There are many ways to help move your web site higher in Google searches. An XML-based Google Sitemap can do many things for you, including increasing your site’s visibility on Google, and finding broken links. In this article, we will show you how to get started with Google Sitemaps and give you a few resources that will drive more traffic to your online store.
The first step you will need to take is to create a Google account if you don’t already have one. A Google account gives you access to all of the services offered by Google, which is beyond the scope of this article. Once your Google account is setup, you can login to Google Webmaster Tools and add your site. Next, you will want to create the XML Sitemap using one of a large variety of tools. Delaware.Net has tools to build the sitemap for you, or you can create your own Google Sitemap using a third-party sitemap generator, some of which can be found on Google Code – Sitemaps Third Party. We are currently developing functionality in your Store-Logic™ administration panel to upload your sitemap file to help automate the process.
An XML Sitemap basically lists URLs for your site and other information such as when it was last updated, how often it usually changes, and how important it is, relative to other URLs in the site. This information helps search engines more intelligently crawl your web site. Having a Google Sitemap does not guarantee that all web pages on your site will be included in the search engine, but it provides hints for the Googlebot, Google’s web crawler, to better crawl your site.
A Google Sitemap can help increase your Store-Logic™ Ecommerce store’s organic (or natural) listing position. Coming up higher in search results means more traffic to your web site, which should increase revenue for your store. This sitemap, along with many other SEO customizations to your site is will help you to run a successful Ecommerce store.
