Come to think of it, I submitted a sitemap for the Archives and it didn't work well as each county in a sub-folder is NOT a domain. Even though nearly 400 pages were indexed and Google accepted the sitemap, Google's crawler pointed to many of the sub-folders and NOT the pages in them. There may be a work around. Maybe not. Bottom line ... as CCs, I don't think we can submit sitemaps for our counties because they are not domains. They are sub-domains, if that is the correct term. Mitch

I could tell by your remarks and attitude in explaining your frustration that you still care about the sites...as most of us do, and it pained you to even consider giving them up. Thank you for reconsidering, as we always need dedicated volunteers. Tim Harper</HTML>

Thank you Tim for your kind words and encouragement! Joe Tharper1963@wmconnect.com wrote: > I could tell by your remarks and attitude in explaining your frustration > that you still care about the sites...as most of us do, and it pained you to > even consider giving them up. Thank you for reconsidering, as we always need > dedicated volunteers. > > Tim Harper</HTML> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

I tried the Google Search from IDGENWEB home page on my counties, Mike. It works just fine! As for SEO, have you submitted a sitemap to Google? Google responds well and quickly to site maps. I have one personal web site that just wasn't getting indexed even though it has about 130 web pages. I contacted Google and asked what the problem might be. They said I needed to submit a sitemap. I did so and, Bingo, within a week all 130 pages were indexed by Google. My experience has also been that Google doesn't index links on pull down menus. I got rid of my pull downs and made relative links to pages on another personal site. Bingo again! Check it out at http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/ I just tried a sitemap for IDGENWEB and 68 pages were indexed on an XML sitemap for the main site. It did not pick up the county sub-folders so any CC interested in submitting a sitemap to Google would have to do so seperately. Mitch ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike St. Clair/ST" <mike@saintclair.org> To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 3:32 PM Subject: [IDGEN] FYI: Search Engine Effectiveness >A little research today on counties that are taking too long to be indexed >led me to the conclusion that the speed of indexing is driven primarily by >what Google calls the site "Authority" which is based heavily on the links >to that site from other higher authority sites. I'm working on determining >what other sites are linking to our county sites (old and new locations) >and requesting updates where there is a means to do that. For example, I >found that CyndisList has obsolete links for several of our counties and >I've already request those changes. > > As a result this process I'm going through, some of you may hear from me > privately if I find incorrect links (for example, in your neighboring > county section if you have one). I think this effort will bear fruit by > causing Google to more frequently visit our sites and update their search > index. By the way, the other search engines also use similar criteria. > > If any of you have SEO expertise, I'd love to hear any other suggestions > you have to improve how the search is working for us. > > Mike St. .Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

I tried the Google Search from IDGENWEB home page on my counties, Mike. It works just fine! As for SEO, have you submitted a sitemap to Google? Google responds well and quickly to site maps. I have one personal web site that just wasn't getting indexed even though it has about 130 web pages. I contacted Google and asked what the problem might be. They said I needed to submit a sitemap. I did so and, Bingo, within a week all 130 pages were indexed by Google. My experience has also been that Google doesn't index links on pull down menus. I got rid of my pull downs and made relative links to pages on another personal site. Bingo again! Check it out at http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/ I just tried a sitemap for IDGENWEB and 68 pages were indexed on an XML sitemap for the main site. It did not pick up the county sub-folders so any CC interested in submitting a sitemap to Google would have to do so seperately. Mitch ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike St. Clair/ST" <mike@saintclair.org> To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 3:32 PM Subject: [IDGEN] FYI: Search Engine Effectiveness >A little research today on counties that are taking too long to be indexed >led me to the conclusion that the speed of indexing is driven primarily by >what Google calls the site "Authority" which is based heavily on the links >to that site from other higher authority sites. I'm working on determining >what other sites are linking to our county sites (old and new locations) >and requesting updates where there is a means to do that. For example, I >found that CyndisList has obsolete links for several of our counties and >I've already request those changes. > > As a result this process I'm going through, some of you may hear from me > privately if I find incorrect links (for example, in your neighboring > county section if you have one). I think this effort will bear fruit by > causing Google to more frequently visit our sites and update their search > index. By the way, the other search engines also use similar criteria. > > If any of you have SEO expertise, I'd love to hear any other suggestions > you have to improve how the search is working for us. > > Mike St. .Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

Good to hear you are staying with us, Joe! All in all, I bet being a CC is the best part of the USGenWeb. Mitch Ryder ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike St. Clair/ST" <mike@saintclair.org> To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 12:56 PM Subject: [IDGEN] Joe Markovich and IDGENWEB >I am very pleased to announce that Joe is going to remain a CC in IDGENWEB! > > Mike St. Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

