<b>Why the Google XML Sitemaps Plugin is Vital to WordPress Success</b>

XML sitemaps are nothing new. All the major search engines have used sitemaps to help index pages and posts for years. There are many benefits to having a sitemap and for those using WordPress, creating one is as easy as installing the Google XML Sitemaps plugin.

Some of the benefits of creating a sitemap and submitting it to Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask and other search engines include:
<ul>
	<li>Faster indexing within the search results</li>
	<li>Easier for search engines to identify new content on your site</li>
	<li>Allows search engines to identify the real content you want indexed</li>
</ul>
A sitemap provides many benefits and most SEO experts recommend every website uses one. Since search engines are designed to index content from websites, it's much easier for their robots to find the new content with a sitemap.

<b>What is an XML Sitemap?</b>

Basically, a sitemap is a list of pages and posts on your website. These must be accessible to all users or they won't show up on your XML sitemap. It also provides a way for website owners to tell search engines about the pages they have on their site.

An XML sitemap also tells search engines how often you update the content on your website. It shows major search engines which content is most important and allows for better and more accurate rankings in the search results.

<b>Using Google XML Sitemaps to Create Your Sitemap</b>

You may need to use the Google XML Sitemaps plugin to create a sitemap for your WordPress website. However, other plugins do this for you, as well, such as WordPress SEO by Yoast. Make sure you only use this plugin if you're not using another plugin to create your sitemap.

Installing Google XML Sitemaps is very easy. Just go to the plugins section in your WordPress Dashboard, click on "add new" and type "Google XML Sitemaps" in to the search box. Make sure you install the right plugin as there are many choices for sitemap creation out there.

Once you find the right plugin (it should be the first or one of the first on the list) click "install now" and you're all set. Now, just activate the plugin and go into you settings area to build your sitemap for the first time.

<b>Will Google XML Sitemaps Automatically Update the Search Engines?</b>

Whenever you create new content or make changes to your website, this powerful WordPress plugin will update all the major search engines about your new content. This makes it very useful because you don't have to do it yourself.

Anytime it's possible to make a necessary task automatic, it saves you time. The Google XML Sitemaps plugin makes sharing your new content with the search engines automatic, which is very important to your overall success.

<b>A Few Common Questions About the Google XML Sitemaps Plugin for WordPress</b>

Many questions may come up as you use this plugin for your WordPress website. Here are a couple of the most common, along with the answers.

<i>Do you need to click the "rebuild sitemap" button whenever you change or add content?</i>

Answer: No, whenever you make changes to your WordPress site, the sitemap will be automatically regenerated.

<i>Do you need to change any of the configurations options?</i>

Answer: Changing the configurations isn't necessary, but you can change them if you want. The default choices work just fine for most websites and blogs.

<i>What version of WordPress do I need to use this plugin?</i>

Answer: Google XMP Sitemaps works with any version of WordPress. However, the most recent version of the plugin requires WordPress 2.1 or better. Older versions can be used with older versions of WordPress.

If you're not using the most recent version of WordPress, it's recommended that you upgrade as soon as possible. The most up-to-date version of WordPress gives you the best security and the best features.

Anybody running a WordPress website or blog can benefit greatly from the top WordPress plugins. The Google XML Sitemaps plugin is one of the top choices. If you're not already using a plugin to create a sitemap and automatically update it whenever you make changes, adding this plugin to your WordPress site will take care of your XML sitemap needs.