Are xml sitemaps still in use today?

[Tobiask-121573]

Hi,

Are you still using XML sitemaps today? If yes, does it bring any benefit to your website like faster indexing of webpages or better rankings? Are you using special features like video sitemaps or sitemap index files?

Best regards,

Tobias

[jenny05]

There was just a webinar on sitemaps.  Maybe that can help you   Sorry I'm too new to give a good answer!

[johnshearer]

Tobias, I Video sitemaps to get videos findable. You can write your own XML site map here is the Google webmaster page http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=80471

or you can use Brightcove, Sorenson, etc.

Recyclepaint.php

[petrakraft]

Hi Tobias,

yes they are in use and useful, too

Here is the link to the webinar Jenny mentioned http://www.seomoz.org/dp/pro-webinar-jan-2011-value-from-xml-sitemaps

[Netmasons]

In practice I have found that having a video sitemap for a group that use videos to go along with their products really helped get the videos indexed very quickly. I also feel like when we did a huge domain restructure the sitemap helped the search engines (Bing! in particular) index the pages at a much quicker pace.

[Guest]

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[Tobiask-121573]

Thanks for your feedback. Do the priority and the other optional values of the sitemaps file have any impact?

[Tobiask-121573]

Thanks a lot for the link.

[Tobiask-121573]

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for your input. I forgot about the seminar. I even registered but wasn't online when the webinar started.

Tobias

[Tobiask-121573]

Hi Jason,

This sounds interesting. How do you generate the video sitemaps file - manually or by a tool?

Thanks for your feedback and input,
Tobias

[Netmasons]

I generate them manually, havent really found a tool that does it well, if you find one though be sure to let me know

[petrakraft]

No they don't.

[Tobiask-121573]

Hey Jason,

I wrote a tool myself years ago (phpSitemapNG in 2005) but haven't used, supported or further developed it since than.

What would be your requirements for the perfect sitemaps tool?

Tobias