XML Sitemap: Why Have One & How to Create One

XML sitemaps are a fundamental aspect of technical SEO that can significantly impact your SEO efforts.

Here's a quick guide to XML sitemaps, their necessity, types, and best practices, and guides you through creating, checking, and submitting your Sitemap.xml.

What is an XML Sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a list of all URLs on your website intended for indexing by Google's search engine crawlers.

It acts like a map, guiding Google to crawl and understand the various pages on your site, thus aiding in better indexing.

Using Extensible Markup Language (XML), it simplifies data storage and parsing for search engines.

Why is an XML sitemap important for SEO?

An XML sitemap for all your content types improves your website's crawl ability and overall SEO performance.

Sitemaps guide search engines through your website's layout, aiding in efficient page indexing for better search results visibility.

XML sitemaps can expedite Google's discovery of your pages and are crucial for large or new websites with limited external links.

So, do you need a sitemap.xml?

Yes, it's fundamental for SEO.

XML Sitemap Quick History

In 2005, Google launched the XML sitemap protocol, allowing website administrators to compile all their pages in one file.

This protocol aids in showing a page's relevance within a website. Yahoo and Bing adopted it by 2006, allowing sitemap discovery via robots.txt files.

Initially manually created, many CMS platforms and plugins support automatic sitemap generation and updates, simplifying the process. This evolution signifies how essential sitemaps are for efficient website indexing.

What does an XML Sitemap look like?

A primary XML sitemap will include an opening tag that contains its information in individual tags.

Each entry should include information defining it, such as the page URL location, last modification date, relevance or priority relative to other pages on the site, and frequency of changes made to the page's content.

Additionally, other elements may be included for more complex sitemaps, such as alternate page views or news articles.

Google even has a sitemap.xml. Here's a quick look:

Where should I place my XML Sitemap?

Place the Sitemap in a location with a URL of /sitemap.xml.

This ideally should be in the root domain:

"yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml"

However, suppose you need to place it in another location or even give the XML file a different name. In that case, you should add a Sitemap directive in your robots.txt file referencing its alternative URL.

This way, bots can still locate and index your pages accurately without coming across the original sitemap URL first.

No matter where or how you decide to store your Sitemap, ensure it gets updated as soon as new content is published on your website, as this will improve its visibility in search engine rankings.

Are there any limitations for XML Sitemaps?

XML Sitemaps come with constraints: each must not exceed 50,000 URLs and should be under 50MB when uncompressed.

If these limits are exceeded, the Sitemap needs to be split into smaller files, indexed using an XML Sitemap Index.

URLs must follow Google's specified format for proper crawling.

Only publicly accessible URLs should be included, excluding password-protected or under-development pages.

How to create an XML sitemap

Let's walk through the steps of creating an XML sitemap for your website:

1. Checking for an Existing Sitemap.xml

Before creating a sitemap, verify if your site already has one by typing /sitemap.xml after your website's URL.

If a sitemap like this appears,

You can also review Google Search Console for sitemaps that have already been found and submitted.

You've already got one; you can skip down to step 4 to optimize the sitemap instead.

2. Create Your Sitemap.xml

You have a few options to create your Sitemap; some are CMS-dependent or sitemap generators.

Yoast for WordPress:

Yoast automates sitemap updates, reflecting content changes.

To access your XML Sitemap in WordPress using Yoast SEO, follow these steps: Navigate to the WordPress dashboard and click "Yoast SEO" in the left menu.

Go to "Settings" , then click the "Site Features" tab.

In the "XML Sitemap" section, the feature is automatically enabled.

To view your Sitemap, click the question mark symbol and the "See the XML sitemap" link..

Yoast automatically generates an index sitemap, organizing separate sitemaps for posts, pages, categories, authors, etc.

This method simplifies sitemap management, enhancing website indexing.

Free Sitemap Generators

There are free generation services online, such as https://www.xml-sitemaps.com/

This sitemap generator is free and easy to use for creating sitemaps for small websites (up to 500 pages).

No registration is needed, and sitemaps are generated instantly.

You can download the XML sitemap file or receive it via email to place on your website.

Manual Creation:

Creating an XML sitemap manually involves two main steps.

First, manually gather all your site's URLs using a crawler like Screaming Frog through a Google site search or Google Analytics landing page reports.

Remember, include only URLs you want Google to index, like your homepage, but not private pages like your privacy policy.

Second, code these URLs in XML format using a text editor.

Start with an opening <urlset> tag, then add each URL with <url> and <loc> tags.

Optionally, add details with <lastmod>, <changefreq>, and <priority> tags. Close with </url> and </urlset> tags.?

CMS-Generated Sitemaps:

Shopify and Squarespace automatically create sitemaps for their users, but customization options are limited.

This feature simplifies the SEO process for website owners, ensuring basic search engine indexing. However, if you seek more control over your sitemap, these platforms may not fully meet your specific needs.

You need to navigate to "yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml" to check if it exists like mentioned before, and you're all set.

4. Submit Your Sitemap to Google Search Console

A crucial and often missed step after creating a sitemap.xml is submitting this to Google Search Console.

By doing so, you effectively direct Google's attention towards the pages you consider high-quality and worthy of indexation.

The process of submitting your sitemap file is relatively simple.

From your dashboard in the Google Search Console, navigate to the Crawl section and select Sitemaps.

Then, click on Add/Test Sitemap and provide the URL for your Sitemap.

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After submission, monitor the sitemap report in the Search Console to identify and rectify any errors.

Monitoring the number of pages indexed versus the number of pages submitted can offer valuable insights into how effectively Google understands and indexes your website's content.

Ideally, these numbers should align closely with each other.

5. Optimize for XML Sitemap Best Practices

Once your sitemap.xml is submitted, use Search Console reports to follow best practices for optimization.

Guidelines for Effective Sitemaps

• Include only indexable URLs.
• Ensure URLs return a 200 status code.
• Keep individual sitemap files under 50MB or 50,000 URLs.
• Use UTF-8 encoding.
• Update sitemaps regularly with new or altered URLs.
• Link to localized versions of URLs.
• Reference your Sitemap in the robots.txt file.
• Submit your Sitemap to Google.
• Orphan pages in sitemaps addressed by internal linking
• Directly submit your Sitemap using the Google ping service for faster indexing.

Specialized Sitemaps

In SEO, there are specific sitemaps build for more case scenarios to maintain consistency for Google's understanding of the site:

1. Handling Large Sitemaps and Index Files

For sitemaps exceeding 50,000 URLs or 50 megabytes, split them and use an index file.

2. Creating Video and Image Sitemaps

Separate sitemaps for videos and images can provide detailed information for better indexing.

You can create a dedicated video sitemap or mRSS feed, or incorporate video tags into an existing sitemap, based on convenience.

3. Google News Sitemaps

For publishers, a regularly updated Google News sitemap is essential.

Include only recent URLs of articles from the last two days. Articles older than two days should be removed from the news sitemap, or their <news:news> metadata should be deleted.

Final Word: XML Sitemaps in SEO

Correctly building, submitting, and maintaining your sitemap can greatly improve your website's visibility and effectiveness in search results.

Here's a video guide for Sitemaps to learn more:

Related Reading:

1. "XML Sitemaps" by Peter Mead , for his expert training check out the SEO Workshop!
2. "Build and submit a sitemap" on Google Search Central

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