Google, Yahoo, Microsoft agree sitemaps standard

During November, the ‘big 3’ search engines ‘ Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft ‘ have got together to agree a standardised system to allow website owners to submit their site details to the search indexes by using a unified format site map file. This is a positive move for all parties and may lead to further cooperation between the search engines in the future.

As we reported in our May 2006 newsletter, the Site Maps system was originally pioneered by Google to enable site owners to prepare and submit documents in a variety of formats that would indicate to Google which pages should be indexed. The main XML file format also allowed additional information to be provided as well, such as how often the page changed. The process was designed to increase the indexing capabilities of search engines ‘ particularly of large, complex websites ‘ and also make it easier for site owners to submit their sites to these tools.

This system was also introduced by Yahoo! and MSN, but this new agreement means that submitting a site map will now be a streamlined process that these main sites will all recognise. A new website sitemaps.org has been created to provide details of the document protocol that’s being followed, so site owners or web designers can use this to develop site map documents for the search engines.

Other search engines have been invited to share this common system as well and although not doing so at the moment, it would be good for Ask to introduce this to its own index, which still remains painfully slow to update information on new or revised websites. However, the cooperation between the 3 main search engines is a positive move and we may see more announcements of standardised procedures from them in the future.

If you’d like to know more about Site Maps and how these could benefit your website, or if you’d like us to review or create a Site Map file for your website, please contact us.

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