Theme and Sitemap Relation

How Does a Sitemap fit into the Pyramid of a Themed Site layout

[chiefmonkey]

I've been reading different Theme threads for over an hour and haven't found this discussed.

You have a Theme (index page), you split it into Sub Categories (hallway pages), you split these further into Keyword Specific Pages (Doorway Pages), and then Link the whole lot VERTICALLY NOT HORIZONTALLY.

fantastic i'm with it, but!

I've read that Sitemaps are really Good. In fact I had one in a number 1 position in Google for well over a year. But a SiteMap is basically a page that lists all links to every page in your site i.e. table of contents and as such links both vertically and horizontally.

This comlpletely goeas against the "link vertically rule" of a themed site.

Can anyone tell me how a sitemap fits in with a Themed site

cheers

[agerhart]

A sitemap still works with a theme structure. When linking in a theme structure, you don't link horizontally, only vertically, between pages. With a sitemap you aren't linking horizontally between every page, you are only linking to these pages from one page, that is within the root. This will give the spiders what they want, a nice easy way to find each page, and will not disturb your theme structure.

[chiefmonkey]

thanks for the ecellent response agerhart

i thought you'd completely answered my question until you mentioned the word "root"

should each level of the theme pyramid be within a sub folder, and then further sub folders, or all on the same level?

[agerhart]

You should definitely have sub-directories (sub-folders), this helps to define the theme structure, divides the content, and also helps to target keywords.

[chiefmonkey]

ooops one last question, pleease

is there a limit to how deep subdirectories go?

[agerhart]

Good question, and there is absolutely is a limit. Some say that you shouldn't go deeper than 4 levels, but I always use 3 levels as my limit.

[chiefmonkey]

Thankyou very much Andrew, you've been really helpfull

I guess its always best to stay under/within the limits others "say" is OK

I just checked out your website and have found another few hours worth of studying - cheers mate... will i never leave this machine

I also saw a picture of you... aaarghhhh!

I hope that was taken years ago... I'm only 28 but you make me feel like old Jesse from the Dukes of Hazard - :0)

thanks for your help

Duncan
p.s.
check your sticky mail