Generating Sitemaps

[Mr Cellophane]

Grinding my way through setting up my website. Creating the actual site (using PMP) is reasonably easy, it's all the additional stuff that's giving me grief (setting up Analytics, Verifying with Google etc.) But the step that has really got me scratching my cranium is generating/submitting sitemaps. Supposedly important for getting noticed by Google.

(For once) PMP seems to be no help on creating them. Then I found a page entitled 'Sitemap generators' - and it lists about 40 what I assume to be generator utilities. Some free, some chargeable, all in various coding languages, some for download, some for use on server, etc. etc.
I have no idea what to choose from here - any help/suggestions much appreciated.

thanks

[kevsboredagain]

You simply generate a sitemap file which is an xml file listing all your web pages. This is then placed in the root directory of your website and helps search engines to index your site. You can then tell Google webmaster tools where to find the sitemap file.

This is one example of a site which can generate the xml file for you:
https://www.xml-sitemaps.com/

If you save and open the xml file with Notepad, you'll see what it contains.

[Mr Cellophane]

Yes, I get the general idea of the process, I think. The issue I had was the large number of choices/options I found for doing the generating.
But the link you have provided Kev is brilliant, seems very clear and straightforward, so many thanks for your help.

[CSE]

Some advice; do it bit by bit, as you get to know what and how to include it then expand the site map.
Start off with the basics.

[kevsboredagain]

Some advice; do it bit by bit, as you get to know what and how to include it then expand the site map.
Start off with the basics.

Why? The XML file can be automatically made so that only leaves 2 tasks. One to copy the file and the other to inform Google. Both these tasks are completely independent of the contents of the sitemap file.

If your site's changes, simply make a new one.

[CSE]

Why bit by bit? Because of the quote below.

Yes, I get the general idea of the process, I think. The issue I had was the large number of choices/options I found for doing the generating.
But the link you have provided Kev is brilliant, seems very clear and straightforward, so many thanks for your help.

Read the advise Google makes and it can seem complicated if you are new to this sort of thing. https://support.google.com/webmasters/a ... 3668?hl=en

[Cassis]

The Google advice page on building a sitemap is rather complicated and technical for a beginner.

The simplest solution is to use any one of the many sitemap generating tools, such as the one Kev suggests, and upload it to the main folder of your website, then submit it to Google after you have verified your site in Webmaster Tools.

https://support.google.com/sites/answer/100283?hl=en

[Mr Cellophane]

Some advice; do it bit by bit, as you get to know what and how to include it then expand the site map.
Start off with the basics.

If you develop using PMP as I did, then you are likely to end up with no more than a dozen or so pages (unless you put in a lot of extra ones yourself,) so I don't think it is necessary to break it down into multiple steps.

Yes, the Google info. is a bit complicated, but using the website Kev supplied, it was a breeze.

[Hells Bells]

PMP already creates a sitemap for you, you don't need to create one yourself. This blog entry explains how to submit your site to Google and Bing. http://www.promotemyplace.com/blog/sear ... oogle-bing