Sitemaps can be helpful in the indexation and crawling of a website. Below are the two types of sitemaps that we currently use and the process for keeping them up to date.
XML Sitemap
An XML Sitemap is created based on specific protocols and helps the search engines discover pages that they may not be able to find due to poor website architecture or sites built in flash or another poorly crawled architecture. These sitemaps do not directly help with rankings and simply give the search engines a list of URLs that are on a website. Sitemaps should not contain pages that are redirected, or pages that 404.
If a website has many different sections with multiple pieces of content per section, it might make sense to create a unique xml sitemap file for each section for indexation tracking per section.
XML Sitemap Creation and Editing
When a new page is added based on the page addition process above that page shall be added to the XML sitemap.
Creation and Edit Process
- New page is created or deleted
- Page is added to the xml sitemap
- New sitemap file is sent for upload
- QA is done to ensure proper deployment
- Google webmaster tools is notified of the changes
For specifics about creating an xml sitemap please visit Sitemaps.org
HTML Sitemap
An onsite HTML sitemap can be helpful to the search engines by giving them a path to crawl content, but is not an optimal way to pass many of the algorithmic metrics.
Edit The HTML Sitemap
When a new page is created or deleted, the HTML sitemap should be edited. This is one of the only ways the search engines can crawl the site and apply metrics for sites built in Flash or with Javascript navigation, which makes it vital that this page is up to date.
Editing the HTML Sitemap Process
- New page is created or deleted
- A new/direct link is added or removed from the sitemap
- SEO and the QA team validates the link by checking to make sure it resolves to the correct page
Bill is the Lead Linchpin at the company and focuses on SEO and content strategy. Bill’s ten-year background in digital marketing, SEO, and building online companies has helped him rise to strategic lead for some of the largest online brands and content websites in the world. Bill believes that at the core of a website's success sits the value that website provides it users.
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