by exiliensoft | Dec 23, 2024 | SEO

A sitemap is a file that contains a list of URLs and information about the images, videos, and other files on your site. Search engines use this file to crawl your site effectively. In short, a sitemap is a file highlighting important pages and details of the website, helping search engines crawl your content.

Types of sitemaps: There are two sitemaps: HTML sitemaps (hypertext markup language) and XML sitemaps (extensible markup language).

XML Sitemaps

These files are for search engine crawlers to understand and index your site. XML sitemaps are not for visitors’ navigation; instead, they are for the search engine only.

HTML Sitemaps

These are user-friendly pages that help visitors easily navigate your other website pages. This old method defines the sitemap, where vital links are placed on an actual website page and are visible to visitors.

What are the benefits of sitemaps?

When search engines can easily understand and navigate your site, your web pages can effectively rank on relevant keywords. This means that sitemaps are essential. Below are a few more benefits of creating sitemaps:

Maximize your chances of providing easy access to your clients.

An XML sitemap is a helpful mechanism in the eyes of search engines to locate critical pages of your site. It is beneficial for extensive sites that have several pages that crawlers may not reach because of some restrictions or limits.

Boost User Experience

Creating HTML sitemaps can boost the user experience, and they see all the key pages in one spot. HTML sitemaps are like a shortcut for visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for, saving them time and effort.

Find Hidden Pages & Speed Up Indexing

Search engines crawl your site like a human being, simply following links. It is challenging for search engines to find pages that aren’t linked anywhere. The pages are also called orphan pages. Add links of orphan pages to your sitemap so the search engine doesn’t miss them to crawl and get these links indexed faster.

Handle Duplicate Pages Easily

Sometimes, websites have duplicate or nearly identical pages. For example, if you own a website or an online store with separate product pages for the same item in different colors, search engines might get confused about which to prioritize. Using canonical tags in a sitemap shows Google the main version you want to rank while flagging the others as duplicates.

How to create a sitemap?

Follow the below steps to create a sitemap:

1. Pick Canonical URLs: The sitemap contains URLs (Called Canonical URLs) and tells search engines to prioritize these URLs in search results. If the same content appears under multiple URLs, stick with the one you prefer and add only that to your sitemap.

2. Create Sitemap:

Method 1: Create Sitemap Using CMS

CMS tools (such as WordPress, Wix, or Blogger) already have built-in sitemap features. Most CMS platforms automatically generate sitemaps. To check, just look up how your CMS creates sitemaps (e.g., search “Wix sitemap” or “Blogger RSS”).

Method 2: Create Sitemap Manually

Create a sitemap manually for websites that have less number of pages. Use Notepad to create the sitemap manually. Just follow the correct syntax. You can name the file whatever you like, as long as the name works in a URL.

That said, managing larger sitemaps this way can be a headache. It’s time-consuming and tricky to maintain over time.

Method 3: Use Tools to Generate a Sitemap Automatically

Use tools to create sitemaps if your website has lots of pages. This helps you to generate sitemaps quickly. Ideally, your website’s software can do this automatically by pulling URLs from your database. Seek help from your web developers or hosting team if needed.

Pro Tip: Once you create the sitemaps, verify them with a sitemap validator. This ensures search engines can read it properly and index your pages more effectively, giving your site the visibility it deserves!

3. Submit a Sitemap to Google

Submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console (GSC) can have numerous advantages from an SEO point of view. Here are the steps to follow:

Log into Google Search Console
Click on “Sitemaps.”
Add the sitemap’s URL in the “Add a new sitemap” section
Click on “Submit.”
After submitting the sitemap, monitor its status.
Things to remember before creating a sitemap
Sitemaps Limitations
Listed below are a few limitations to creating sitemaps:
1,250,000,000,000 URLs Maximum,
500 sitemap indexes for Google
50,000 sitemaps per sitemap index
1,000 images per URL
50,000 URLs per sitemap
50 MB per sitemap
Use UTF-8 Encoding

Sitemaps can only include ASCII characters. It contains numbers from 0 to 9, English letters A to Z and special symbols. You need to replace the characters (like an ampersand, quotation marks, or greater/less than signs) with their escape codes.

Do you need a sitemap?

Yes! Ensuring every page is linked to websites with multiple and new pages is tricky. Google might miss some of them. A sitemap helps search engines discover your site’s URLs that you want visitors to visit. Most websites benefit from a sitemap, especially large or new ones. It’s an easy way to help Google crawl and understand your site better.

Facing Difficulties in Creating Sitemap? Experts at Exiliensoft Can Help You!

Creating a sitemap never feels easy, and it contributes significantly to the growth of your website. Exiliensoft Consulting Services is ready to offer a professional experience for such a task. Our skilled team works on the whole process, from the sitemap creation to its submission to Google: we will be with you at every stage. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact us or visit our website.

What is a sitemap?

Table of content