Verifying your vBSEO Google/Yahoo Sitemap Generator is Installed Correctly

Originally Posted by Shadab

Hi Leandro,

You should use this URL for submitting to Google :
mysite.com/forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz

Hi Shadab,

Reading all installation guide I concluded eaxactly the same you told me but it doesn't make sense to me because as my sitemap_index.xml.gz is in 'data' folder and if I use the url mysite.com/forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz on my brouser it'll end up with 404 error, I think google bot it won't be able to read my sitemap_index.xml.gz file as same as me, right ?

The .htaccess rule supplied with the sitemap generator takes care of it. When you access /forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz, it will actually fetch the sitemap from the /vbseo_sitemap/data/ directory, behind the scene. So, it won't result in a 404.

Originally Posted by Shadab

The .htaccess rule supplied with the sitemap generator takes care of it. When you access /forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz, it will actually fetch the sitemap from the /vbseo_sitemap/data/ directory, behind the scene. So, it won't result in a 404.

Almost there...

I submited at Google just like this http://www.mysite.com/forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz

So far so good, when google check the sitemap it does fetch to /vbseo_sitemap/data/ directory, on results it says the sitemap status is OK but on number of URL indexed gave me 'zero' and there is 403 (forbiden) error on it. But the .htaccess file is correct because it shows me correct fetching to /vbseo_sitemap/data/ directory

Everything is OK about Yahoo.

What could it be ?

Edit: As a matter of fact the 403 error occurs only to vbseo_sitemap/data/sitemap_1.xml.gz at the next step when Google already checked sitemap_index.xml.gzin the first step

Strange, why the .htaccess is faling in fetching sitemap_1 and not sitemap_index ? They both are at same 'data' folder though

Make sure that you have empty setting for "Sitemap Files URL" in vBSEO Sitemap Generator options and regenerate sitemap.

Originally Posted by Oleg Ignatiuk

Make sure that you have empty setting for "Sitemap Files URL" in vBSEO Sitemap Generator options and regenerate sitemap.

You got it !! As I was confusing about this point the field "Sitemap Files URL" wasn't clear at first and even when I clear it I didn't run sitemap again. After this 'bingo' it worked great.

Thank you Oleg and Shadab

Done !

thank you

Hello all! I just want to make sure I've done this correctly.

I generated the Sitemap via the plugin and it says there are around 2000 links.

When I access the /forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz file it doesn't list my URLs. It references something called /sitemap_1.xml.gz.

If I change my URL to that then I can see the URLs (well, those in the /forum directory).

Do I still submit the /forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz URL to Google? Even with no URLs listed on that page?

And finally, my forum is only one small part of my site overall. Is it possible to get the files in my root directory on the site map? Or do I need another one? And if I use two or more sitemaps, is that construed as spamming?

Thank you for any guidance!

Greg

Do I still submit the /forums/sitemap_index.xml.gz URL to Google? Even with no URLs listed on that page?

That's correct - Google will find sitemap_1 from the index file.

And finally, my forum is only one small part of my site overall. Is it possible to get the files in my root directory on the site map? Or do I need another one? And if I use two or more sitemaps, is that construed as spamming?

vBSEO Sitemap Generator doesn't include non-forum URLs in sitemap, you should create another sitemap for your site and submit it separately.

Thank you very much for the reply. All set now.

Code:

You will also need to Verify that you are the owner of the site. This is done by either uploading an html file to your site, or entering a meta tag into a template on your default (Guests) style. It is up to you which you use.

how do i do that? i mean can u guide me to do it cause i have no clue how to do it?

Originally Posted by Ace Shattock

When you submit the sitemap to Google/Yahoo, the path you use is http://www.<domain>.com/sitemap_title.xml.gz (if you have pages in the root, or other directories than /forum/, or if your forum is in the root), or http://www.<domain>.com/forum/sitemap_title.xml.gz (if you only want to index pages from /forums/).

my website is www.familybunker.com/forums/
so is this how i should add it?

Originally Posted by Ace Shattock

Next, click the Sitemaps link in the left navigation column, then 'Add a Sitemap'. Choose 'Add General Web Sitemap', then enter either sitemap_index.xml.gz or /forumroot/sitemap_index.xml.gz in the box provided. Repeat for each additional sitemap that you have generated.

I am not seeing any left navigation column. it is horizontal where it is says sitemaps and it has add written below. There is no option for me to choose "Add General Web Sitemap". Can you please help?

Originally Posted by Ace Shattock

You will also need to Verify that you are the owner of the site. This is done by either uploading an html file to your site, or entering a meta tag into a template on your default (Guests) style. It is up to you which you use.

How do i accomplish this? i mean what should i write in the html file that i would upload and where should i upload it? in the forums directory or the main directory?

Originally Posted by Ace Shattock

Is My Sitemap Working, and is it Where I Told Google?
To determine whether the Sitemap has been generated, and whether the .htaccess is working, simply call the Sitemap's URL in your browser, eg: http://www.<domain>.com/sitemap_index.xml.gz. If it downloads, it's working.

the only thing that comes up are xhtml codes. is this what you meant?

I will think my sitemap is working but I can not access it from the web browser here -
Your Google Sitemap Index URL: http://www.alpharadiotv.com/forum/sitemap_index.xml.gz


Any idea of how I can exclude some part of my forum from the sitemap generator. I know I have seen a sample list perhaps somewhere on this site before but cannot remember again. Any help/pointer will be appreciated

Thanks.

How do i accomplish this? i mean what should i write in the html file that i would upload and where should i upload it? in the forums directory or the main directory?

The HTML file would be empty; and uploaded on the domain root. (domain.com/filename.html)
You'll be told the filename on the domain verification page in the Google webmaster tools.

I know I have seen a sample list perhaps somewhere on this site before but cannot remember again.

The optimum sitemap settings are posted as an image in this thread :
Briansol's Ultimate Guide to vBSEO

Hello,

I will think my sitemap is working but I can not access it from the web browser here -

please try this: Sitmap not found 404

Any idea of how I can exclude some part of my forum from the sitemap generator. I know I have seen a sample list perhaps somewhere on this site before but cannot remember again. Any help/pointer will be appreciated

You can specify the list of forums IDs in "Exclude Forums List" option.

Originally Posted by Oleg Ignatiuk

Hello,

please try this: Sitmap not found 404

You can specify the list of forums IDs in "Exclude Forums List" option.

I have looked at the reference above but it does not appear to work for me. My .htaccess looks like this:
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} .*alpharadiotv.com RewriteRule ^((urllist|sitemap_).*\.(xml|txt)(\.gz)?)$ vbseo_sitemap/vbseo_getsitemap.php?sitemap=$1 [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(admincp/|modcp/|cron) RewriteRule ^((archive/)?(.*\.php(/.*)?)?)$ vbseo.php [L,QSA]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !^(admincp|modcper|clientscript|cpstyles|images)/
RewriteRule ^(.+)$ vbseo.php [L,QSA]


I have disabled archive following some recommendation I read on this site. In addition there is another .htaccess file the "data" folder at forum/vbseo_sitemap/data. Not sure what this is doing as is contains "
deny from all
" as its contents

Thanks.