XML sitemaps are here to stay, with SEO analysts stating that over half of all websites have them to help crawlers determine a site’s construction. These structured files help guide search engines to key pages, offering additional data to reinforce the nature of what you have to offer visitors. Do you use one, or are you potentially missing out on the opportunity to inform Google about some of your more essential pages?

Below, we answer the question, “What is an XML sitemap?” and help you understand how to use one to boost your search engine ranking. Learn steps and XML sitemap best practices that will improve your business’s visibility today.

What Is an XML Sitemap?

Sitemaps are text-based files that list all the essential pages on a website. They usually reside in the root directory and are almost always called sitemap.xml, making them easy for external crawlers to find. XML sitemaps allow a website owner to clearly define the nature of their site and expect it to be understood the same way, no matter who reads it.

Unlike a standard webpage, an XML sitemap is not for regular site users. Instead, it uses Extensible Markup Language (XML) to structure a list of URLs that appear on the site in a machine-readable way. It allows a crawler to read the information once, and when returning, it makes it easier to learn whether pages have been updated or if new links exist.

An XML sitemap helps search engine crawlers, such as those Google uses, quickly and efficiently understand the full scope of a website’s layout. Because it doesn’t use internal links, it can inform the crawler without requiring the search engine to pull down as much raw data, making it easier for the crawler to parse the site.

How a Sitemap.xml File Impacts Rankings

While an XML sitemap doesn’t directly impact your ranking, it does make it easier to present your website in a way that increases the likelihood of gaining rank.

Organizing your website and sitemap into sections can increase its effectiveness. For example, a structure with branches for products, blogs, or services can make your website easier to crawl and help you visualize its layout.

In making it more straightforward for a crawler to view your web pages, the sitemap can influence things like:

• Indexing speed
• Improved visibility in search results
• Whether internal linking issues cause problems
• Faster discovery of new or updated content
• More clarity of which are the most important pages

These traits all have the potential to support your XML SEO strategy by making your pages more visible. They, thus, ensure that every valuable page you have has a fair chance of appearing on a search engine result page (SERP).

Best Sitemap Practices

To ensure you remain compatible with major search engines, follow the advice found online to produce a sitemap that matches common online standards. These include:

• Limiting the sitemap to 50,000 URLs at most
• Splitting the sitemap into multiple if you exceed the URL number
• Only including canonical URLs
• Updating the sitemap whenever significant changes occur
• Uploading your sitemap to search engines such as Google and validating them there
• Avoiding using URLs that resolve to 404 errors
• Excluding “noindexed” pages or login pages

Following these suggestions will likely build your trustworthiness with search engines, indirectly promoting better ranking.

However, it is essential to note that these practices will not necessarily last forever. Google has recently been notorious for adjusting its algorithms at a moment’s notice, causing significant pivots in how people present both websites and their sitemaps. As such, keep track of announcements they make in locations such as the Search and SEO Blog to have the information necessary to adapt your strategy when necessary.

For example, if Google suddenly emphasizes one kind of page, such as image-heavy links with alt tags, emphasize these pages more in your sitemap to ensure a crawler finds and prioritizes them.

The Purpose of an XML Sitemap in Boosting Local SEO

If your company relies more on local SEO, such as if you are a small- to medium-sized business, it is crucial to localize your sitemap to index content more relevant to your market. For example, emphasizing pages with local structured data, such as business addresses, can increase the likelihood that these addresses will appear in rich results in SERPs.

Doing this can significantly improve visibility in businesses with a geographic focus. You ar€then likely to get more conversions from people searching for the solution you provide in their area.

Monitor and Iterate on Your Sitemap

Review your site on Google Search Console to see which pages receive indexing and how fast they do it. Then, as you get more precise information on which pages Google chooses to index, use that data to re-optimize or remove others to give your other pages more likelihood of success.

You can also investigate editing the sitemap to add or remove pages and then measuring the impact on views or conversions.

When you add new services and products, integrate the URLs into the XML file to learn how Google responds to them. If you find that specific branding or phrasing reduces the likelihood of receiving a high ranking and sees fewer conversions, consider changing your branding to align it with the more successful voice.

In the same way, remove old or outdated promotions from the sitemap or excise specific product lines if necessary.

Leverage a Better Sitemap to Empower Your Brand

Learning what an XML sitemap is and ensuring every valuable page on your website can lead to more potential leads and conversions right when you need them. As such, continue to refine and adapt your XML sitemap over time to empower your brand and keep it relevant.

If you need additional guidance on these improvements, Rose & Cactus can help you achieve the best chance of tangible results. Contact us today to learn how we can turn your sitemap into your next great SEO success.

Laura Pulling Laura is a content strategist, SEO consultant, and lover of quiz nights. She works with global clients to turn great ideas into well-ranked, high-converting content.