
          The easiest way to know you have the correct xml URL is to simply paste the xml URL into your browser, you'll know right then If the URL is correct & working for pasting into GWT.

          Example xml sitemap URL:
          http://domain.com/sitemap.xml
          Make sure you include the .xml at the end of the URL.
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          • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
            Originally Posted by yukon View Post

            The easiest way to know you have the correct xml URL is to simply paste the xml URL into your browser, you'll know right then If the URL is correct & working for pasting into GWT.

            Example xml sitemap URL:


            Make sure you include the .xml at the end of the URL.

            Alrighty so the .xml is a must? The original URL, it's just hxxp://xxx.com/sitemap it's not .xml but I added the .xml into GWT.
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            RIP Dad Oct 14 1954 - Mar 14 2015.

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            • Profile picture of the author yukon
              Banned
              Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

              Alrighty so the .xml is a must? The original URL, it's just hxxp://xxx.com/sitemap it's not .xml but I added the .xml into GWT.
              As long as you can see your xml file/page in your browser when searching for the sitemap URL, Google will see the same page.

              PM me If you need more help.
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              • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
                Originally Posted by yukon View Post

                As long as you can see your xml file/page in your browser when searching for the sitemap URL, Google will see the same page.

                PM me If you need more help.
                Yeah I think it's good. Since GWT was able to approve it since I submitted it?

                It showed how many is indexed, etc. etc.
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                RIP Dad Oct 14 1954 - Mar 14 2015.

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        • Profile picture of the author UMS
          Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

          Crap, now I am beyond lost. LOL! For sure though. And I have something where it's like hxxp://www.xxxx.com/sitemap and that's what I submitted to GWT right?

          I had a plugin where I can just put it [wp_sitemap] on a page which creates it for me.

          And that's the URL that I submitted to Google keyword tool.
          There's two types of sitemaps:

          1. For human consumption, ie: creates a nicely formatted HTML page that visitors can navigate to various section of your site.

          2. For search engine consumption, ie: in XML format that makes it easier for search engines to index all your content.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Wallace
    It is useless when you site is old and has high ranking, it is only useful for the new site to be discovered by SE
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  • Profile picture of the author fanta81
    You don't need to submit sitemap after every post. Wordpress plugins are there to help you.They will notify the major search engine automatically.
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