Google Sitemaps worth the effort?

[Walter R.]

I have a small website with only 30 pages. I put a Google .xml file on my
site but I wonder if it is worth the trouble to keep the sitemap.xml updated
every time I make a change in a website.

Since it does not change the ranking, why bother? Google cached my pages
flawlessly without the .xml files.

What is everybody else doing? Are you all submitting your sitemaps to
Google?

 

[Windsun]

The xml file is for upload to Google, not to put on your website.

 

[Walter R.]

Actually, the .xml file goes in the root of your website. You then notify
Google that the .xml sitemap is on your web. e.g.
www.rationality.net/sitemap.xml

 

[Trevor L.]

I have a small website with only 30 pages. I put a Google .xml file
on my site but I wonder if it is worth the trouble to keep the
sitemap.xml updated every time I make a change in a website.

Since it does not change the ranking, why bother? Google cached my
pages flawlessly without the .xml files.

What is everybody else doing? Are you all submitting your sitemaps to
Google?

Hi Walter

I have now put my new sitemap up and submitted it to Google.

I don't know whether it makes any difference. But I had a look at the stats
and they were interesting.

I found some old references to my site that I had forgotten about.
I found some sites with a similar name.
One was a rock/blues musician, one was an actor who had been on Doctor Who,
one was a basketball player, one was a rose !!

I also found references to my domain: homemail.com.au
There also exists a homemail.com (no connection whatsoever)
Strangely I am number one when searching for homemail.com. I have several
other references in the top 20, but the ISP itself is number 20 !!

So what does it mean?
Nothing , probably.

 

[Walter R.]

Hi

Yes I too was wondering about the efficaciousness of the Google program.

I looked at what Google had archived on March 17 and it was a complete
duplicate of my website. Therefore I decided not to jump through hoops,
because they are getting all my information anyway.

So, I felt relieved after I simply abandoned the whole project. Besides, I
don't really care how many people visit my site. It's just a hobby, lacking
something better to do.

Take care and best of luck, Trevor.