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XML Sitemap Guide

🔹 A complete guide to building, optimizing, and submitting sitemaps for better SEO visibility.

Updated over 2 months ago

📘 What Is a Sitemap?

A sitemap is an XML file that acts as a roadmap for search engine crawlers. It lists all the important pages of your website and provides structure signals so Google understands how your content is organized and which pages are most important.

Think of it as directions for web crawlers, helping them discover, crawl, and index every page efficiently — even those not easily accessible from your main navigation.

💡 What Is XML?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is the format that web crawlers “speak.” It structures information in a way that’s readable by both humans and machines. Sitemaps written in XML tell search engines which URLs exist, when they were last updated, and how they relate to other pages.

🤖 How Web Crawlers Use a Sitemap

Crawlers use sitemaps to:

  • Find new pages that have been added recently

  • Discover unlinked or orphaned pages

  • Understand the hierarchy and importance of different URLs

This helps ensure all relevant pages get indexed quickly and correctly.

🔢 How Many Webpages Can Be in a Sitemap?

You can include up to 500 URLs in a single sitemap file.
For larger websites, create multiple sitemap files and connect them with a sitemap index file.

📈 Why Sitemaps Matter for SEO

A properly optimized sitemap helps:

  • Improve crawl efficiency and indexation rates

  • Strengthen site structure visibility for Google

  • Enhance user experience through organized content

  • Prevent missed or ignored pages

If your site structure is disorganized, Google may struggle to index it fully — harming your rankings.

⚙️ Sitemap vs. Robots.txt

File

Purpose

Sitemap

Lists all URLs you want search engines to index

robots.txt

Tells crawlers which URLs they can or cannot access

Tip: include your sitemap URL in your robots.txt file for easier discovery.

🗂️ Where Your Sitemap Lives

Your sitemap should live in your website’s root directory (e.g.,

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml).
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This is where Google expects to find it, and where you’ll upload it via your CMS or hosting panel.

✅ Why You Should Submit a Sitemap to Google

Yes — submitting a sitemap is essential. It ensures Google knows about all your important pages and indexes them accurately. You can create and submit your sitemap in several ways outlined below.

🛠️ How to Create a Sitemap for Google

Step 1: Create a Sitemap with Yoast SEO (WordPress)

  1. Install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin.

  2. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Yoast SEO → General.

  3. Under the Features tab, find XML Sitemaps.

  4. Toggle the setting to Enabled (On).

  5. Click Save Changes.

That’s it! Yoast automatically builds and updates your sitemap.

🛍️ Yoast also works for Shopify, Squarespace, and BigCommerce.

Step 2: Create a Sitemap Using Google Search Console

While Google no longer offers a sitemap generator, you can still create and submit one easily.

  1. Log in to Google Search Console.

  2. Add a new property using your URL-prefix.

  3. Verify ownership with a Google-approved method.

  4. Navigate to Sitemaps in the left menu.

  5. Enter your sitemap URL (e.g., sitemap.xml) and click Submit.

Step 3: Use Screaming Frog SEO Spider (Free Version)

  1. Download and install Screaming Frog SEO Spider.

  2. Open the program and select the Sitemaps tab.

  3. Click + New Sitemap → name and create your file.

  4. Run a site crawl.

  5. When complete, click Export and save the sitemap as .xml.

Step 4: Create a Sitemap Manually

For a hands-on approach:

  1. Create a plain text file listing all your canonical URLs.

  2. Save the file as sitemap.xml.

  3. Upload it to your site’s root directory (in WordPress: via WP File Manager).

This method helps you understand your site structure and fine-tune your sitemap hierarchy.

⚠️ Common Sitemap Mistakes

Avoid these frequent issues:

  • ❌ Omitting pages — include every canonical page you want indexed.

  • ❌ Failing to update — refresh your sitemap when pages change or are added.

  • ❌ Incorrect file format — always use .xml.

  • ❌ Unreadable structure — keep the XML clean and organized.

  • ❌ Too many pages per file — split large sites into multiple sitemaps.

🔧 How to Optimize Your Sitemap

  1. 🕓 Keep it current: Update whenever new pages are added.

  2. 📄 Use correct XML format: Required for search engine readability.

  3. 🏷️ Include accurate metadata: URL, last modified date, title, and meta description.

  4. 🔗 Use canonical URLs: Avoid duplicates.

  5. ✍️ Optimize titles and descriptions: Ensure they’re keyword-rich and descriptive.

📤 How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google

  1. Log into Google Search Console.

  2. Go to Sitemaps.

  3. Click Add a new sitemap.

  4. Enter the sitemap URL (e.g., sitemap.xml).

  5. Click Submit.

You’ll get confirmation once Google processes it.

🔌 Recommended Sitemap Plugins

  1. Yoast SEO – Includes automatic XML sitemap generation.

  2. Google XML Sitemaps – Submits to Google and alerts you on updates.

  3. WP Sitemap Page – Allows creation of sitemaps for specific posts or pages.

🔍 Checking Your Sitemap

After creation, test that your sitemap works properly:

  1. Log into your SEO Dashboard.

  2. Go to Site Audit → XML Sitemaps.

  3. Request a crawl to identify non-indexable pages or missing URLs.

🏁 Your Sitemap Is a Ticket to SERP Success

If you haven’t yet created or submitted your sitemap — now is the time.
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Your sitemap ensures Google indexes your content accurately and completely.
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For best results, use proper XML formatting, maintain canonical tags, and regularly update your sitemap as your website grows.

Related Articles
Crawl Budget
Robots.txt
🌐 How to Resolve Duplicate Sitemap URLs with or without Trailing Slashes in Search Atlas
🗺️ An Easy Guide: How to Create a Sitemap for Google
🚀 Search Atlas Plugin Dashboard Updates in WordPress
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