@ sportman1280:
I do not like to see search engines setting the standards. Search engines should react on websites, not the way around. But that is, of course, just the way I feel. And I am sure there are different opinions on that.
Quote: Tex I do not like to see search engines setting the standards. Search engines should react on websites, not the other way around. I agree with Tex, and yes Krak, they have expanded and become huge, which is not a good thing for us. The bigger they get, the more we get penned up, fed, fattened and ready for market!
Re: sitemaps... I like what they've done, the old "scan all home pages and related links" is ass-backwards.
Letting the content-provider tell the search engine what to do, where to go, and how often to refresh is just much more efficient. The only problem I have with the sitemaps is that the XML document name is 'known' and accessible to all (like robots.txt), so it will even reveal things about your site to non-search- engines.
Quote: Krak I wonder how much I will go for. I wasn't flattering you mate, they are not selling you, they will be selling to you, you are the market, they will have what you need because they will create the need.
Just to make my point clear:
I am not against Google and I think they are doing smart things, which I use daily. I am also not against market mechanisms which enforce strong players. I just do not want (note: want) to use technology created by a big player to be invited into the game.
Fair enough, I'm out.
I don't know about your site, but mine (and those of my clients) get 70% of their traffic from google. Relatively soon NOT having a sitemap.xml file may make your site next to invisible or hardly visited (by spiders as well as users).
@ TomTester:
But you can do a sitemap your own, right? My website is indexed fine, even without an updated sitemap. But it is a rather small one in a niche, so things might be very well different. Sorry for turning this into a debate on principles.
@Tex, google sitemap has little to do with a sitemap ON your site, but allows you to indicate the frequency with which (a) section(s) of your site changes and the relative priority of pages within your site. Also note:
Sitemaps are particularly beneficial when users can't reach all areas of a website through a browseable interface. (Generally, this is when users are unable to reach certain pages or regions of a site by following links). For example, any site where certain pages are only accessible via a search form [my emphasis] would benefit from creating a Sitemap and submitting it to search engines.
I really recommend this tool (to save you a LOT of time): http://gsitecrawler.com/ (note: have no affiliation with this company, just the best off-line tool I've come across).
Comments
Google, Yahoo and Microsoft just agreed (last night) to use the Google Sitemaps protocol as a new standard.
Ouch!
Seriously though, Google has transformed into much much more than a search engine.
I agree with Tex, and yes Krak, they have expanded and become huge, which is not a good thing for us. The bigger they get, the more we get penned up, fed, fattened and ready for market!
Re: sitemaps... I like what they've done, the old "scan all home pages and related links" is ass-backwards.
Letting the content-provider tell the search engine what to do, where to go, and how often to refresh is
just much more efficient. The only problem I have with the sitemaps is that the XML document name is
'known' and accessible to all (like robots.txt), so it will even reveal things about your site to non-search-
engines.
I wasn't flattering you mate, they are not selling you, they will be selling to you, you are the market, they will have what you need because they will create the need.
I don't know about your site, but mine (and those of my clients) get 70% of their traffic from google.
Relatively soon NOT having a sitemap.xml file may make your site next to invisible or hardly visited
(by spiders as well as users).
indicate the frequency with which (a) section(s) of your site changes and the relative
priority of pages within your site. Also note:
(from https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/docs/en/protocol.html#Frequently_Asked_Questions
(note: have no affiliation with this company, just the best off-line tool I've come across).
*crosses fingers*