What Is an XML Sitemap?
An XML sitemap is a file (usually at /sitemap.xml) that lists URLs you want search engines to crawl, along with optional metadata like last modification date, change frequency, and priority. It follows the Sitemaps Protocol and can reference sub-sitemaps via a sitemap index file for large sites.
Why XML Sitemaps Matter for SEO
Sitemaps help search engines discover pages that might not be found through normal link-following — new pages without inbound links, deep pages, or pages behind JavaScript navigation. They also communicate which pages have been recently updated, signaling crawl priority.
How to Create and Maintain Sitemaps
Include only canonical, indexable URLs (200 status, no noindex). Keep sitemaps under 50,000 URLs or 50MB. Submit your sitemap via Google Search Console and reference it in your robots.txt. Use CrawlBeast to validate that all sitemap URLs return 200.
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