How to create a sitemap, Explanation

Sitemap a website

A sitemap of a website is similar to the table of contents of a book. Sitemaps are important because they guide web surfers to the particular part of the website where they have a point of interest. With it, they would save time following links and get right to the point instead.

Sitemaps are also what search engines look at if somebody is looking for a particular keyword or phrase. If you have a site map, you can most likely be searched.

Creating a sitemap now, with software technology surging in, is relatively easier than before. You need not be a programming guru to be one. All you need is a notepad, a program editor, and some patience. Here’s how you do it:

Create the listing on a notepad.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a notepad. Any word processing program will do. First off, make sure to type in all the parts and pieces of your website. Include all the pages and all the links you have. Create it as if you were listing the contents of your book. Make a draft first. You’re sure not to miss something out this way.

Create a new page for your sitemap.
You can either insert the sitemap on your website on one of its pages or you can create an entirely different page for it. Using your notepad, incorporate all the tags necessary for it to make another webpage. Open up your website creator program and tag your sitemap using it. If you have created your website on your own, this will be easy for you.

Create a link for the sitemap.
You won’t be able to view the sitemap if you don’t put a link to it, of course. Create the link on the front page of your website so that visitors can view it right away and be directed appropriately.

Check your work.
It is important to validate the functionality of the links on the sitemap. Test each and every one in there, and if you get an error, be sure to fix it accurately. Run through every single page to make sure that all is accounted for.

Upload your work.
Place the sitemap now in your live browser and double check it. It should function as smoothly as the dry run. Errors should be minimal at this stage since you have already verified it locally.

The steps provided herewith are the manual way of creating a sitemap. These days, if you search hard enough on the web, you will find online programs that will do all this work for you. All you have to do is type in the URL or the link of your website and they will create the sitemap with the click of a button.

Of course, that method is generic. All of you who have created your sitemap that way will have an end product that is all the same, plus there’s that possibility that something else will be inserted in there too. Then again, the process is less taxing and way, way simpler.

But if you want a more personalized output and you are pretty good with computers and programming yourself, you'd better make one of your own. And since you made your website anyway, creating a sitemap is just like creating any other page on the website. Other than that, you’ll know for sure the links are accurate. You can organize the links the way you prefer them to be. Major parts of the site are emphasized compared to less significant ones. This is important, especially if you are selling products or offering services online.

A sitemap is vital to a website. People search the web a lot for something. If your website has what that particular person is looking for, and your sitemap reports it, then you have a new customer looking at your items. Not only that, they will see some other things up for sale that they might be interested in as well.

Sitemaps, be they generated by a program automatically or created by you yourself, serve the same purpose. That is to lead your visitors to where they’re likely headed and for you to be seen on the World Wide Web through search spiders. So with these, make sure your website has a sitemap of its own, lest you make one.

The Advantages and Tips for Creating a Sitemap

Sitemap Example

Have you ever wondered how a search engine works? It must be fascinating to discover how this search tool could lead you to several websites that are relevant to your keywords.Or, have you ever come across a link that purportedly contains your keywords but isn't exactly what you were looking for?You would probably think that there must be something wrong with the search engine if it generated irrelevant results.

How does a search engine work?

The two things that figure greatly in making search engines work effectively and efficiently are the electronic search spider and the sitemap.

What is a sitemap?

A sitemap is basically a page or pages that serve as a directory by listing all the links to all the documents and files found on a website. It is not merely a random listing of links, but organized in such a way that it gives the web user an idea of how all the information that can be found on the site fits into an outline or framework. It is like viewing the table of contents of a book, or viewing the "concept map" of the site’s content.

What is a spider?

In SEO language, a spider is not an animal found in your closet. This electronic search spider is actually a bot which collects data and copies content to be stored in the search engine’s database when keywords are fed into the search dialogue box. The spider reads the content of the site and sends another bot to follow the links and copy the content contained in them.

What purpose does a sitemap serve?

A sitemap, like any other map, gives directions to a navigator. It primarily targets search engine spiders so that they are properly directed to your site and to the links where keywords entered in the search dialogue appear. As such, it is actually a useful tool in search engine optimization. A well organized site map would guide the spider to find the information it needs when keywords are entered during a search operation.

