New format for Google Webmaster Tools (Google Sitemaps)

Google now adds a plain text format for Google Sitemaps files. It is the same plain text format Yahoo! uses for Yahoo ! Site Explorer.

Google Sitemaps, now Google Webmaster Tools, is able to understand the following Google Sitemaps formats:

* Sitemap protocol (XML file with: file name, last modification date, frequency for changes, priority)
* Real Simple Syndication and Atom
* Plain text file with Web Site URLs (Same format as Yahoo ! Site Explorer)

The Real Simple Syndication format is useful for blogs, for example a blogger blog. The simple submission of an RSS feed of your blog to Google Sitemaps gives you the same functionalities for the Site as for another WebSite.

Plain text file format is easier to use and generate but you loose the information: last modification date, frequency for changes, and priority, and thus it gives Google less useful information about the changes of your Web site.

Moreover, Google Sitemap files can be compressed using gzip, and Sitemap index files may be created for Web Sites containing many pages.

Sitemap file should reside in the root directory of the web site, for example, see the sitemap of Google Web Site.

Before being able to submit a sitemap for a Web Site of your own, you first need a Google Account. Existing Gmail, Google Analytics accounts are fine. Then, you have to make the proof you owns the Web Site.

Web Site Authentication includes:

* META-TAGS to add to the Web Site index file
* Authentication file in the root directory, the file name is choosen by Google

The first method is fine for blogs: for example, you can't create a file in the root directory of a blogger blog. On the contrary, it is possible to add META-TAGS in the blog template page.

Second method is used for "normal" Web Sites, and it is also the method used by Yahoo ! Site Explorer.

As Yahoo ! gives no other choice for authentication, there is no ways to use Yahoo ! Site Explorer with a blogger blog. I think this problem should occur for other types of blogs ...