XML Sitemap
Also known as sitemap.xml
An XML file listing a site's canonical URLs to help search engines discover and prioritize pages for crawling.
What it is
An XML sitemap is a structured file (typically sitemap.xml) that lists the URLs you want indexed, optionally with metadata such as lastmod. For large sites it can be split into multiple sitemaps referenced by a sitemap index file.
Why it matters
Sitemaps help crawlers discover new and updated pages quickly, which matters for AI answer engines that favor fresh, well-structured content. They are especially valuable for pages that are not well linked internally, ensuring nothing important is left out of the index.
How to verify
Open yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml and confirm it returns valid XML with a 200 status and lists live, canonical URLs. Check the Sitemaps report in Search Console for a 'Success' status and the count of discovered URLs.
How to fix
Generate a sitemap with your CMS or a build tool, include only indexable canonical URLs, and keep lastmod accurate. Submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and add a Sitemap: line pointing to its absolute URL in robots.txt.
Related terms
- robots.txtA plain-text file at the site root that tells crawlers which paths they may or may not request.
- Google Search ConsoleA free Google tool that confirms you own a site and reports how Google crawls, indexes, and ranks it.
- Canonical TagA link element that names the preferred URL for a page so search engines consolidate duplicate or similar versions.
- Bing Webmaster ToolsMicrosoft's free tool for verifying site ownership and monitoring how Bing crawls and indexes your pages.
Official references
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Put this into practice.
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