Footer or Site Map, which is best?

[aabutterplace]

So I've been studying this php/menu tut/tip from Naval

http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/bluevoda-tips-tricks-shortcuts/15764-single-menu-page-bv-php.html

and since I have published only 4 pages so far and can go back and implement this before I go further I got to wondering what opinions are about page footers vs. a sitemap page? I will offer less than 12 products, but hope to build lots of content pages etc...would I be better off with a footer or sitemap?

Thanks,

Butter

[Karen Mac]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

Butter,

Are you talking a sitemap for visitors or a site map for SE indexing?

You could do either or but make sure they consist of text links. You should also still do a sitemap.xml for the SE.

Karen

[aabutterplace]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

Thank you Karen...I guess both??? Although I'm not sure my visitors will need a site map for products, but maybe for content? My knowledge of sitemaps is limited but I do understand the importance of text links for SE's...I am now off to research what the heck a sitemap.xml is. Will it ever end???? LOL!

Every time I try to get out, they keep dragging me back in!!!

Surely do appreciate the help I get from everyone!

[Vasili]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

Do not forsake the installation of a currently accurate sitemap. It is the new "essential" in W3 compliance, and will not be "forgiven" if absent beyond June 1, 2008.

Text links which *******te dynamic menu systems (or scripts) maintain the necessary 'relevance' that would be also seen as 'missing' if not present in a footer or somewhere 'below the fold' (under the formatted page, or below 600 pines from the top), and almost take place of addtional Content, if the rest of the construct is tight: another alternative is to have very relevant image titles and ALT tags to "replace" page Content volume....

[aabutterplace]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

For a small site, is a footer absolutely necessary?

[Vasili]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

If you are using a dynamic Menu system, yes .... the abscence of cach-able links (either simple text style as in footers via BV) is a major "non-compliant" construct element, critical to the sitemap and page navigation structure -- one of the very core foundations of relevance.

[aabutterplace]

Re: Footer or Site Map, which is best?

Thank you, and please forgive my ignorance...is a dynamic menu one that when you scoll over the main link the others pop-up? I am using simple text menu's on my site.