Purpose of a sitemap

**jag5311** · Oct 19, 2003, 18:13

First off, what is the general purpose of a sitemap, if there are links already on the site pointing to where you need to go?

Are sitemaps good for search engines?

take www.somethingspecialgiftbaskets.com for example.

A few minutes ago, I added a sitemap to the bottom of the page, that matches the exact menu at the top, but with different looks. Do search engines take to sitemaps nicely?

Any input on this is great

Thanks
Bryan

**Cam** · Oct 19, 2003, 19:18

As I understand it, a site map should contain a link to every page on your site, catagorised too would be nice. This way, visitors can just go to your sitemap and every single thing they can do at your site will be listed and I'd imagine it would have to be good for your SEO ranking as well.

**jag5311** · Oct 19, 2003, 19:29

Thanks. I guess I will just have to add at the bottom, for home, contact, service, privacy, etc..

Thanks DJ

Bryan

**vgarcia** · Oct 20, 2003, 05:00

Sitemaps help out SEO a little yes, and they're also good as a redundant form of navigation. People will see a sitemap as another way to travel your site, which is always good since it will keep them on longer

.

**boccio** · Oct 20, 2003, 14:19

well, as for redundancy - IMO if you have well organized and straightforward navigation and search capabilities - sitemap is not so needed...
I create it just for crawl bots, as you guys already mentioned...

**davidjmedlock** · Oct 20, 2003, 14:24

Actually, if a site has a site map, I tend to refer to it often, especially if I'm looking for something in particular. Of course, if you have 2,000 articles on your site, you'll have to put some serious thought into how you implement it.

I definitely vote for site maps, though. They are your friend.

**I, Brian** · Oct 21, 2003, 12:35

Web designers may think that their sites are always logical - but more than once I've had to resort to a sitemap because my percpetion of a logical structure differed greatly! Thus being lost, and really needing to find something specific, I needed help from a sitemap. [img]images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]

So a sitemap is a handy tool for humans users - and as already stated, it can be an SEO help as well.

**jag5311** · Oct 21, 2003, 12:46

cool

gracias

**John Colby** · Oct 21, 2003, 13:12

Sitemaps or a table of contents are required for WAI AA and above - see http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCON...te-description and http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT-...te-description

Bobby reports it as a requirement but Cynthia passes the page I tested even though it does not have a full-blown site map. (tested on http://www.cie.uce.ac.uk/essential)

I wonder what the accessibility books have to say? Mine's at work so I can't refer to it.