As an additional beneficial consequence, sitemaps have proven to be useful to web users as well. Since a sitemap displays all the links to information found on a website, it helps the user to search for a particular topic in mind. Many users also use the sitemap to navigate between pages on a site.

What are the benefits of having a sitemap for my website?

benefits of having a sitemap

Going back to the purpose of sitemaps, having one would mean faster and easier tracking and crawling of spiders all over your site. As a result, search engines would surely get to view all the pages of your site and not just the pages containing random keywords.
Easier site navigation for visitors - Once a web user has accessed your sitemap, they need not go back to the search engine page to look for what they need. If what they are looking for is on your site, then they would have an easier and faster way of locating it.
Advertising value potential - If it so happens that a relevant product or service company reaches your site, then it would be easier for them to see how best they can position themselves on the different pages of your site as a paid page advertisement.
Encourage more visitors to your website.- Potential buyers will have an easier time accessing your latest products and services if your company website has a sitemap.Moreover, they would not miss out on any product that might be of future interest to them since the sitemap would display all the information found on the site.

How are sitemaps formatted?

There are at least three major types of sitemaps: indexed, full categorical, and restricted categorical. An indexed site map appears as an alphabetical listing or directory.
A full categorical map displays all links classified into categories, while a restricted categorical sitemap displays all links listed in a chosen category at a time. The full and restricted sitemaps are very similar except that the former displays all links in all categories all at once on a page, while the latter focuses only on the links under the selected category for easier and less eye-straining viewing.

The most widely used format is the categorical full-length. Based on the results of a 1999 SURL study on sitemap designs, the full categorical format is most preferred by users since it is easier to search for topics within the site and it allows easier comparison between and among categories.

Some tips on setting up your sitemap

Only link the sitemap to your homepage. - This is to ensure that the spider starts searching from your homepage down to all the pages listed in your sitemap. In this way, no page would be left unvisited by the spider.
Do not go beyond 30 pages for a sitemap. - Large websites having 50 or more pages should not go beyond 30 since this adds more pages to the site and might make search engines think that the sitemap is a link farm. Also, this prevents overcrowding of links, which could be tiring to view.
Examine all of the links in your sitemap.- It can be discouraging when you click on a link only to find out that nothing is displayed. Test your sitemap; click all the links on every page to make sure that all links are indeed linked to the right page.
Give sitemap links keyword-rich titles. - Keyword-rich titles give your site an advantage in being searched properly under the right category. But be sure to have this sitemap link linked back to the sitemap (e.g., back to the sitemap).
Include a brief description for each link in the sitemap. - Doing so would give readers a better idea of what to find in the link and save them time on surfing.
Be consistent in designing your sitemap with the other pages of the site.

Employ a recurring design and the same HTML template for all pages to establish identity and build character for your website.

Now that you have learned the basics about sitemaps, maybe it is time for you to build one for your site.

Making Sites Using Google

Businesses that want to sell something in the market need 2 things. The first is the product to be sold which has to be made then distributed to places like the grocery, the mall or the supermarket. The second is marketing, which is the vehicle to carry that message across to the consumer so that people are aware of its existence and then it is purchased.

The age of the internet has given people the opportunity to make money online. There are a lot of websites that offer a person the chance to be seen easily and quickly, and one of the best right now is using site maps created by Google.

The benefits of using Google are the following:

It helps people find one web page better than other search engines because of better crawl coverage.

People will be able to search for certain keywords that the person put in place, which will directly lead searchers to one website.

It allows the person to provide specific information to Google about the web page, such as the last time it was modified or how often it is changed.

Using Google straight will allow one web page to be seen quickly, which is a lot better than other computer companies who promise to do the same thing but can’t deliver in the end.

Now that the benefits have been mentioned, it is now time to go through the step by step process to make a Google site map.

