How useful HTML sitemap is to your blog/website SEO

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

How useful HTML sitemap is to your blog/website SEO

Like as you know,an XML sitemap helps the crawlers of the search engines to identify each and every post of your blog/website and index it.Simply put,an XML sitemap is like single URL containing all the URLs of your website/blog.Whereas HTML sitemap is meant for the users,I mean humans not for robots.It's a place where all your webpages or blog posts were listed in a structured manner.

Usually we consider HTML sitemap as a directory,just like web directory where posts and pages were categorized under separate headings or drop down menus.Let assume that your website/blog is large has got more than 1000 posts,then it will be difficult for the users to search for a specific topic and find it.Even putting pages tab is not so much helpful in this case.So,putting your posts in a structured way in some locations of your blog/website will help the users browse the category and find the required posts quickly.

Our blog/website should be designed as "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 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 users is looking for a topic in your blog,then most likely he will notice similar pages and may go through them.

Interestingly; they may browse for some fresh and non-related topics also.It is like a menu card in the restaurant ; if say there is no menu card and you go there to eat a sandwich,you will mostly order a sandwich.But say if you are given a menu card,then there is a possibility that you will order some other additional dishes that waters your mouth.Interestingly right, but it's fact.So,do make a sitemap for your blog/website 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 bars and archive gadgets are there.