Google Sitemaps now allows users to verify that Google is properly indexing a siteís URLs. This is an extremely useful new feature because it not only includes URLs listed in a Google Sitemap but also those found naturally by spiders when crawling the web. For sites that have switched domains or have undergone redesigns, this is a useful way to be sure that URLs are being properly redirected so that back links are not lost.

To use the verify feature, you first need to create and submit a Google sitemap. Once the sitemap has been uploaded by Google, you will see a link entitled “verify” in the main sitemap account area. To get your site verified, you will need to load a blank html file with a name specified by Google to prove site ownership.

After your site has been verified, you can periodically check your site stats to see if there are any URLs Google can’t index properly.