The first thing that needs to be done is to do the proper research. The service or product has to fill a need that the customers want right now. It should provide a solution of some kind that will improve the quality of life, either at home or at work.
Next, one should focus on the product or service that is being offered to the customer. It must be sold at a decent price. Sometimes, the product one makes is already available on the market. To be competitive, one must figure out a way to convince people as to why this product is better than the other leading brands available. What features does it have that the competitor doesn’t? What makes it unique, which is not only about the product on hand but the service that it can give as well? Just like in a normal business where business is done on the phone or in a store, one must acquire the right equipment and machines for the job. These could be merchandise that is either physical or electronic and an online ordering system. To be successful, one should be sure that the goods that a customer orders can be delivered on time. If there are any problems, a customer support staff or system should be ready to cater to them.
If the business is done by a group of people or a single proprietorship, it is best to brainstorm for the best domain name for the business. It should be catchy and be easily remembered by people. Given that there are probably other people who have been in the business longer and that it is possible that the domain name has already been taken, it is best to think of several names in case it can no longer be used.
When a domain name has been selected, one should enter the URL of the website to be created. The Google site maker will then crawl the site and create a list of all the links it can find.
Next, one should fix the control settings. Doing this will determine how frequently the contents of the site change, which will let Google know how often it should be crawled.
If there are certain URL’s that a person does not wish to be included in one site, Google can be instructed to bypass them so that they will not be crawled and posted on one site map. One can select what types of files to be bypassed whether these are .zip or .exe files.
Also, one has the option of adding the sites' FTP information since Google can automatically upload the site map for the person.

YAHOO! SITE MAP: A Useful Internet Marketing Tool

A website refers to a compilation of Web pages that can be typically accessed through a software package, commonly known as a Web browser (one example is HTTP on the Internet). These pages, which are essentially documents that are in the HTML or XHTML format (HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language), are accessed from a 'common root URL', or the website's homepage (as most people know it). From this homepage, the visitor or Internet user can browse or look through the entire website either with the use of hyperlinks or the URLs of the different web pages.

Viewed on computers and other devices that are capable of connecting with the Internet (such as PDAs and cellular phones), websites can be grouped into numerous types, depending on their use or the services that they offer. Some of them include the following:

Archive site-maintains and protects electronic content that is valuable to the point of extinction.
A business website promotes a product or service.
Commerce or eCommerce site-offers goods for sale.
Community Site: Allows people with related and similar interests to communicate with each other (either through chat or message boards).
Database site: searches and displays a particular database's content.
Development site: provides data and sources that are related to software development and web design, among others.
Directory site-contains wide-ranging content that is usually divided into categories and subcategories.
Download site - allows users to download electronic contents, such as game demos and software.
Game site: provides a 'playground' where people meet and play.
Information site - contains data or content that has the sole purpose of informing visitors (not for commercial purposes).
News site - dispenses or distributes news and commentaries (similar to an information site).
Pornography site - shows pornographic videos and images.
Wiki site - allows users to collaboratively edit the contents.

Search engine site-provides general information and serves as a "gateway" for other sites and resources (can also be a web portal site).

Shock site: shows images and other materials that aim to offend viewers.

Vanity site: a personal site that is run or maintained by an individual or a small group, the contents of which can be any information that the site owner wishes to include.

Blog site or blogs-registers online readings and posts online diaries or discussion forums.

Yahoo! is perhaps the most famous example of a very large website. The most popular and widely-used website, Yahoo!, is a mixture of different types of sites -it is a directory site and a search engine site, among others.

Because of the enormous (and diverse) amount of information that it contains, the Yahoo! site map is an extremely useful feature on the Yahoo! website.

A site map is a web page that lists the entire pages on a web site. Site maps can be organized in a hierarchical fashion in textual or visual form (a diagram or an image).

The Yahoo! site map serves as a blueprint for the Yahoo! website. Similar to a book's Table of Contents, the Yahoo! sitemap makes it easier for visitors or users to find specific information or pages on the Yahoo! web site without having to browse many pages, because the site map gives an overview or a visual outline of the Yahoo! web site, with each location provided with active links to enable the user to directly move to a specific location.

In addition, the Yahoo! site map allows web developers to put out links from across their sites, making it easier for search engine robots (or engine spiders) to find these pages.

Because the Yahoo! site map improves the search engine optimization of a site, this feature can be considered a valuable tool for online marketers, whose aim is to stimulate and direct traffic to their web sites.

Note, however, that the Yahoo! site map can only give you the "basics." Because it is important for web marketers to 'rank high' in the main search engines, an effective web marketing strategy that promotes your web site is also very much needed. Listed below are some search engine strategies to consider:

Write a descriptive page title at the top of your webpage that avoids "filler" words like "the" or "and."
Include descriptive keywords, as well as your company name, on your home page.This is called "keyword prominence".
Include a "Description" Meta Tag at the top of the web page. This refers to the sentences (1 or 2 lines, with a maximum of around 255 characters) that describe the content of your web page.

