Monday, January 2, 2012

The Advantages of Google XML Sitemaps

By Randolph Francis


Have you heard about the Google XML sitemaps? Are you conversant with the benefits of having one of those for your internet site or blog? There are plenty of benefits that you get from having an XML sitemap and if you're using Wordpress, you can create it from the easy to use and free plugin called, "Google XML Sitemaps".

The 1st advantage of an XML sitemap is the search engine optimization you get. Google wants to see that you have got a contact page, an about page, a privacy policy, a terms and conditions, and a sitemap. This all gives you a better chance to be listed higher in the Google search results. In addition, the sitemap allows the Google spider less complicated access to all your pages and posts.

The second benefit of having Google XML sitemaps is for your actual visitor. You can offer a link to your sitemap and anytime a visitor wants to find something that they can go to the sitemap. This is helpful if you do not have a link to the posts you have created or the pages you have on your front page. If they cannot find what they are hunting for the sitemap will provide all the URLs within your blog or website for simple navigation.

The 3rd advantage of having your sitemap up for Google is for you. If you want an inventory of all of your posts and pages, but you do not want to go thru and pick them out manually , you can get access to your sitemap, cut'n'paste the info into Microsoft Excel, dump the data you do not need, and you have a easy to use list of all of the URLs in your site. This may help with backlinking and if you simply need an inventory of all your URLs.

There are several other advantages to having one of the Google XML sitemaps and since they are as simple to make as installing an extension and clicking a link, there is no reason to go without one. Google will give you a bit of extra S.E.O benefit from having an XML sitemap and you will be able to keep it updated for the spider.

Confirm each single time you add or change something on your blog you go back and reconstruct your sitemap. This is done very easily through the sitemap link under settings in Wordpress. There is a link for rebuilding your sitemap in there and all you have to do is click on it and you are done. Keeping this sitemap recent is essential.




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