XML Sitemaps Explained: Helping Search Engines Find Pages
How can search engines find your important pages? A sitemap gives them a useful list to explore.
1:47 · No narration: the video shows each step as text on screen, and every step is written out below, with buttons that jump the video to it.
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The six points in the video
This is a silent video. The headings, explanations and labels below reproduce the information on screen.
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Step 1: List important public pages
A sitemap points crawlers towards your preferred URLs.
On-screen labels: Important URLs; Public pages; Preferred versions.
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Step 2: Keep normal links useful
Visitors and crawlers still need a connected website.
On-screen labels: Clear navigation; Related pages; Useful internal links.
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Step 3: Update the list with the site
New pages and removed addresses should be reflected.
On-screen labels: New pages; Removed pages; Current addresses.
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Step 4: Use meaningful update dates
A lastmod value should reflect a significant page change.
On-screen labels: Real content changes; Accurate dates; No false refreshes.
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Step 5: Submit and review it
Search Console can report sitemap processing issues.
On-screen labels: Sitemap address; Submission status; Reported problems.
A practical check for your business
Review which public URLs the sitemap contains and whether they are the versions you want discovered. Keep obsolete or unsuitable entries out of the intended list. Submitting a sitemap helps discovery but does not guarantee indexing or rankings.
Sources and further detail
Common questions
How can search engines find your important pages?
A sitemap gives them a useful list to explore. Keep your sitemap useful and current.
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