These are just some of the many techniques that you can employ to get more users to visit your website. The important thing is to focus on keywords and let the Yahoo! site map do the rest.

Taxonomy of sitemaps: To categorize web content

Sitemap taxonomy is a way to classify the tremendous amount of information available on the World Wide Web. Organizing web content is a lot of work that requires manpower and money. But creating sitemap taxonomy is a process that must be done in order to make information readily available to users.

Often times, the information is there but users are unable to access it. With the sitemap taxonomy, web content is arranged in such a way that the user will be able to use it effectively. As it is, more and more users are flooded with information that is useless to them, thus creating frustration.

The impact of sitemap taxonomy on Internet marketing

Sitemap taxonomy can be a big boost to Internet marketing. The whole purpose of being on the web is to get exposure to a wider audience of potential customers. Unfortunately, the overflow of information often makes it impossible for searchers or browsers to find what they need.

Most of the time, online users form searches that often turn up useless or non-relevant results. This is not only frustrating for users but also for any company that is advertised on the web. Users are left guessing the right keyword they need to use in order to get the information they need off the web.

Unfortunately, not all users have the patience to keep guessing until they find the right keyword. More often than not, users will give up their search and go on with another search. This can mean lost sales for any company on the web that doesn't have a sitemap taxonomy.

Building a sitemap taxonomy

Many people may think that building sitemap taxonomy is an easy and simple process of putting together keywords. Sorry to say, sitemap taxonomy is a demanding task. However, it does have its rewards. With an effective sitemap taxonomy in place, a website is more likely to get more traffic, which would translate into profits.

Working out a sitemap taxonomy is often a trial and error process. It requires using the right terms that users are more familiar with, in order for them to find their way through the site. At the same time, using the wrong terms may make it impossible for users to find what they need on the site.

There are generally two classes of online users that should benefit from the sitemap taxonomy: browsers and searchers. Browsers often use the sitemap taxonomy to find their way within a site, while searchers use online search engines to find the information they need. No matter what type of user is involved, the sitemap taxonomy should address the needs of both types of users. enabling either user to find the content they need.

Do-it-yourself sitemap taxonomy

The best candidate for creating the sitemap taxonomy of a site is the company itself or the individual behind the website content. Although hiring a professional to create the sitemap taxonomy of the site is an option, it is best that someone with first-hand knowledge of the website's content do it. There are a number of important aspects to consider before doing the sitemap taxonomy.

Keep in mind that, in general, the sitemap taxonomy should be extensive, not profound. Putting together a profound sitemap taxonomy may only make matters worse, as the user will have a difficult time finding the subject matter they need. It is also best to use basic terms instead of advertising jargon that can be easily understood by all.

When structuring the sitemap taxonomy, it is important to maintain some precision at the highest levels. This helps make it easier for users to navigate the site and find the information they need. It is also a good idea to limit the number of items under each level from two to seven subject matters. If not, then it is best to combine subject matters for a more efficient sitemap taxonomy.

Take into account that sitemap taxonomy is not an exact science. It requires constant fine-tuning in order to produce an effective sitemap taxonomy. However, the entire process will pay off big in the long run as users who are more likely to find what they need are those most likely to spend money.

Sitemap Creator

An important tip to remember every now and then is that people visit the site to check out some information. These surfers can be an unforgiving lot. Once they found things useful for them on a site, they would definitely visit it every now and then.

The reason why site maps are indispensable is due to their helpfulness in letting the surfers understand the site program and plan, and therefore, speed up the way to the onset of what the site will be showcasing. This is a part of the website created where the edifice of a website can be visible to a surfer or visitor. These visitors can choose the link to where they want to surf with just a touch of the mouse or keyboard.

