Create a Customized Google XML Sitemap

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An XML sitemap is a type of sitemap Google suggests that you submit to them through Google Webmaster tools. This is not the kind of web sitemap you usually see when you are visiting a website. Rather, it is the kind of sitemap that helps Google crawl your site better. This article will show you how to generate one.

Note that this kind of sitemap is supposed to NOT be accessible by visitors. For example, you should not be putting a link to this XML sitemap where visitors can access it. This XML sitemap is meant for search engine bots only, like Googlebot.

If you are still confused and a newbie when it comes to sitemaps, see the obvious difference below:

The purpose of an XML sitemap is to inform Googlebot of all canonical URLs in your website, which they may not find in a normal crawling process. There are certain important benefits to having an XML sitemap:

First, when combined with robots.txt in preventing duplicate content, an XML sitemap reconfirms your canonical URLs and will give your site better exposure in the Googlebot crawling process. If you eliminate duplicate content URLs in your website by proper use of an XML sitemap (combined with robots.txt, link rel canonical methods and redirection methods), you will preserve link equity and those earned link juices will be diverted to important pages that need to rank well in Google.

Second, if you have a big website (like a giant e-commerce website) with thousands of product and category URLs, it seems impossible to list all of them in a normal web sitemap. This is where the XML sitemap can be more helpful; it can display a large number of URLs to inform the Googlebot about the URLs in your website. This is particularly helpful to newly-launched websites.

This article attempts to create a customized/manual Google XML sitemap using Excel according to a Google standard This “customization” of a Google sitemap can correct problems encountered when using the traditional methods to create a Google sitemap (for example, using free XML sitemap creator services).

Next: Traditional XML sitemap generator problems >>
 

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Comments On: Create a Customized Google XML Sitemap

· I have a magento store and when i try to generate a XML site map it doesn't see any...    · Hi Anna, I have not experience this problem before. Anyway, you can ask for...    · What is the difference between txt. sitemap and xml. I thought google wants the site...    · Thank you for this response! Its really helpful. I haven't had chance to look in to...    · In an XML site map you and prioritize certain pages, you can also have it update...    · Thanks for reading and commenting the article. It was clear in the post that XML...    · normal users are still confused when someone says sitemaps. regular web users always...    · This is very true, lots of webmasters still does not know. Some that I meet in...   >>> Post your comment now!