Having a Google Sitemap just got better! Not only does the search engine company check your sitemap, but now they give you feedback! The new feature was quickly noticed by many users of the service recently as a way for Google to alert the webmaster about possible problem pages that they have had trouble indexing.
I had the wonderful experience of getting to know this service first hand when I logged in to Google Sitemaps to check on the status of one of my many sitemaps. Along side of the address for the sitemap, there was a link with the anchor text verify. This helps Google to know that you are the actual webmaster for that site and is a wonderful addition for security.
Once you are verified (which is a simple process of creating a page on your root directory that they will see) you are able to see the stats for the site index. Often times, you wont see anything in the stats area, but if you have recently updated, redesigned, or deleted certain pages that Google has in its index, you have a good chance of seeing something there. Google will tell you about possible errors in the indexing process such as pages that are not showing, or pages that they cant see.
You might already be familiar with the new Google Sitemap Program, but if you arent heres a quick synopsis. The Sitemaps program is a new offering from the Google family and is currently in beta testing.
The goal of the program is to allow Google to see the complete sitemap or a sitemap of frequently changing pages. This is extremely helpful if you have links that cant be reached by the Googlebot when its indexing your page due to things like Java script menus and such. The codes on a page that prevent the bot from viewing your site ultimately hinder you in the search engines.
So using the XML standard coding language, which is easy to understand once you get the hang of it, you create a log of the various pages on your site and tell Google some attributes about it such as the overall priority of the page, how frequently you alter the content, when the page was updated last, and of course its location.
This will give Google the overall picture of the layout of your site and does help in getting the pages indexed for greater relevancy. There are protocols for the creation of the sitemap so its best to read all the information completely at the Google Sitemaps website at http://www.google.com/webmasters/
John Wooton
Author and Creator - The SEO Journal Blog
Step by step tips on effectively mastering the search engine war
Google returns more search results then any other search engine. Clearly if you can get a Top Ranking in Google you will drive highly targeted traffic to your web page.
1 - Keyword Rich Content
You want to create a Web Page with keyword Rich content, A Good rule of thumb is use a 3 to 5 Percent Keyword Density. If you have 300 Words on your Web, Your keyword phrase should appear 9 to 15 times.
2 - Search Engine Friendly Title
Your Keyword Phrase should appear once in your Title. Your Title should appear as close to the top of your page as possible. Your Title should be enclosed in H1 Tags. Your Title should also appear in the title Meta Tag. As the first line under the head tag.
3 - Search Engine Friendly Description
Your Keyword Phrase should appear at least once in your description. Your Description should accurately reflect the page contents. Your Description should appear in the Description Meta Tag. Your Description Meta Tag should mimic text found somewhere in the first or possibly 2nd paragraph in your Web Page
4 - Unique
You want your Title and Description to be Unique for Each Web Page on your web Site. You want your content to be unique for each web page on your web site. If you use OPC (Other Peoples Content) do something to make your page unique. Add a paragraph before telling why you used the content. Add a paragraph or 2 with useful tips on how to use the content. Add a Tip or 2 of your own.
5 - Related pages
Google doesnt want your web page to be the only Ship in the ocean. Google will look at other pages on your web site and see if they are related. If you have 20 Web Pages talking about home decorating and only 1 web page talking about nuclear physics Google wont list your nuclear physics page very high no matter how well you do the other steps
6 - Google Sitemap
Create and submit a Google Sitemap
7 - Back Links
Back Links are sites that link to you without you linking to them. Here are some good methods to get backlinks
About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Builtan Organization of over 100,000 Members
Get Mikes Newsletter:
More Articles by Mike:
Permission Based E_Mail Marketing Methods
Copyright 2005-2006 Mike Makler the Coolest Guy in the Universe