Here are significant key points of a good site map, which helps visitors find information faster on a web site:

The site map should be the simplest page on the website. Keep the name "Site Map" so those visitors won't have a hard time looking for it.
Always avoid "dynamic" site maps. Those in which the visitors have to find their way easily to get hold of information.
If the site map is list of text links, use the TITLE attribute of the anchor tag and include keywords inside it.
Putting a sentence describing the page contents below the link for that page on a site map is always a good idea.
It should not be the primary navigation on the website, it should complement it.
It is very important that there is a link to the site map page, and all pages should carry this link. The site map link can be combined with other links in the main menu on the website or placed in a section on the website from which it is clearly seen.
Other important factors on a web site should complement site maps. For example, the link color for visited links should be different from that of not yet visited links so that visitors have a clear idea of which pages they have already seen, thus saving time.

In addition to the advantages a site map showcases to "living" surfers, it is also significant for robot surfers from search engines . As a web developer, you should be aiming to get all visible pages on the web site found in the search engine database. As expected, a site map, from one page to another, should carry links to all. It is an ideal form to submit to search engines . Submission of the site map to a search engine might help in getting all web pages indexed quickly by the search engine. I may be incorrect since I have no data to support this point, but it just seems logical. However, on a similar note, there is still a limit to all the information that a search engine can provide a visitor. For example, if there’s a page that's not found in the directory program of the website, it will not be detected by other search engines. With this in mind, another benefit of a site map is that it tells the search engine instantly to go to a specific page rather than scouting through the links.

Two important questions

Will the website appear as it was planned, even for robots?
Are the pages exact and effectively designed?

Having a site map assists the creator in planning the site before he can even start creating it. Once the pages have been decided, the whole thing becomes simpler, and the web page designs are easily matched to the creator’s ideas.

There are five important tips for making a good site map:

Must-Have Website 1.
The logo should be linked to the website homepage.

Must-Have Website 2
The site map must be placed either on top or on the upper left, under the header. Unless everything’s in order already and you're sure about the design, never try to alter or make changes for a while.

Must-Have Website 3
There must be a congenial way to go about searching the website. Do not place the site map in a location that is different from one page to another. For example, if it is placed horizontally on one page, it should be placed horizontally on the rest of the other pages. However, the case is different if it is a navigation system for a homepage. This could differ in homepages.

Must-Have Website 4
Additionally, the logo of the homepage should be linked with "HOMEor any equivalent sign for easy work around or navigation. There should also be "contact us" and "about our site" pages to be visited.

Good Site Must-Have 5
The golden rule for a good site map is that the number of a visitor’s clicks should be leading him every step of the way and not jumping to other pages. It is required that the move should be easy, reliable, and, above all, very user-friendly.

Mapping Your Way to a Good HTML Site Map

Ever wondered what site maps are for?

In any internet marketing endeavor, the best thing to do is to maintain good linkage and to always stay indexed. There are many ways available to you online to have your web site indexed and spidered. You can use HTML site maps to ensure that your site is up to date on the internet and search engine databases.

What is a site map?

A site map is basically a page that features or lists the links you have on your web site. This will make it easier for search engines to proceed and spider your web site. It is usually found near the bottom of a web site.

Why are site maps important?

An HTML site map is important. It should contain the top-level pages. On one page, there should be just about the right number of links. The link should not exceed 100 for more favorable views.

There are certain benefits to having a good HTML sitemap. This generally assures any potential customer that they will easily navigate the site and find exactly what they came to look for. The site map page will serve as a tool for your visitors. This way, they will opt to visit your site more often if they can easily browse and find their way around your web site. It can also ensure that your visitors can very well stay on your website.

Good links will also ensure you that spiders will locate your website easily each week. This will make your site indexed by the important search engines online. This will also prevent your site from being dropped.

However, HTML site maps may serve a more important purpose than merely as another link to click on. The specific purpose you should consider for having a site map is to make it easier for search engine robots to "crawl" your web site. Pages are located by search engines through "crawling." It is a process that goes through the index of a page, following the links and adding the pages to the database.

The problem would come when search engines fail to locate the page because links are not that accessible. It is the site map that will address this dilemma. Search engines will be given access to the different links in your web site simply by following the site map on your home page.

Here are some important tips for creating your HTML site map.

