Google and Yahoo Site Map Generator

We've been testing a number of automated, free site map building tools and found that this one from AuditMyPC.com to be one of the best and simplest to use.

To get started just click on the graphic to go to the generator launch page at AuditMyPC

Useful reading and information on Google's system can be found at: http://www.google.com/webmasters/ - there are also links to some handy tools available.

Set up your Google Webmaster account to submit the 'feed' of your xml sitemap and to log in to the system- visit the Webmasters Tools page. Remember to save the sitemap with the filename "sitemap.xml" and upload it to the same folder as your homepage along with the Google Verification html file.

To set up a similar account for Yahoo go to http://search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html. You will need to register with Yahoo to be able to add your urllist.txt sitemap feed. Remember to save the sitemap with the filename "urllist.txt" and upload it to the same folder as your homepage along with the Yahoo Aunthentication html file.

For your information here is more about the use of the AuditMyPC.com sitemap generator, reprinted from their site.

Here to generate a sitemap or find errors in your website? There are two types of sitemaps you can create:

1) Create a Standard Sitemap - This sitemap builder creates Site Maps that work with ANY search engine!.
2) Generate a Google Sitemap - An additional way for website operators to inform Google of pages within their site (only works with Google).

* Before you jump into this, you should read everything in this box. Please take note of our very important reminder at the bottom of this box.

Creative website owners have been using sitemaps to get their content recognized by search engines for years. Sitemaps generated by our Site Maps program are recognized by all search engines, including Google.

The nice thing about this type of sitemap is that it can be read by humans AND search engines. Website owners simply use our program to generate an HTML sitemap, upload that file to their server's root directory (same location as the website's main page) and place a link to the file in their footer (bottom of the website's main page)

The other, newer type of sitemap is the Google Sitemap. You use our Google Sitemap Generator (located at the bottom of this box) to create a file which you then upload to your web server. This is NOT for humans to read and you don't link to it from any of your web pages. Instead, you log into Google Sitemaps and tell them were your file is located.

Keep in mind that the Google sitemap is only for Google and other search engines will NOT understand it. Google is by far the most popular search engine around, but it is not alone - Don't forget about the other players such as MSN, AOL and Yahoo!

It's entirely up to you which one you use (or both). If you had only one choice, I would use the HTML sitemap simply because all search engines including Google will understand it.

The main benefit of the Google Sitemap is that you are suggesting information to Google about your website, such as which pages are most important and which ones have been updated. Do it right, and Google will likely follow your suggestions. Do it wrong and you could really mess things up!

To sum it up - Add the Google sitemap (click on the graphic below this box) if you can, but always have an html sitemap on your website if you want to be known by all search engines!

* * Reminder * *
Both the Sitemap Generator (Google) and Site Mapping tool (Yahoo Generator) depend upon your browser staying open; if you close it, the sitemap program will stop and you'll have to start over.

Reprinted from AuditMyPC.com