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Site
Maps: A Force to be Reckoned With
By
Kristy Meghreblian
Another important component of search engine optimization is the
use of site maps. If you want visitors -- and search engine spiders
-- to find every page on your Web site, a site map can be your biggest
ally especially if you have a lot of content on your site (and if
you’ve been reading all the advice on our site, you should
know by now that the more content you have the better your chances
are for top ranking).
So, what is a site map? Basically, it is a navigation tool. It
lets visitors know what information you have, how it is organized,
where it is located with respect to other information, and how to
get to that information with the least amount of clicks possible.
A good site map is more than a hyperlinked index, which only provides
the user with a list of alphabetically arranged terms.
Site maps also provide lots of nutritious spider food for search
engine robots that crawl your site and eventually index it. Once
the robot gets to the site map, it can visit every page on your
entire site because all the information is clearly indicated on
that one page. However, in order for your site map to work most
effectively, you must include a link to your site map in the navigation
on every page of your site.
To make your site map most appealing to both the search engine
robots and human visitors, be sure to include descriptive text along
with the page URLs and links. Be sure to use your targeted keywords
in that text. Remember not to be too repetitive with your keyword
phrases, though, or you may be penalized.
When you make it easy for people to navigate your site, they will
find what they are looking for and will most likely be a repeat
visitor. Likewise, when your site is easily navigable by search
engine spiders, you increase your chances of being favorably listed
in their search results.
So, if creating a site map isn’t part of your current search
engine optimization strategy, maybe it’s time you thought about
adding this beneficial -- and fairly simple -- tool to your repertoire.
For an example of Submit Today’s site map, go to: http://www.submittoday.com/site_map.htm.
About the Author
As Submit Today’s copywriter and editor, Kristy Meghreblian
has written online content for many successful companies, including
Monster.com. She has successfully combined her excellence in journalism
with the delicate art of keyword density as it relates to search
engine optimization. As a result, she has helped many Submit Today
clients achieve top ranking. Submit Today (http://www.SubmitToday.com)
is a leading search engine optimization, submission and ranking
company located in Naples, Florida. kristy@submittoday.com
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