Get tutorials on how to make your site map. There are available pages online that can give you a step-by-step guide to coming up with a good website.
You can also ensure that your site map looks good, to make it more pleasing to the eye of your visitors and to make navigation easier. You can get ideas for a properly designed site map online too.
Ensure that your site map includes links to the most important pages on your website.This way, your visitors will not get lost. At the same time, you can ensure that your guests will still be able to get the general idea of your website structure. It is advisable that you make the links as simple as possible.
Make the link to your site map as visible and obvious as possible on your homepage. Visitors should not spend too much time locating it, or else you might end up losing them.
A site map serves more like a table of contents for your website. It should provide all of the different sections of your internet site with all of the information and data that may be found in each section.
Each item in your site map must have a hyperlink to its corresponding URL.
If you will have to give way to numerous links, you can make use of several pages. You could number each site-map page, or you could also make use of the contents in naming each site-map.

Having an HTML site map will further help you in maximizing traffic to your web site. Just make sure that your homepage as well as all the internal pages are properly indexed. Creating a site map will definitely make things more efficient for you. The links to all the pages on your website will be directly connected to your homepage.

Aim high for your internet marketing endeavors. The more links you have to your site, the greater the possibility of getting a good rank among the major search engines, so don’t hesitate to learn the rules of the game and make yourself a sure winner.

Benefits of a generator site map

Generator sitemap programs can be downloaded from various sources on the Internet. Generator sitemap programs have two fundamental purposes. Generator sitemap programs help surfers navigate a site effectively. At the same time, a generator sitemap program encourages search engine spiders. Google offers one of the most popular generator sitemap programs ever to hit the Internet.

The Google sitemap generator makes it possible for a website to get listed and get updated by the Google search engine. Setting up the generator sitemap helps speed up the addition of the web pages of a site to the Google listing. The generator sitemap also makes it easier for a site to get noticed by online surfers. In addition, any changes made to a website that has a generator sitemap are immediately picked up by Google. The generator sitemap also helps keep online information fresh and up-to-date for users.

Visibility is key to generating a sitemap.

Visibility is a major concern when using a generator sitemap. A website that is completely indexed has better chances of getting top search engine placement in page results. Many of the popular browsers used by searchers that support Java recognize generator sitemap programs. These include Firefox and Internet Explorer.

An online consumer that searches for specific content on the web can immediately be directed to any one of the web pages of a particular site. The generator sitemap makes it easier for a search engine to provide accurate results from web pages that it is familiar with.

Who can benefit from a generator sitemap?

A generator sitemap is highly recommended for websites that often do repeated modifications of their web pages. A generator sitemap can be used for websites of any size, regardless of the number of web pages a site may contain.

Although using a generator sitemap is not a guarantee of increased site rankings, it does, however, provide a website a better opportunity of getting listed on a search engine.

Working with a generator sitemap

Most of the available generator sitemap programs available on the web make use of extensible markup language, or XML. XML, like hypertext markup language, or HTML, is widely used on the Internet in blogs and syndicated feeds.Each line of a XML code for a generator sitemap has a specific purpose.

The location, or.loc>, identifies the name of the web page of a website. The line.lastmod > indicates when the web page was last modified. For.lastmod>, the format can be dd.mm.yyyy, dd.mm.yyyy hh: mm, dd/mm/yyyy, or dd/mm/yyyy hh: mm.Shortcuts can also be used to simplify the assignment of dates to the cell.

.changefreq> advises the search engine of a specific time frame when the web page is regularly updated. This can either be done on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. For web pages that are not updated, the value 'never' is used. .priority> specifies the level of importance that a search engine should assign to a specific web page of a website.These levels range from 0.0 for least priority to 1.0 for high priority.

Creating a dynamic generator sitemap

Creating a dynamic generator sitemap is useful for websites containing various web pages. The Google search engine makes it easy for users to adapt their Google Sitemap with the help of a Python script.

The Python script generates a sitemap using the sitemap protocol. This creates a sitemap from either access logs, URL lists, or from web server directories.

Tips for using a generator sitemap from Google

As one of the more popular search engines offering a generator sitemap for websites on the Internet, Google offers a few tips for its loyal users. Using the Google sitemap url encoder and decoder is helpful for submitting sitemaps to Google. For websites that have numerous web pages, creating a sitemap can be a tremendous task. For this situation, it is best to click on the column title in order to make it easier for a URL list to get sorted.

The Google generator sitemap allows users to save their settings after creating a sitemap. Users can use these saved settings as a guideline for succeeding generator sitemap updates. The generator sitemap also recognizes the use of robots.txt files.

Using a generator sitemap is a positive move in getting a top ranking on the Internet's top search engines as well as high visibility among online users.

