What is Sitemap in SEO? Build, Submit, and Manage Your Sitemap
If we talk about the general use case of Maps, they actually help people find their way around the world. In simple words, they are used for navigation.
Same concept works for Sitemap in SEO. Sitemap is basically a file. Not an ordinary one. It is a file where you put information about your webpages and shows how they are related to each other. This information is generally about pages, videos, and other similar files.
What is the use of Sitemap?
If your website already has interlinked pages, then crawler automatically discovers most of your webpages. But if your website has many pages, it becomes complex for you to link every page with each other.
That’s where sitemap in SEO plays an important role.
Sitemap helps search engine crawlers to find your website pages more efficiently. You can easily mention all your important pages in your Sitemap file and the search engine will find them easily.
For example, you are publishing a video on your website. You can add the video entry to your Sitemap file. You can specify the video duration, age-appropriateness, and similar important things there.
Do You Need a Sitemap for Your Website?
As discussed in the above section, it is not actually compulsory for you to have Sitemap. And one more thing, Sitemap does not always guarantee that your website will be crawled and indexed. It just makes search engine crawler easy to find you.
If your website is running on CMS like Wix and WordPress, you will already have a readymade sitemap. But if your website is large (means containing hundred and thousands of pages) or you have your own CMS, you definitely need Sitemap. And you might also need digital marketing services if you have no experience in SEO.
A sitemap can help you in:
1. SEO Optimization
Sitemap helps search engines like Google index website pages efficiently. It makes sure all-important pages are crawled. If you add the last updated date of a page in sitemap, it helps you improve rankings by providing metadata.
2. Website Navigation
It is very important for large websites to help users find content easily. Sitemap provides a hierarchical structure for better navigation.
3. Faster Indexing of New Content
Sitemap helps search engines quickly discover newly published pages or updates. It is very important for frequently updated websites like news portals and blogs.
4. Detecting Website Issues
Another main benefit Sitemap brings is helping identify broken links and orphan pages (pages not linked anywhere).
Types of Sitemaps
While building a sitemap, you need to have an idea of its types. Sitemaps come in different types based on format and purpose. Here are some:
1. XML Sitemaps
These are most popularly used because they are designed for Search Engines. XML sitemaps are structured files that help search engines crawl and index web pages efficiently.
Types of XML Sitemaps:
- Standard XML Sitemap – Lists all important pages of a website.
- Image Sitemap – Helps search engines index images properly.
- Video Sitemap – Used for video content to provide metadata like duration, category, etc.
- News Sitemap – Used for Google News to ensure news articles are indexed quickly.
- Mobile Sitemap – Used for websites having separate mobile versions. However, it is less common today.
You will find an example of XML sitemap in the next section.
2. HTML Sitemap
An HTML sitemap is a user-friendly version that lists important pages in a structured format. It improves the user experience by providing direct navigation.
Example: A “Sitemap” link in the website footer.
It is best for large websites needing an easy-to-navigate index for users.
3. TXT Sitemap (Simple URL List)
It is a plain text file that contains only URLs. You can add each on a new line. It is used by search engines as a lightweight alternative to XML sitemaps.
Example of a TXT Sitemap:
4. RSS/Atom Feed Sitemap
If your website is related to news and blogs, you can use this sitemap type for frequently updated content. It helps search engines detect new content faster.
Example RSS Sitemap:
Which Sitemap Should You Use?
The type of sitemap depends on your needs. The below list has all your answer:
- For SEO: XML Sitemap
- For Users: HTML Sitemap
- For Small Sites: TXT Sitemap
- For Blogs & News: RSS/Atom Feed
How to Build, Submit, Monitor Your Sitemap?
If you want to master SEO, you need to know how to build and submit your Sitemap to search engines. Here is how you can do it.
Step 1: Choose the Sitemap Format
Sitemaps come in various formats. But the most common one is XML. An XML sitemap is considered the best choice for SEO purposes. However, based on your need, you can choose any of the following:
- XML Sitemap
- HTML Sitemap
- TXT Sitemap
- RSS/Atom Feed
Step 2: Generate the Sitemap
You can create a sitemap manually or use tools for that:
A. Automatically Generate a Sitemap
This is recommended for most users with simple and small websites.
- For WordPress: Use plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
- For Shopify: Shopify automatically generates a sitemap at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
- For Other CMS: Many platforms have built-in sitemap generation.
B. Use Online Sitemap Generators
Some of the popular ones are:
- XML-Sitemaps.com (Free for up to 500 pages)
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
- Google Sitemap Generator
C. Manually Create an XML Sitemap
You can create an XML file manually. Here’s a basic example:
Save this file as sitemap.xml and upload it to your website’s root directory.
Step 3: Upload the Sitemap to Your Website
Place your sitemap in the root directory of your site.
Let’s say https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml.
Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap to Search Engines
When your sitemap is ready, all you need to do is submit it to search engines for faster indexing.
A. Submit to Google Search Console
- Go to Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console).
- Select your website property.
- Click Sitemaps under Indexing.
- Enter sitemap.xml in the submission box (e.g., https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml).
- Click Submit.
B. Submit to Bing Webmaster Tools
- Visit Bing Webmaster Tools (www.bing.com/webmasters).
- Add your website if you haven’t already.
- Go to Sitemaps and submit your sitemap URL.
C. Other Search Engines
Yahoo! and DuckDuckGo generally use the index of Bing. Yandex has a Yandex Webmaster Tool for sitemap submissions.
Step 5: Monitor Sitemap Status
- In Google Search Console, check for sitemap errors under the Sitemaps section.
- Ensure pages are being indexed correctly.
- Update your sitemap whenever you add or remove important pages.
#Bonus Tips
✔ Keep your sitemap updated automatically using CMS plugins.
✔ Make sure your sitemap only includes important and indexable pages. Avoid broken or duplicate pages.
✔ Limit your sitemap to 50,000 URLs per file. Split into multiple sitemaps if needed.
Conclusion
Sitemap is a very important factor. If you have a large and complex website, then it becomes more crucial. Remember, SEO is evolving. You cannot afford to miss out on even a basic and simple thing like Sitemap because of the value it can provide.
Digital marketing solutions can transform your business. All you need is build a successful digital marketing strategy. Reach out to our digital marketing company and you will have a customized strategy plan within a few hours.
FAQ
1. What is the purpose of a sitemap?
A sitemap helps search engines and users understand the structure of your website. It lists all important pages so that they get indexed properly and quickly. Think of it as a map that guides search engines to your content.
2. What is sitemap.xml in SEO?
A sitemap.xml is a file that helps search engines like Google find and crawl your website’s pages efficiently. It improves SEO by making sure search engines don’t miss any important content. Especially if your site is large or has deep pages.
3. Is a sitemap in HTML or XML?
Both! XML Sitemaps are made for search engines to improve crawling and indexing. HTML Sitemaps are created for users to help them navigate the website easily.
