Like I said in my previous post, an XML sitemap helps the crawlers of the search engines identify each and every post of your website/blog and index it. Simply put, an XML Sitemap is like say a single URL containing all the URL's of your website/blog. Whereas HTML sitemap is meant for the users, I mean humans and not for robots. It's a place where all your web pages or blog posts were listed in a structured manner.
Usually; we can consider HTML sitemap as a directory, just like web directory (learn about submitting site to web directories) where posts/ pages were categorized under separate headings or dropdown menus. Lets assume your website/blog is large; has got more than 1000 posts, then it will be quite difficult for the user to search for a specific topic and find it. Even putting page tabs is not much helpful in this case. So, putting your posts in a structured way in some location of your blog/website will help the users browse the category and find the required posts quickly.
Our website or blog should be designed as a 'user-friendly' and not as a 'robot-friendly' (comparatively). Search engines happily welcome including user sitemap and therefore helps us in getting our webpage/blog better indexed. I mentioned above that HTML sitemaps are for users/humans; but to be precise, they are also for the crawlers of the search engines - to recognize as well as identify each posts. So, including user-friendly sitemap is an added advantage and is likely considered as an important 'Search Engine Optimization' tool. Say your site has got sitemap and If a user is looking for a topic in your blog, then most likely he will notice other similar pages and may go through it.
Interestingly; they may browse for some fresh and non-related topics also. It's like a menu card in a restaurant, if say there is no menu card and you go there to eat a sandwich, you would mostly order a sandwich. But say you are given a menu card, then there is a possibility that you will order some other additional dish that waters your mouth. Interesting right, but it's fact. So, do make a sitemap for your website or blog today.
Many great websites like Mashable, CNET etc updates many posts each day and usually it's difficult to track a particular post among million posts ! of course search bar and archive gadgets are there.
Advantages of including Sitemap
- Reader friendly design
- Improved Traffic
- Greater possibility of blog/website getting bookmarked by users
- Greater exposure about your site content
- Useful both for users as well as crawlers !
- Sitemap category appears in search engine search results, so greater chances of clicks
- Fast and better indexed by crawlers
I will tell you how I maintained a sitemap. I used to keep all my blog posts in my blog home page (custom homepage and not default homepage - Learn how to hide default homepage here) under different categories, that helped my blog users browse for a topic as well as find other interesting topics. I came to know about that by interacting with my users.
View this beautiful explanation about user sitemap by Matt Cutt posted by itop seo
Examples
For your reference and ideas, Here I have shown some websites maintaining a structured sitemap. Check how easy it's to find a topic.
What do you feel about this post, is this useful to you ? Do you feel like something more to be included in this post ? feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions by leaving a comment below.
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