Tips on Online Marketing

Marketing in a traditional sense has always been done by putting an ad in either the newspaper, the radio or the television.

Being in the digital age, the efforts made by marketing to get the message across are not that different. It has just become a little more high-tech, which continues to help drive sales.

Businesses that want to sell something on the market need 2 things. The first is the product to be sold, which later on will be distributed. The second is marketing, which is the vehicle that is used to carry that message across to the consumer so that people are aware of its existence and then it is purchased.

One of the fastest ways of doing marketing today is building a website. Should one decide to shift and decide to do this, here are some tips one needs to know to get started.

The first thing to do is to determine what the person wants to do. The product has to fill a need that the customers want right now. It should provide a solution of some kind that will improve the quality of life, either at home or at work.
The next step is to do the proper research. If the business is done by a group of people or a single proprietorship, it is best to brainstorm for the best domain name for the business. It should be catchy and be easily remembered by people. Given that there are probably other people who have been in the business longer and that it is possible that the domain name has already been taken, it is best to think of several names in case it can no longer be used. There are sites on the web that have search engines to look for a specific subject, and using popular keywords for one website will easily help people find it. These sites also allow one to make a site map, which can be downloaded in minutes for a small fee. Another good example is the various email sites, and by doing a tie-up with these companies, one can get exposure as well as free service since people who do not have an account can also sign up and be an active member.
A product of good quality should be sold at a decent price. Sometimes, the product one makes is already available on the market. To be competitive, one must figure out a way to convince people as to why this product is better than the other leading brands available. What features does it have that the competitor doesn’t? What makes it unique, which is not only about the product on hand but the service that it can give as well?
Just like having a normal business, one must acquire the right equipment and machines for the job. These could be merchandise that is either physical or electronic and an online ordering system. To be successful, one should be sure that the goods that a customer orders can be delivered on time. If there are any problems, a customer support staff or system should be ready to cater to them.
It takes money to make more money, so one should be careful with what needs to be spent. Putting in tight controls in terms of expenditures and keeping track of the current balance while maintaining the same level of quality saves money, which can be used for other things. To avoid falling into this predicament, the first thing one must do is manage the expenses. It is always good to carry a notebook around to log whatever expenses have been made or have a logbook to keep track of how much balance is left. That way, a person can stay within a budget on a monthly basis.
With everything in place, it is now time to promote the site. One can email friends about the site and what it offers. This too will be forwarded and advertised to others. Another is showcasing one website in e-zines or electronic magazines to get more customer traffic.

Any business, big or small, needs the right resources to get the message out to the public, and creating a website or a site map takes time.One can do it alone if that person knows how to do it. One can get professional help or simply start from the basics and learn it from the ground up.

SEO Sitemaps Give Websites a Boost

A lot of web pages will find an SEO sitemap useful in improving their performance. "SEO" stands for "Search Engine Optimization," the process that aims to create or revise Internet sites so that they can be better found by search engines. The objective of SEO campaigns is to have websites appear in the top listing or first results page of search engines.

Internet search engines, such as Google and A9, maintain a very large database of Web pages and available files. To do this, they devised a program called a web crawler, or spider. This software automatically and continuously surfs and hunts for content on the Web. Pages that the spider finds are retrieved and indexed according to text content, giving more weight to titles and paragraph headers. Spiders never stop navigating the web from page to page, to index the relevant content of the Internet. Besides looking at the text of titles and headers, some programs are able to identify default tags and keep a library of these page keywords or key phrases in the index.

When a user connects to the Internet and types a query, which is automatically interpreted as keywords, the search engine scans the saved index and creates a list of web pages that are most appropriate to what the user is searching for.

SEO will use all the combined techniques of keyword analysis, smart coding, good content literature, link popularity study, and website organization to place the subject web page as high as possible in the list of search results in search engines. Web pages displayed on the top of results pages are assumed to get the most attention and, therefore, the most opportunities for earnings for web businesses and pages with sponsor links.

Search engines usually return a list of results ranked according to the number of Internet sites linked to them. Results can be classified as organic or sponsored links. Sponsored links are shown prominently because their creators or agents paid the search engine. Sponsored links are the main source of income for search engines. "Organic" search results are the lists of actual results from the engines' index and are directly related to the keyword typed in the request.
One of the more effective techniques of SEO is the creation of a well-organized site map for a website. Since the site’s main page and other content are directly linked to a site map, spiders can more easily move through the website, identify the key words in the content, and index these for a search engine. This is where the SEO sitemap helps the website creator or administrator.

