Google Webmaster Tools and use of sitemaps

Good or bad for a new website?

[OutdoorMan]

Hi.

In the beginning of august, I've launched my very new website and at about the same time, I began using GWT (Google Webmaster Tools) and also added a XML-Sitemap.

Since then, I have - in different forums on the net - read that adding a sitemap to GWT can hurd newer websites badly, and can also prevent the website from beeing indexed in Google.

In just about two months, only my index-page (www.mydomain.tld) is showing up in Google's index :-(

Therefore I'm beginning to have second thoughts about the use of a GWT XML-sitemap according to what I've read on the net.

But... Can anyone tell me if this is caused by having a sitemap added in GWT and should I remove it ASAP - or shouldn't I worry at all?

[tedster]

In just about two months, only my index-page...

You're describing one of the classic Google Sandbox effects -- and it happens with or without a GWT account. It takes a while for a new domain to show enough signals of trust that Google will remove their "not-enough-trust" filters and let it rank naturally.

I see no reason to drop the account. The feedback you can get and the fact that you authenticate yourself as responsible for the domain are good reasons to keep the DWT account, even if you decide not to maintain the XML Sitemap for some reason.

Lots of people make incorrect leaps in "logic", seeing supposed cause and effect connections between two things that are just related in time, not by causation. It's the ancient "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy (after this, therefore because of this.)

[OutdoorMan]

It takes a while for a new domain to show enough signals of trust that Google will remove their "not-enough-trust" filters and let it rank naturally.

Well, the domain have been in Google's index for about a year now - but only as a 'sleeping' page while I've worked on my website. Two months ago, I changed the 'sleeping page' to an active front page, and added several pages to the website. Does that make any difference?

I see no reason to drop the account.

I'm not thinking of droping the GWT account, just the XML-sitemap.

So you haven't heard of GWT sitemaps hurding new websites?

[tedster]

Not that I could verify. If you read enough forum posts, pretty soon you will have heard almost anything -- but that doesn't mean it's true.

[OutdoorMan]

Not that I could verify. If you read enough forum posts, pretty soon you will have heard almost anything -- but that doesn't mean it's true.

That's for sure.

Thanks for your comments.

[OutdoorMan]

You're describing one of the classic Google Sandbox effects -- and it happens with or without a GWT account. It takes a while for a new domain to show enough signals of trust that Google will remove their "not-enough-trust" filters and let it rank naturally.

BTW: regarding the Sandbox Effects, How much time du you believe I'll have to wait before my pages shows up in the results?

[tedster]

It depends how fast you build trust with Google. For example, if inbound links pointing to you from sites that they already trust grow at a decent pace, then your release from those filters can be quick. If you throw in some questionable actions, build a few doorway pages, add in some quick change meta refreshes, link out to weird unrelated sites, and so on, then it can take a lot longer or even be indefinite. But it can be nearly immediate, to 3 months, to 9 months or more. My crystal ball picks up a lot of static this time of day ;)

[OutdoorMan]

I allready have a pair of inbound links from sites wich are listed in the ODP/DMOZ (I guess those sites can be labeled as trusted sites?). I believe that I can get more of that type of links later on.

And I have no interest in using questionably methods to gain my way into the index. My website is a non-profit website and the only fuel that keeps it alive is my interest and dedication. But still. It would be nice to see the pages shown in the index :-)

BTW: A couple of days ago I've changed my page titles. Before that they had my site name in front: mydomain.tld ¦ [description]

Now my sitename only apears in the titles if relevant for the description of the pages.

Could this, having the site name first in the titles have anything to do with my pages not showing in the Google index?

I know it's important to have desciptive titles but I don't know how important?

[smells so good]

..the site name first in the titles have anything to do with my pages not showing in the Google index?

Probably not. Re-read the second message in this thread. That provides the most likely reason that your pages are not appearing. There could be other reasons, but having titles as you describe them has not hurt my sites.

I know it's important to have desciptive titles but I don't know how important?

The page title should clearly explain what the page is about, or at least attract the attention of someone doing a search. It works just like the title of a book. A more comprehensive description can be placed in the meta tags.

<meta name="description" content="Your page description can be more informative and may even end up as a search snippet.">

[experienced]

You should not drop your GWT a/c or sitemap but you should go for the deep linking of your website pages or probably for your section pages with frequently crawled pages.

It will help for sure. If it is more than a yrs, site is not showing with any keywords, might be your site is under not enought trust for google. revise your website structure, promotion strategy with all new n copyright content.

HTH

thanks

[OutdoorMan]

Thanks for your comments.

Deep links. Sure, I really would like that. But if no one finds my website (i.e. in the Google index), then there's no one to make that sort of links to my site... Yet ;)

An example of my current website structure:

www.domain.tld/sectionfolder/subfolder/

All my links and my whole website structure are build like this. I believe this type of site structure should do allright?