XML Sitemap generator for Dreamweaver

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Posted on 15th May 2009 by iansheldon in SEO Tools

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What is an XML Sitemap?

XML Sitemaps are directories of pages within a web site in an XML based data structure. This structure has to follow certain guidelines to enable the search engines to understand it. There are tools and web sites on the market that help you generate these.

Surveyor

Creating an XML sitemap can be quite a time consuming job for any SEO, and there are now a number of tools on the market to help you achieve this.

If you use Dreamweaver there is an excellent peice of software (known as an extension) that allows you to create compliant XML sitemaps within the development UI.    You can easily add or remove pages and automatically create a sitemap from the URL of the site you are working on.  The software is developed by WebAssist and given the amount of time it can save you is extremely good value at $49.99.

Click here to buy this tool now.  We highly recommend it.

Google Webmaster tools gets a makeover.

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Posted on 13th May 2009 by iansheldon in SEO Tools

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Webmaster tools is a pivitol tool in the arsenal of goodies used by SEO’s in any Search Engine Optimisation campaign.  It provides the information that we need to use to understand how the sites we are working with are a) Seen in the eyes of Google, b) Performing in terms of backlinks and c) Performing in terms of impressions and click throughs.

Google have responded to comments and suggestions and Webmaster tools is undergoing a radical makeover.

Highlights include a one stop dashboard (excellent!), up to 100 queries to track for click throughs, multi user site maps, help in 21 languages(!) and improved navigation.

Google have released a short vide on you tube as a brief introduction to the newly designed interface.

We’ve had a quick play around with the new site tonight and we are fairly impressed.  The same data is available as before, but the presentation allows site administrators to find the information they want more quickly. 

We understand that the new and old versions will both be available during a transition period.