Site maps are usually pages filled with links. These are shown as tables or lists, although lists are generally more effective. Writing code for SEO sitemaps is very easy and simple to format and maintain. These are ideally basic HTML pages with default tags, logical titles, and keywords scattered in the Meta description. The introduction areas can contain more of the keywords. The site should have a main heading for every directory.

A simple list layout helps reduce unnecessary tags that might "hide" your keywords. Some spiders prioritize heading text, content within link elements, text near the top of the page, and text written for a link over text in the normal body of the webpage.Therefore, writing the keywords and links in these areas could somehow move the web page’s ranking. This goes for SEO sitemaps as well.

Web sites should be designed consistently, so navigation models should follow the flow of the site map. Therefore, the first section in the site map should be the first link in the navigation bar.

In an SEO sitemap and most pages, the headings contain title attributes where more key phrases in the site map can be added. Keywords are generally well chosen and written in the body of a webpage. However, in an SEO site map with little text, key words should be added as much as possible. As much as possible, web links should follow web page titles and must undergo SEO during coding. Care must be exercised not to cram the page with keywords and links, or the page will be interpreted as blatant spamming and not receive any traffic at all.

There is no way to guarantee that a website will be shown in the topmost ranking of "organic" search results for an extended period of time. However, smart and responsible SEO sitemap techniques can be used to place the website high in the search results. Regular monitoring and adjustment of the SEO Sitemap and search results would ensure that a website is kept near the top of the rankings and receives lots of web user traffic.

How to Create a Sitemap?

Whether you use a generator or create your sitemap by hand, the first step is to examine the layout of your site's pathways. In general, the shallower your site structure, the easier it is to rank your website.

For example, a page that is three times removed from your root page will be much more difficult to rank. That is why most SEO experts advise you to keep your sitemap as simple as possible.

As you can see, the sitemap has only three levels, emphasizing the importance of pages like "committees" and "renew membership" in comparison to the home page.

Manually Create a Sitemap

You could create your sitemap manually if you have some HTML experience. After all, XML is a type of markup language, so you shouldn't have too much trouble.

The method is straightforward: simply create a text file with the.xml extension and fill it with relevant code. Here's an example of how it should appear:

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>

<url>

<loc>http://www.example.com/</loc>

<changefreq>monthly</changefreq>

</url>

</urlset>

When you're finished, use a sitemap validator to validate your XML sitemap. This step is critical because submitting an invalid sitemap can harm your website.

Automatically generate a sitemap

You can always use an online generator if you don't have the experience or time to create a sitemap manually.

All you have to do with a generator is enter the URL and it will generate a sitemap for you. If you want to create a sitemap on WordPress, the Yoast SEO plugin has a function that will do so automatically and even submit it. It does so with each new page you publish, ensuring that website crawlers are always up to date with your website.

Sitemap Submission

When your sitemap is finished, you should submit it to the search engines of your choice. Upload the sitemap to your website first, then obtain the URL for the submission process.

You should use the Google Search Console to submit to Google. After creating your account, go to the Sitemaps menu, then Add New Sitemaps, upload your file, and click Submit.

You can use the Bing Webmaster Tools to submit to Bing. After you've created your account, navigate to My Sites and, on the left-hand menu, select Configure My Site, followed by Sitemaps. Simply enter your URL in the appropriate field, click Submit, and you're done.

You'll be relieved to know that you don't have to submit to DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo searches information from both Bing and Google, so as long as you submit to those two, you'll be fine.

When submitting your sitemaps, remember to avoid including redirected URLs.

Conclusion

Sitemaps are an essential component of your website. Having a well-designed sitemap is essential for good SEO, as is keeping everything organized.

More importantly, unless you've installed a plugin that automatically submits a sitemap to your preferred search engines, you'll need to manually submit it every time you update it.

Mira Sandra I am Mira Sandra. A blogger, YouTuber, trader, Smart cooker, and Likes to review various products written on the blog. Starting to know the online business in 2014 and continue to learn about internet business and review various products until now.

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