Website Design, Marketing and Inspiration Blog

Google SEO (Search Engine Optimization) vs Submitting a Google Sitemap - What's the Difference?

November 27, 2023

Providing Google a Sitemap File:

Imagine you're inviting a friend over to your house for the first time. Your house is like your website, and your friend is like Google. Now, a sitemap is like a map of your house you give to your friend. It shows all the rooms (web pages) you have, and how they're connected.

Just like the map helps your friend navigate your house more easily, a sitemap helps Google understand the layout of your website. It tells Google about all the pages you have and how they're linked. This makes it easier for Google to find all your pages and understand your website's structure.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

Now, think about how you'd prepare for the visit. You'd probably clean your house, decorate it nicely, and maybe even cook something delicious. All these efforts are to make your friend's visit enjoyable and memorable. SEO is similar but for your website. It involves various actions and strategies to make your website more attractive and appealing to Google (and other search engines).

This can include using the right keywords (so Google knows what your site is about), making sure your site loads quickly (nobody likes waiting), and ensuring it's easy to navigate. The goal of SEO is to show Google that your site is valuable, relevant, and deserves a high ranking in search results, much like making your friend feel welcome and impressed with your home.

In Summary:

Sitemap: Like a map of your website for Google. It helps Google find and understand all your web pages. It doesn't rank the pages higher for search results but allows Google to see all the pages of your website better.
Cost: 1-time $50 fee per website

SEO - Google Rankings Package: Like preparing and sprucing up your website. It makes your site more attractive to Google so that it ranks higher in search results for specific localized keyword terms people would type in.
Cost: $399/month - min 6month contract

Both are important for your website's visibility on the internet, but they serve different purposes. The sitemap is about ensuring all your pages are found, while SEO is about making those pages appealing to both search engines and users.