Using Sitemaps

Every website owner wants his site listed on search engines. After all, it is through search engines that people end up finding the information and the websites for which they are looking. And, if a website isn't listed on a search engine, people won't find it when they do searches.

But, using search engines effectively is not simply about submitting a website link to a few search engines. Nor is it about submitting a website link to a few hundred search engines. While this will help some, there is another method that should be used in conjunction with search engine submission that will boost a site's chances of being found in the search engines.

This technique involves the use of a sitemap. In the most basic terms, a sitemap is a page-by-page description of a website. There are two types of sitemaps--HTML sitemaps and XML sitemaps. Website owners often use an HTML sitemap as page on a website. HTML sitemaps are useful for people who are already on a website; these maps can help a person find his way around the site.

XML sitemaps, though, are the type used by search engines. These sitemaps help search engines crawl a website more effectively. XML sitemaps allow a search engine to discover all of the pages of a website and to mark them in the search engine.

It can be particularly helpful for new websites to use an XML sitemap. This is because newer websites generally have few links to them--and, search engine crawlers work by following links from website to website. Newer websites that are not linked to other websites may be difficult for search engines to find in this manner. But, with the use of an XML sitemap, the search engine will have no trouble finding any new website's pages.

It is essential to keep an XML sitemap accurate and up-to-date. When changes are made to a website, such as when new information is added or when data is changed or deleted, the sitemap needs to be updated. Otherwise, the search engines using the sitemap will not have the correct information.

Not every search engine makes use of the XML sitemap system. Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo all do. And, the sitemap system is under a Creative Commons license, meaning that any search engine can adopt the system.

Developing an XML sitemap is not difficult for any website owner. Sure, it sounds as if it would be a complicated process--especially since webmasters must take care to keep the sitemap current all of the time--but, thankfully, it isn't. There are actually a few different methods a person can use to develop a sitemap.

First, and probably simplest, is the method that can be used for blogs. Any website that is a blog can use the RSS (Real Simple Syndication) 2.0 feed or Atom 1.0 feed for the blog content as the XML sitemap. All a person has to do is submit the feed's URL as a sitemap; some blog software types will do this as a service for the blog owner. If a blog doesn't have an Atom feed or an RSS feed, a feed can be created and submitted through Feedburner.

Another simple method for creating an XML sitemap is to use a generator. Sitemap generators can be found through Google or other downloadable or online sources. Searching online for "sitemap generator" will bring up a great deal of options.

Sitemaps can also be created manually, but this is more difficult and not the best choice for most website owners.

Submitting an XML sitemap to search engines will help any website to be found by more people. Try this tool today!