Handling XML Sitemaps for Ad Classified Sites

[JoaoCJ]

Let's put on a scenario for a Job Classified site,

So far the way we are handling xml sitemaps is in a consecutive number containing only ads historically:

http://site.com/sitemap_ads_1.xml

http://site.com/sitemap_ads_2.xml

http://site.com/sitemap_ads_99.xml

Those sitemaps are constantly updating as each ad is published, keeping expired ads but I'm sure there is a better way to handle them.

For instance we have other source of content besides ads pages, like those related to search results (Careers, Location, Salary, level, type of contract, etc) and blog content, but we are not adding them yet

So what I'm suggesting is to reduce the amount of xml sitemaps ads to just one, including just the ones that are active (not expired), add another xml sitemap based on search results, another one on blog content, another one on images and finally one for static content such as home, faq, contact, etc.

Do you guys think this is the right way to go?

[MoosaHemani]

I will agree with Eric on the maximum number of URLs you can add in one sitemap. Than you can add another sitemap and connect together. My idea is to create separate sitemap for blog, static content, main pages and ads.

In my opinion, its ok to keep the URL in the xml site maps as far as the expired ad’s URL.

Just a thought!

[JoaoCJ]

Hi Eric,

So it is OK to just keep the ads that are active?, and constantly remove the expired ads from the xml sitemap, or doing such a fuzz ain't worth while.

Thanks in advance.

[GlobeRunner]

The way you're going about it sounds just fine--as long as it makes sense to you and is logical. I recommend you use a keyword classifier (such as ads, careers, location, etc.) in the URL so you know which ones are which ones.

We typically have had up to 50,000 URLs in one sitemap.xml file and then it's split up. Some of the files may contain less, but typically that's the maximum.