I asked the question earlier are HTML sitemaps now outdated? The poll results so far suggest that they are still needed.
6 Comments
6 Comments
Sorry this site requires JavaScript to be enabled in your browser. See the following guide on How to enable JavaScript in Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox and Safari. Alternatively you may be blocking JavaScript with an advert-related or developer plugin. Please check your browser plugins.
Upcoming Conferences
Search Engine Land produces SMX, the Search Marketing Expo conference series. SMX events deliver the most comprehensive educational and networking experiences - whether you're just starting in search marketing or you're a seasoned expert.
Join us at an upcoming SMX event:
- SMX Advanced Seattle - June 5-6, 2012
- SMX Paris - June 7-8 2012
- SMX Melbourne - Sept. 5-6, 2012
- SMX East - Oct. 2-4, 2012
- SMX Stockholm - Oct. 15-16, 2012
- SMX Social Media Marketing - Dec. 5-6, 2012
- SMX Munich - Apr. 9-10, 2013
- SMX West - March 2013
- SMX Toronto - April 2013
- SMX Sydney - May 2013
Latest News From Marketing Land
Upcoming Webcasts
Learn more about search marketing with our free online webcasts and webinars from our sister site, Search Marketing Now. Upcoming online events include:
- Search, Social and Mobile: What Travel Marketers Must Know - June 26, 2012
Latest News From Search Engine Land
- What Trademark Search Data Can Reveal About User Behavior
- iAcquire Banned From Google After Link Buying Allegations
- SearchCap: The Day In Search, May 24, 2012
- Google Asked To Take Down Over 1.2 Million URLs Last Month From Search Results
- Why Google’s Venice Update Fundamentally Changes Global SEO
- - See more news at Search Engine Land -
Comments
As a user, I don’t always want to navigate through to the page I’m after. I often go straight for the HTML sitemap so I can click directly on the page I’m looking for. And the benefits of SEO are negated if the site provides a poor user experience, so I’m going with yes on the HTML sitemaps.
I just think of it as another option to offer to users. There are bound to be some who prefer it under certain circumstances (say their first attempt to use your navigation took them someplace unexpected), and some who prefer it all the time. It’s like looking at the giant map with the "you are here" arrow in a shopping mall instead of just asking someone how to get to a store that stocks blue aglets.
Essential navigation element with nice SEO side effects.
Of course it is.
Absolutely. It’s best not to get so wound up in optimizing sites that you forget usability.
Pretty much to echo what others have said. Helps with usability, spidering and other miscellaneous optimisation elements. Win win situation. Additionally, with smaller sites, a sitemap is extremely simple to put together.