XML Sitemap

What an XML sitemap contains

Each URL gets its own entry, usually with the date it last changed:

<url>
  <loc>https://www.example.com/services/seo/</loc>
  <lastmod>2026-09-01</lastmod>
</url>

One sitemap can hold up to 50,000 URLs or 50 MB. Larger sites use a sitemap index file that points to several sitemaps. Google ignores the old priority and changefreq fields, but it does use an accurate lastmod date.

Best practice

• Only list pages you want in search: canonical URLs that return a 200 status code, not redirects, errors or noindexed pages.
• Let your CMS or SEO plugin keep the sitemap up to date automatically.
• Submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and add its address to robots.txt.

A sitemap doesn’t guarantee indexing, but it makes sure search engines know which pages you consider important.

Types of sitemaps

• Page sitemaps for ordinary pages.
• Image and video sitemaps, which help Google find media it may miss.
• News sitemaps for news publishers.
• Sitemap index files, which list several sitemaps for large sites.

Sitemap or HTML sitemap?

An XML sitemap is for search engines. An HTML sitemap is a normal page for visitors that lists main sections. They serve different purposes, and a site can have both.

How to create and submit a sitemap

1. Use your CMS or an SEO plugin to generate it. On WordPress, plugins such as Rank Math or Yoast do this.
2. Open it in a browser (often /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml) and check that it lists the right pages.
3. Submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
4. Add the line Sitemap: https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml to robots.txt.

Common sitemap mistakes

• Listing redirected, error, noindexed or blocked pages.
• Listing non-canonical or duplicate URLs.
• Letting lastmod dates change on every build, so they lose meaning.
• Forgetting to remove the sitemap of an old site after a migration.

XML sitemap FAQs

Does a sitemap improve rankings?

No. It helps discovery, and Google decides what to index and how to rank it.

How often should I update the sitemap?

Automatically, when pages are added or changed. Submit it once, and Google will re-fetch it.

Why are pages in my sitemap not indexed?

Check the Pages report in Search Console. Reasons include low quality, duplication, noindex tags and crawl errors.

Related guides and terms

• What is an Hreflang Tag?