HTML sitemap can help Google better understand the architecture and relationships on your site. This is even more useful for sites that have a very large number of pages.
Indeed, even though an HTML sitemap is not essential for the success of a website, it still has its advantages. It is a useful tool for search engines that helps organize and structure the content of a site. The presence of an HTML sitemap can make it easier for search engines to crawl the content and improve the indexing of the site in search results. This can help increase the visibility of the site and its effectiveness in search engines.
Although not required, it is recommended to france phone number data have both an HTML and an XML sitemap. Each type has its own specific advantages, and combining the two can provide a more comprehensive view of the structure and content of a website. Overall, the benefits of a sitemap outweigh the disadvantages, making it a best practice for optimizing content and improving website performance.
Now you may be wondering how to create these two files and what to do with them - so let's look at some ways to create these files and where to place them on your website.
How to create an XML Sitemap
First, we'll go over how you can create sitemaps from scratch, and then we'll get to some great tools that can do it for you.
XML sitemaps have specific criteria to be rendered as valid.
Only URLs that you want to index should appear in your sitemap. This means no redirected URLs, non-canonical URLs, or pages marked as unindexable.
Do not use session identifiers.
Include Primary only if you have two versions of your website (mobile and desktop).
Include media assets such as videos, photos, and news.
Use hreflang to show Google that there are alternative language versions of your website.
Google's documentation states that it uses <lastmod>, but only if it's consistent and verifiable. If you can't keep it accurate, don't use it.
Google currently ignores the <priority> and <changefreq> tags.
Google will not crawl your URLs in the order they are listed, nor does it guarantee indexing.
A sitemap should be updated regularly - automatically or manually - otherwise Google may not trust it.
Google will crawl the links on your site,
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