Re: Are Site Maps still a "best practice"?

I just checked our usage reports and it looks like a mere 0.05% of the
page requests by non-bots are for the site map.  Probably far fewer than
7% of our visitors, then.

However, I will keep the site map for two reasons:  One, the 0.05% of
users, and Two, the bots.  There are numerous pages on our other public
site that Googlebot et al. wouldn't be able to find and index, were it not
for the site map.  The site map provides the only path in via links.  (The
other site's content isn't available to human users without entering a
search term -- which I think is a huge usability failure, but then Google
itself has the same issue.)

Genny Engel


>
> I believe site maps should still be used. They should definitely not be
> the
> only way people navigate your site, but there is still a small percentage
> of
> people who may go to this when for one reason or another, they cant find
> what they are looking for on your site. To me, its like adding a "last
> resort" for customers to stop them from abandoning your site from a
> frustration that no one anticipated.
>
> Thanks,
> Carrie
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 9:35 AM, Zoey Kroll <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I'm wondering if I should start including site maps in my navigation
>> recommendations, as a best practice. I had been under the impression
>> that a well-designed site shouldn't need a site map. A client is now
>> asking whether to include it or not. From a quick search, I couldn't
>> find any usability studies from 2009 or 2010 on the subject. Most
>> sites recommended site maps along the 'can't hurt' motto -- though
>> these do add one more item on the 'to create and maintain' list.
>>
>> Nielson's '08 study indicates that 7% of people use it, and that it's
>> still a useful feature that should be included. http://www.useit.com/
>> alertbox/sitemaps.html
>> Jared Spool believes it is often a "design cop-out" that addresses
>> symptoms, but not the root of the issue. Does anyone have more
>> current research, or thoughts on this?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Zoey
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