Starting a Business | SEO & Google

The Site Map and Google

You must do everything in your power to help both waylaid visitors and lost search engines when they find themselves alone and without direction on your website.

Do not pass go

Many webmasters argue that including a site map allows users to bypass their well thought out navigation paths and that, therefore, users aren't subjected to the full, all-powerful magic of the site. Absolute rubbish. If your visitor cannot find, in a very limited amount of time, what it is they want, then they are going to leave - and probably not come back. If the Googlebot can't find a way through your website then it's not going to hang around too long either, and Google are certainly not going to contact you with a follow-up courtesy call just to check everything's fine. You've had your chance.

By offering a site map, yes, some users might miss out on great offers, witty copy and stunning images, but they do get to where they wanted to go. They might still partake in your promotions and appreciate your huge range, just not right now. Be patient. Likewise, if the Googlebot can index your entire site, which it can do easily through a site map, then it is going to help you rank higher on many more keyword searches. And that's what you want. Isn't it? Google can't follow your JavaScript navigation. Employing a site map ensures there's an obvious link to every page and the Googlebot will take the easy route if a site map is offered. If your site map is accurate Google will index every page presented.

Help! I need somebody

You can never reinforce things too many times on a website and it is therefore a shrewd manoeuvre to include the site map as part of your help page, even if it has its own link or button on the home page. Users do not think alike; some will spot the direct reference and others will assume that you have hidden it within the help pages. Most importantly, be sure that there is a direct link to the site map from the home or index page of your site.


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