Something else for webmaster to-do lists

Google will make use of an extension to the Sitemaps protocol to do a better job of indexing the videos people publish.

Indexing text data became old hat to Google and every other search engine over the past few years. Multimedia, especially video, has everyone’s attention these days (including Hollywood screenwriters.)

To enable better video indexing, Google has taken the lead in introducing and accepting Video Sitemaps. “By submitting this video-specific Sitemap in addition to your standard Sitemap, you can specify all the video files on your site, along with relevant metadata,” said the Webmaster Central blog.

That does imply some extra work for the webmaster, in the need to create a second sitemap for Google to index. One commenter on the blog asked why the video elements can’t just be added to the regular sitemap, since they have their own namespace.

Google’s John Mueller replied, saying it might not be practical, but said he would pass the suggestion along.

It appears Google is acting solo in working with video sitemaps at this time. Other search engines will have to decide whether or not to follow Google’s lead in accepting this extension.

Google announced video sitemap support shortly before Christmas. Their extension of the Sitemap protocol lets webmasters submit all video files and relevant metadata to Google in one file.

The base Sitemap protocol enables webmasters to enhance the quality of the indexing search engines that follow the protocol can perform. Unlike the base protocol, only Google supports the video extension presently.

Sitemaps should appeal to the early adopters among those webmasters who publish videos. If Google is having an easier time finding videos when the new Sitemap protocol is in use, no one will want to lag behind the competition in adopting it themselves.

ENJOY…

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