XML sitemap
A file listing important URLs to help search engines discover pages.
XML sitemap in plain English
An XML sitemap is a file listing the URLs you want search engines to know about, often with the date each was last changed. It helps crawlers discover pages, especially new ones or pages with few links. Google's sitemaps overview notes a single sitemap can hold up to 50,000 URLs or 50MB uncompressed.
How to check an XML sitemap on your site
Check whether your site has a sitemap by visiting your domain followed by /sitemap.xml, or look for its location in robots.txt. Then open Search Console's Sitemaps report. It shows when Google last read the file and how many URLs it found. Compare that number with the pages you actually want in search.
A worked example
A holiday cottage company adds new properties every spring. Its CMS updates the sitemap automatically, and the sitemap is submitted in Search Console. New listings tend to be discovered quickly, and when one isn't indexed the report shows it.
Where it usually goes wrong
- Including URLs that redirect, return errors or are set to noindex.
- Listing every filter and parameter URL on a shop.
- Setting every "last modified" date to today, which makes the dates meaningless.
- Thinking a sitemap forces indexing. It's a hint, not a command.
Why a small site should care
Small, well-linked sites can be found without a sitemap, but having one is cheap insurance. It also gives you a useful check: Search Console compares the URLs you submitted with those it indexed, which highlights pages that aren't making it into search.
Most modern platforms create sitemaps automatically, which is helpful but can include pages you'd rather not list, such as tag archives or test pages. It's worth a look rather than assuming it's right.
Connected technical terms
- Crawl: When a search engine bot discovers URLs by following links and sitemaps.
- Index: The searchable database of pages a search engine may show in results.
- robots.txt: A file that suggests which parts of a site crawlers may fetch.
- Google Search Console: Google's free property for coverage, queries and enhancements.
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