Free Google SiteMap Builder (Dreamweaver Extension)

[greeneagle]

DMXZone is offering a Free Google Sitemap Generator as a Dreamweaver Extension
http://www.dmxzone.com/ShowDetail.asp?NewsId=10538

Here is what they claim:

“About the extension
No more tedious sessions of filling in your links for Google's Sitemap generator, all is done automatically via Dreamweaver! This command will generate an XML sitemap of your whole site that you can submit to Google for better indexing.

The extension features:
•integrates a link crawler so that all files starting from the selected home page are indexed
•based on how many times a file is being linked to a priority is determined
•generates the Google xml sitemap in your siteroot as sitemap.xml “

Some users are reporting it being a little “buggy”. Others are having good luck.

Anyone here tried it out yet?

Ken

[wrmineo]

No, but I'm about to! Thanks - I'll let you know!

[wrmineo]

Ken - I've been trying since yesterday to access and download from the site with no luck - must be getting hammered or having other issues - I'm anxious to look at this and see if it work; I'll let you know if I ever get across the threshold.
Rob
w®m

[greeneagle]

I'd guess they were swatting a few remaining bugs.

Even "perfect" it won't pick up what GOOGLE really wants. They want to save vast amounts of computing/indexing time if possible.

Look at theirs:
html:
http://www.google.com/sitemap.html
xml:
http://www.google.com/sitemap.xml

The modifier they are most interested in is "lastmod", so that they can use it as a filter to determine if a page needs to be re-indexed or not! That's the game in a nutshell.

That info needs to come from the server, Apache log files ....somewhere, and it needs to be frequently updated. It REALLY needs to be a server side application updated daily.

They do offer a solution there as long as your server has python 2.2 min. You as webmaster have the acumen and your hosting company lets you play in those grounds.

These aren't criteria for the regular Joe Shmo!

Implementation of Sitemaps Beta and public acceptance will be long in coming if successful at all.

Yes they want to save gobs of computing time and may well favor anyone contributing to their bottom line this way... as seemingly indicated...

I guess there is a lot of room for Hosting Companies, Plesk, Control Panel Software etc. to add application perks.

Looks like a new race!

It is a little daunting though, to see them flexing their muscle to command the industry to create new server side applications to service their bottom line at no incurred development expense.

Ken

[brian.mark]

Whatever their motivation is, we're sure getting a low more crawling action and a whole lot more visitors since implementing the XML. This has resulted in a lot more sales, as you could probably imagine.

If it saves them money and makes me money, I'm all for it.

Brian.

[greeneagle]

This one is really nice and it doesn't require Dreamweaver. It also inserts "Last Mod", "Change Frequency" and "Priority" fields all together.

Must copy over to notepad or other text editor and modify default "0.5" "Priority" settings to suit and "Change Frequency" realities:
http://www.tarrantit.com/GoogleSiteMap/

Ken

[incrediblehelp]

There are still a few bugs, but I found this one works pretty well instead of installing the generator on your server:

http://johannesmueller.com/gs/

[greeneagle]

brian.mark:

"Whatever their motivation is, we're sure getting a low more crawling action and a whole lot more visitors since implementing the XML. This has resulted in a lot more sales, as you could probably imagine."

What do you think Brian? Is it more important to be lined out and XML Sitemap reported or listed in DMOZ now?

Ken

[brian.mark]

You always ask the tough questions. Of our 2 sites, 1 is DMOZ listed, one is not. The one that is listed has an easier time attaining top SERPs, but it is in a less competitive field. The one that is not listed is the one that was having trouble getting crawled since our restructuring. Both are doing well now, but it's taken a lot more work on our non-listed site.

I guess the answer is both. Creating an XML sitemap didn't take long, so that's a no-brainer to do. DMOZ has been waiting on our site for a very long time, and it's not guaranteed to ever be listed (although cbp says it is still in line to be looked at.)

I don't think you can easily say one or the other is more important. It's sort of like asking if having content or getting links is important. You need content to get the links. In this case, you need to be indexed to be ranked, and the DMOZ listing will just give your ranking a nudge.

I couldn't tell you how many sites have asked me to do SEO for them and I find that they have 3 of their 1000's of pages indexed. Without indexing, SEO won't help. Links can help indexing, but not nearly as fast as the sitemap. I'd say step 1 for me is now an XML sitemap, step 2 is DMOZ (submit it and forget it), step 3 is other directories, and step 4 is additional link building. Of course, on-page for Yahoo and MSN has to fall over the top of every last one of those, because content building is a continuous job.

Brian.

[greeneagle]

I'm wavering at #3 and #4 with other digital doors such as Press Releases, Article Release and Syndication and Blogs.

Our #1 Page this month behind the index is an Article Page.

Ken

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by greeneagle

I'm wavering at #3 and #4 with other digital doors such as Press Releases, Article Release and Syndication and Blogs.

Our #1 Page this month behind the index is an Article Page.

Ken

Sounds like it could be grouped into content building, although you have to submit those as well. Still, an ongoing process that should probably be concurrent with other SEO efforts.

Brian.

[greeneagle]

I am not sure that the "Bang for the Buck" isn't better for article submission over Press Releases yet.

Our Article Submissions have all been free.

LOL - Let me modify that.... Public Interest does lean toward Hot SEO Topics, doesn't it?

Different "Strokes" (Digital Doors) for different Sites.. Right?

Digital Strategies and other Dreams and Streams,

Ken