Google Sitemaps Improves Indexing

A new experiment from Google Labs allows sitemasters with a Google account to request more frequent spidering from the Mountain View-based search engine. The children of Larry and Sergey call it Google Sitemaps, and it offers a simple way to fulfill a very desirable Google function. By using Sitemaps on a web site, that site can be indexed on request.

Fresher updates can be reflected in the Google site index more quickly. However, the use of the Sitemaps feature will not improve a site's PageRank within Google. The data contained in a sitemap lets Google's crawlers schedule future indexing better. Site owners with lots of dynamically generated pages may still utilize Sitemaps. In the FAQ for the service, Google says a site owner can use the Sitemap Generator with a list of URLs to create the map. One possible source for those URLs would be an Apache access_log file. Once created, a site owner who updates a site and the sitemap can login to Google, access the Sitemaps area, and click a button to request a new indexing. Google has made Sitemaps available as a free service; this is consistent with their practice of not charging for inclusion in the index. Support for the service may be found in its Google Group online. David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.