Question
We submitted a sitemap several months ago, but our site is large enough that generating a new one is time-intensive. How important is it for Google/Bing/Yahoo to have a current sitemap, or can they crawl the site appropriately once the initial one is submitted?
Answer
I agree with what was previously said. It will be time-sensitive but worth it if you implement a system to update your sitemap automatically in the future. Also, a solution might exist for your platform that will save you time.
Dividing your sitemap using a sitemap index will also 1. help diagnose possible indexing problems via Webmaster Tools 2. force you to review your site architecture which can lead to valuable insights to improve your site.
Relevant article on the subject: http://www.distilled.net/blog/seo/indexation-problems-diagnosis-using-google-webmaster-tools/
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