A little research today on counties that are taking too long to be indexed led me to the conclusion that the speed of indexing is driven primarily by what Google calls the site "Authority" which is based heavily on the links to that site from other higher authority sites. I'm working on determining what other sites are linking to our county sites (old and new locations) and requesting updates where there is a means to do that. For example, I found that CyndisList has obsolete links for several of our counties and I've already request those changes. As a result this process I'm going through, some of you may hear from me privately if I find incorrect links (for example, in your neighboring county section if you have one). I think this effort will bear fruit by causing Google to more frequently visit our sites and update their search index. By the way, the other search engines also use similar criteria. If any of you have SEO expertise, I'd love to hear any other suggestions you have to improve how the search is working for us. Mike St. .Clair

Thanks Penny. I appreciate the kind words. Being a CC is definitely a fun and rewarding activity. PENNY CASEY wrote: > I am very happy to hear that Joe is sticking around as a CC for the IDGenweb. I looked at his sites and he has done a super job! Lots of great information on them. His sites are put together nicely and very easy to navigate. > > > > Keep up the good work Joe! > > > > Penny > > Idaho County > > >> From: mike@saintclair.org >> To: idgen@rootsweb.com >> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:56:18 -0700 >> Subject: [IDGEN] Joe Markovich and IDGENWEB >> >> I am very pleased to announce that Joe is going to remain a CC in IDGENWEB! >> >> Mike St. Clair >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

I'll take a closer look at your three counties. Mike -------------------------------------------------- From: "Sharon McConnel" <gem_genweb@yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 9:17 AM To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > Boise & Valley Cos. do not seem to be working. > > Gem Co. worked on a file I added several months ago (Shropshire) but not > on Burdge which I added last wk. It did however pick up Burdge from the > "Boise County Deaths from Newspapers" test page which I thought I had > taken down. (I did not receive permission from Idaho Genealogy Society to > use their files.) > > When I googled Gem Co. the first of the month, the old, roootsweb site > came up within the first 3 or 4 entries, but not the new, > http://gem.idgenweb.org/ site. I haven't checked my other two counties nor > I have I checked since. I checked the rootsweb pg, but it doesn't look > like I have access to the metadata?? > > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Mike St. Clair/ST <mike@saintclair.org> > To: idgen@rootsweb.com > Sent: Thu, February 25, 2010 4:27:35 PM > Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the > custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of > each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that > is available at your county or special project site and put in search > terms that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me > if your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly > appreciate it. > > Mike St. Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I am very pleased to announce that Joe is going to remain a CC in IDGENWEB! Mike St. Clair

I just wanted to let you all know that the message Joe recently sent to this mailing list was really intended to come just to me personally. He didn't intend to inflict his frustrations on the rest of you, bu t as you can tell, he is pretty frustrated right now with his experiences with some of the other projects he has been a part of. Let me assure you that I am working with Joe now to see if we can retain him as a CC in Idaho. He did an excellent job of cleaning up and improving the two counties he recently adopted and has been a good member of IDGENWEB. I commit to always remember that you are all voluntarily providing some of your valuable time for the benefit of genealogists with Idaho Ancestry, and to show my appreciation. I assure you that your site visitors greatly appreciate what you do, even though they don't always say so. Thank you for what you contribute to IDGENWEB. Mike St. Clair IDGENWEB - State Coordinator

Hello Mike I have decided to leave the USGenWeb. My decision is based on the continued bad feelings directed towards me since I resigned my position as NENC Coordinator Rep. I have had my share of negative emails plus never receiving an answer to a single email from unnamed SCs and ASCs in states where my sites are located. I really feel I have taken my role as CC for the many counties that I have way too seriously given the attitude of some people. All of my sites were redone from the ground up; which has been a very time consuming undertaking. The worst of the worst sites that I adopted were derelicts that contained everything from porn to resumes to attempts to sell various items. I cannot imagine the message this sends to anyone who would visit these sites and see what garbage is in them. Both of my Idaho sites were extensively redone. Rather then go back to an older version of the sites, my site files will be available for FTP. Per chance, if anyone is interested in using TreePad as his or her editor, then this would be a very easy transfer of the sites, done in a matter of minutes! I will do whatever to make sure my Idaho sites with all updates are transferred in an orderly fashion to other CCs. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes but I have to do what I feel is right for me! Cordially, Joe

