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Google Sitemaps

Google Sitemap Statistics

Posted by Adam Hayes

Google Sitemaps are getting better at showing you a compiled snapshot of how Google views your web pages.

Ever really wondered how Google views your pages? Well if you haven't used Google Sitemaps yet, you might just consider it. You don't even have to create a sitemap for your site to benefit from Google Sitemaps.

I just noticed that Google Sitemaps has increased the number of statistics that it presents for your information. Here are just a few of the things that Google Sitemaps report:

• Top Searches
• Top Search Query Clicks
• Page with highest PageRank
• PageRank Distribution
• Common Words in Your Site's Content
• Common Words in External Anchors Pointing at Your Site
• HTTP Errors
• Unreachable URLs
• and much more...

While I did have a number of problems with Google Sitemaps before (It wouldn't let me verify my site for approx. 2 months), it seems to be doing much better lately.

Adding your site to your Google Sitemap is a simple process:

1. Get a Google Account (if you don't already have one)
2. Log in
3. Click add
4. Type in your homepage URL
5. Create an empty text file and rename it to the simple html name that Google gives you
6. Click Verify

Simple. You might have to wait a month or so before any real juicy stuff starts popping up, but as Google hits your site more, it will compile information for you in the Google Sitemaps. I don't mind having a one-stop quick view of my website through Google eyes.