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Do you suggest I use the Yoast or the Google XML sitemap for my blog?
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I just shut off the All-In-One seo pack plugin for wordpress, and turned on the Yoast plugin. It's great! So much helpful, seo boosting info!
So, in watching a video on how to configure the plugin, it mentions that I should update the sitemap, using the Yoast sitemap
I'm afraid to do this, because I'm pretty technologically behind... I see I have a Google XML Sitemaps (by Arne Brachhold) plugin turned on (and have had it for many years).
Should I leave this one on?
Or would you recommend going through the steps to use the Yoast plugin sitemap? If so, what are the benefits of the Yoast plugin, over the Google XML?
Thanks!
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Yes, but don't link to it from your home page. It's for search engines not visitors.
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please do create a HTML sitemap in order to facilitate google crawling all of your pages and helping your visitors finding specific pages.
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Thanks!
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Wouldn't do it, it's an XML file.
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Do you think having a link to your sitemap from your homepage is any use for SEO? I am getting mixed messages.
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Hi David,
It doesn't matter that much, but mostly from an efficiency perspective I would go for 1 plugin who handles all of it and probably even beter then having 2 plugins. There is no harm in removing the plugin you're currently using for generating sitemaps and switching over to Yoast.
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