Importance of XML Sitemap And Why Should You Have One

Have you ever heard of an XML sitemap? Maybe you noticed the term being used in conversations about SEO but weren't quite sure what it meant. Well, have no fear! In this blog post, we'll unpack exactly what an XML sitemap is and why having one is so important for your website's success. We'll answer questions like: What does an XML sitemap do? Why should I have one? And how can I make a good quality one that gets results? So if you've been scratching your head over XML sitemaps or just want to get better at understanding how they work, read on to learn everything there is to know about them.

Understanding XML Sitemap

Each page on a website that a search engine can access is listed in an XML sitemap file. It is represented in the machine-readable XML (Extensible Markup Language) format. An XML sitemap is used to assist search engines in swiftly and efficiently indexing all of the pages on a website. Now let's understand the types of XML sitemap and how it works.

Types of XML Sitemaps

Below are the types of the many XML site maps you can use to make it easier for search engines to crawl your website and gather the data they require to index it effectively −

• Dynamic XML site maps

When you add or remove content on your website, a dynamic XML site map automatically updates itself, keeping your site map updated at all times. Large websites or those with many content changes over time should include a dynamic XML site map.

• XML site map index

Thanks to an XML site map index, search engines can explore a large site considerably more quickly. This could be helpful if you have a big website that has to go over the limitations that normal XML site maps impose, which are 50,000 URLs and a 50MB uncompressed file size. Your site maps can then be divided up, and an index can be linked to each.

XML image site maps

• XML image site maps

enhance the indexation of the images on your website.

• XML video site maps

Site maps for XML video work similarly to site maps for images. Yet, they index videos rather than photographs on your website.

• HTML site maps

HTML site maps have a layout for people, not search engine robots. These site maps contain a detailed list of all the Links on your website. Thanks to this, visitors to your website can now quickly navigate it from a single page.

How does an XML Sitemap Work?

An XML sitemap is a file that includes a list of a website's URLs and more details about each page. The most recent modification date, the frequency of updates, and the page's relative importance compared to other website pages can all be included in this data. The sitemap is placed in the website's root directory and saved as an XML file.

The XML sitemap is the first thing a search engine looks for when crawling a website. The search engine will utilize it to find every page on the website if one is located. The sitemap gives search engines a clear, organized view of the website's pages, making it simpler to crawl and index them.

Creating an XML Sitemap

An XML sitemap can be created quickly and easily. A variety of technologies are available that can automatically create an XML sitemap. A few content management systems (CMS), like WordPress, include sitemap generators by default. In contrast, other resources can crawl a website and produce a sitemap.

Here are the steps to create an XML sitemap manually −

• Make a list of every page your website has − A website crawler tool or manual labor can be used for this.

• Install a text editor − Any text editor that supports saving files in the XML format can be used for this.

• XML sitemap creation −  Create a new file in the text editor after opening it. An XML declaration that identifies the XML version being used should come first in the file. The URLs of all the pages on the site should then be added to the root element of the sitemap.

• Provide further information − You can enter metadata about each page in addition to the URL, such as the date the page was last modified, how frequently it is updated, and its importance in relation to other pages on the website.

• Save the sitemap − Name the sitemap file "sitemap.xml" and save it in the website's root directory.

• Sitemap submission to search engines − You should submit the sitemap to search engines after it has been produced and posted to your website. Most search engines offer a means for you to submit your sitemap directly through their search dashboard or webmaster tools. By uploading a sitemap, you may notify a search engine how your website is organized and which URLs you want them to crawl.

Why should you have an XML Sitemap?

• It aids search engines in finding all of the pages on your website − Pages may be linked in intricate ways or buried within subfolders, complicating the structure of a website. Thanks to an XML sitemap, search engines can easily comprehend the structure of your website and all of its pages.

• It can boost the visibility of your website in search results − To find new pages on a website and update their index of the site search engines employ XML sitemaps. You can increase your website's exposure in search results by creating an XML sitemap, which will guarantee that all of your website's pages are crawled and indexed by search engines.

• It may improve search engines' understanding of the relevance of your pages − Information regarding the importance and frequency of changes for each page on your site can also be included in an XML sitemap. This aids search engines in comprehending each page's significance and the appropriate amount of time between crawls.

• It can help with website maintenance − An XML sitemap can also be used to show when a page was most recently modified, which can be useful for website maintenance. In order to ensure that fresh content is indexed as soon as possible, search engines might use this information to give recently changed sites preference during crawling.

What Websites Need an XML Sitemap?

Sitemaps are advantageous for "very large websites," "websites with large archives," "new websites with only a few external links to them," and "websites that contain rich media material," according to Google's documentation. Google claims that effective internal linking should make it simple for it to find all of your material. Sadly, a lot of websites do not carefully consider how to logically link their material together.

An XML site map might be particularly helpful for some websites, such as −

• Large websites with thousands of webpages

• Fresh websites with few outbound links

• Websites that rely mostly on visual content (such as photos or videos)

• Websites with little internal linking

• Websites that constantly have new pages added by site administrators.

• Websites that frequently update the content on their current pages.

• Business websites that plan to rely on SEO for marketing.