Google Can't Find my Sitemap

[nm-motorsport]

My technical abaility isn't what it should be but I have managed to create a sitemap.xml file and ftp it to my webroot. I used Google Webmaster tools to tell Google to find it at http://blinds4cars.com/httpdocs/sitemap.xml but it just returns a red cross (error).

Any suugestions as to where I am going wrong?

[Paul Bulpit]

Hello Nigel, you never did come back to me about my 840 aircon pump!

I used Google Webmaster tools to tell Google to find it at http://blinds4cars.com/httpdocs/sitemap.xml

The address should be http://www.blinds4cars.com/sitemap.xml

Paul

[nm-motorsport]

Pauil

Good to hear from you after so long..

Its been so long I can't remember what was said about your 840 air con pump I've never had an air con pump in stock for an 840 but of course I can supply them. I'll get you a price if you want?

I tried your suggestion but it didn't work. Your path took it to the root directory rather than the webroot which I am told is the directory where the index.html page is. The path to my webroot is as stated in my original post.

Regards

Nigel

[Paul Bulpit]

Forget the pump, it's sorted.

If I click this link I can see your xml sitemap in my browser.

http://www.blinds4cars.com/sitemap.xml

It's in the root alongside index.html where it should be.

(it says "created with Free Online Sitemap Generator www.xml-sitemaps.com")

You're talking about the folder path on the server, that's "not quite" the same thing...... this is the one google wants.

[Paul Bulpit]

So, if anybody (including Googlebot) wants to get to your site, they go to

http://www.blinds4cars.com

and they see 'index.html', the homepage. Thats the 'webroot'.

If they click on 'Alfa Romeo', watch the url in the browser address bar, it changes to blinds4cars.com/acatalog/alfa_romeo....dot html. 'acatalog' is a sub-folder, and contains your store, below the root.

Now IF you watch it very carefully, you will see that it actually flashes through another address, so fast you can hardly see it - blinds4cars.com/cgi-bin/ss0001.pl?SECTIONID...... because that's how Actinic Smart Theme works.

When YOU ftp to your server, YOU see something different, you're not in Actinic - you see 'httpdocs' as the root folder of your site (it contains 'index.html' and 'sitemap.xml' AND two sub-folders, 'acatalog' & 'cgi-bin').

By the way, the pictures on the Alfa Romeo page are of a BMW E91..... I didn't look any further!

[nm-motorsport]

Paul

I didn't realise that the path was different to what I was seeing on the server - something to find out about at a later date.

I tried what you suggested again and it worked the second time for some reason - not sure what happened the first time around.

You are right that the Alfa Romeo site shows an E91 - its a stock photo I use if I don't have a photo of the correct car fitted with the blinds. I have a few to add but most will stay as the E91 until customers send photos to me.

Many thanks for your help once again. I still use what you taught me years ago when I build new sites in Actinic

Regards

Nigel

[Paul Bulpit]

Cheers.

Nice looking product you're offering, but in spite of owning an E31, two E39 touring's & an E91, I don't see enough sun in the UK to think it worthwhile. I park in the shade and use the aircon!

Good Luck.

[nm-motorsport]

Paul

I am guessing you don't have young children in the back seat or a dog? Thats the main reasons they are bought but they look great and improve security too. They are one of my best selling products worldwide hence a whole new site for all makes of car

Regards

Nigel

[Paul Bulpit]

E31 in it's hutch most of the time; E91 dark tint; E39 touring's full of toolboxes and rubbish! No children (fled nest) & no dogs (dirty smelly things). Or was that the children?

[nm-motorsport]

Yes children and dogs are similar - I have a 3 year old so speaking from experience! I only have the blinds on my E61 because my E39 has privacy glass and my E66 has original electric blinds.

[Paul Bulpit]

You got an E66 Bangle-butt? Which engine? Sure it's not an E67 (bullet-proof)?

It won't fit in my garage so I'm going now....

[nm-motorsport]

E66 760LI. It wouldn't fit in my garage either so I got the builder in Its for a new wedding car venture - see www.sunderlandweddingcars.com (not an Actinic site)

I'm off to sort out my sitemap for nm-motorsport.com which I thought I did before but I can't find it!

[nm-motorsport]

There must be something I'm missing here because I have just repeated the steps for a sitemap on www.nm-motorsport.com but its not being found by google even though I did the same as my other site

[Paul Bulpit]

new wedding car venture - see www.sunderlandweddingcars.com

Nice.

Good Luck (again) - I still think the bullet-proof one would be better, if a bit thirsty...

We do wedding car ribbons & bows (same as your pictures) and artificial bouquets to put on the rear shelf.... you need to apply for a trade account to get discount...

Can also do you the attachment needed to create this on bonnet or bootlid without damaging the car:



It's floral foam in a cage on a sucker - good for 120mph they say (though there won't be any flowers left in it at that speed!)

Paul

[Paul Bulpit]

There must be something I'm missing here because I have just repeated the steps for a sitemap on www.nm-motorsport.com

Sorry got distracted with buying a ride-on lawn-mower off eBay, much cheaper than a 760iL, fits in the shed, can't do weddings with it.

This link http://www.nm-motorsport.com/sitemap.xml reaches a file, but the file doesn't look right, it doesn't have any links in it. Try creating it again from your free generator site.