Boise & Valley Cos. do not seem to be working. Gem Co. worked on a file I added several months ago (Shropshire) but not on Burdge which I added last wk. It did however pick up Burdge from the "Boise County Deaths from Newspapers" test page which I thought I had taken down. (I did not receive permission from Idaho Genealogy Society to use their files.) When I googled Gem Co. the first of the month,  the old, roootsweb site came up within the first 3 or 4 entries, but not the new, http://gem.idgenweb.org/ site. I haven't checked my other two counties nor I have I checked since. I checked the rootsweb pg, but it doesn't look like I have access to the metadata?? ________________________________ From: Mike St. Clair/ST <mike@saintclair.org> To: idgen@rootsweb.com Sent: Thu, February 25, 2010 4:27:35 PM Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the custom search engine.  You will find a long search box near the bottom of each state page including the home page.  Will you  pick a resource that is available at your county or special project site and put in search terms that should find it and perform the search?  Then report back to me if your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate it. Mike St. Clair ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Mike, Whatever you did, it worked! Looks like I am out there now and can be found. Thanks bunches. Penny > From: mike@saintclair.org > To: idgen@rootsweb.com > Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:55:11 -0700 > Subject: Re: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > Ahhh.... I found the problem, I believe, and have fixed it. Try your tests > again. > > Mike > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> > Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:20 PM > To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> > Subject: Re: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > > > > Mike, > > > > I have tried numerous things that are on my Idaho county site and the new > > idaho.idgenweb site never comes up. It finds the old rootsweb site and > > other new genweb sites. I even tried just "idaho county genweb" and it > > never shows the new one. > > > > > > > > Do you think there is something wrong with how I have my pages titled? I > > had tried googling my site after I switched over and have never been able > > to have it come up in the search engine. > > > > > > > > Thanks > > > > Penny > > > > Idaho County > > > >> From: mike@saintclair.org > >> To: idgen@rootsweb.com > >> Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:27:35 -0700 > >> Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > >> > >> I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the > >> custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of > >> each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that is > >> available at your county or special project site and put in search terms > >> that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me if > >> your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate > >> it. > >> > >> Mike St. Clair > >> > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > > in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Mike, I have tried numerous things that are on my Idaho county site and the new idaho.idgenweb site never comes up. It finds the old rootsweb site and other new genweb sites. I even tried just "idaho county genweb" and it never shows the new one. Do you think there is something wrong with how I have my pages titled? I had tried googling my site after I switched over and have never been able to have it come up in the search engine. Thanks Penny Idaho County > From: mike@saintclair.org > To: idgen@rootsweb.com > Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:27:35 -0700 > Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that is available at your county or special project site and put in search terms that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me if your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate it. > > Mike St. Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi! It seems to work for me okay. wish it worked on the archives too. Please keep me in mind for corrdinator for Lincoln county. Have a great day Chris > From: mike@saintclair.org > To: idgen@rootsweb.com > Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:27:35 -0700 > Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that is available at your county or special project site and put in search terms that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me if your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate it. > > Mike St. Clair > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Seems to work very well for Benewah, Latah and Nez Perce counties. Tim Harper</HTML>

Ahhh.... I found the problem, I believe, and have fixed it. Try your tests again. Mike -------------------------------------------------- From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:20 PM To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > Mike, > > I have tried numerous things that are on my Idaho county site and the new > idaho.idgenweb site never comes up. It finds the old rootsweb site and > other new genweb sites. I even tried just "idaho county genweb" and it > never shows the new one. > > > > Do you think there is something wrong with how I have my pages titled? I > had tried googling my site after I switched over and have never been able > to have it come up in the search engine. > > > > Thanks > > Penny > > Idaho County > >> From: mike@saintclair.org >> To: idgen@rootsweb.com >> Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:27:35 -0700 >> Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine >> >> I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the >> custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of >> each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that is >> available at your county or special project site and put in search terms >> that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me if >> your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate >> it. >> >> Mike St. Clair >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I'll take a close look at that and let you know what I find. Mike -------------------------------------------------- From: "PENNY CASEY" <penny_randy@msn.com> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 6:20 PM To: <idgen@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine > > Mike, > > I have tried numerous things that are on my Idaho county site and the new > idaho.idgenweb site never comes up. It finds the old rootsweb site and > other new genweb sites. I even tried just "idaho county genweb" and it > never shows the new one. > > > > Do you think there is something wrong with how I have my pages titled? I > had tried googling my site after I switched over and have never been able > to have it come up in the search engine. > > > > Thanks > > Penny > > Idaho County > >> From: mike@saintclair.org >> To: idgen@rootsweb.com >> Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:27:35 -0700 >> Subject: [IDGEN] Test of IDGENWEB State-wide Google Custom Search Engine >> >> I'd really appreciate it if each of you would do a short test of the >> custom search engine. You will find a long search box near the bottom of >> each state page including the home page. Will you pick a resource that is >> available at your county or special project site and put in search terms >> that should find it and perform the search? Then report back to me if >> your resource was found at the current URL and I would greatly appreciate >> it. >> >> Mike St. Clair >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IDGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

It brought up Elmore County's page with no problem, however, it was the second pick, not the top. On the second search I tried, it was the top pick, so I think the first one may have been the result of what I chose to search for. It looks good. Our users need to be able to search our sites as easily. I have a freefind search available on Elmore. Jeanne Elmore Co