Sitemap.xml

[seomozinator]

Looking for a discussion for using sitemap.xml

We have used them for years and I still see that Google has an area to submit your sitemap to but from everything I research, including Google, sitemaps seem to now-a-days be almost useless.

What do you think and what has your research shown?

Thanks everybody!

Charles Mazzini

[DarinPirkey]

I've noticed that separate sitemaps (via sitemap index file) help my sites get indexed much faster.  Just one sitemap hasn't been as successful indexing my sites as using one for video, one for categories, one for images, one for news one for pages and one for mobile versions of your site etc.

You can set each of their hierarchies separately and it works best for me.  I also like to use Google+ for the sites.  I've seen some high correlation between indexation and use of Google+.

Google info on using Sitemap Index Files  https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/71453

Here is the actual protocol from Sitemaps.org http://www.sitemaps.org/protocol.html