XML-Sitemap

XML Sitemap: machine-readable list of all URLs including optional metadata (lastmod, priority, video/images). Helps crawlers find pages and is submitted in the Search Console. Limit: 50,000 URLs or 50 MB, otherwise split.

An XML sitemap is, simply put, a list of individual pages or every URL of your website. There is a difference between an HTML and an XML sitemap. While the former is a clear compilation for visitors to a site, the latter is a machine-readable list for the search engine.

Search engines, such as Google, can use these XML sitemaps to find pages on your website that might otherwise be overlooked. Therefore, it is always advisable to create such a map and submit it to Google to ensure that all URLs are captured and indexed by the crawler. Negative impacts from a submission are, according to Google, not an issue. Sometimes it is also called a Google Sitemap, as it can be stored for a page in the Search Console.

In addition, sitemaps can store metadata for videos, images, mobile content, and news. For example, the use of a video sitemap can specifically convey how long a video lasts, whether it is suitable for families, or which category it can be assigned to. However, the use of an XML sitemap is not only suitable for this. Additional information about your website, the date of the last update, or the cycle in which the page is usually updated are just a few examples of what can additionally be conveyed with this file.

An advantage is also that webmasters have the opportunity to pass link juice to subpages. It is therefore often linked on the homepage of a website, as it usually passes on the most link strength to the subpage.

When is the use of an XML sitemap particularly useful?

If your website contains dynamic content
If your website is still relatively new and has few or no backlinks (thus making it difficult for the Google crawler to find it)
If the website contains pages that are difficult for the Google Bot to access (e.g., due to Rich AJAX)
If your website contains a large content archive in which the pages are little to not linked at all to each other
A known problem and how we solve it:

The map file may contain a maximum of 50,000 URLs. Additionally, it must be 50 MB or smaller when uncompressed. At arboro, we have developed a special plugin that cleverly circumvents this problem and ensures that all your pages are indeed included in the index.

This plugin for Shopware creates an index file containing several Sitemap.xml files, each including 20,000 items. All files are compressed with GZip to prevent unnecessary network load. The generation of the sitemap files is triggered by a cron job, so the sitemap files do not need to be generated in real-time with each call, but can be retrieved locally from the server as files. This results in a significant performance improvement for your Shopware store.

Content and structure of an XML sitemap

The structure of an XML sitemap is always similar. Initially, the XML version and encoding must be specified in the file:

<?xml version=“1.0″ encoding=“UTF-8″?>

This is the reference to the XML map protocol used.

<url>

This command lists all important URLs.

These are additional attributes that can be added to the URLs, such as the last update of the URL, for example.

A link can be prioritized with <priority>.

Creation of an XML sitemap

Normally, XML sitemaps are created using the tools offered by content management systems. Many CMS like WordPress, Joomla!, or Typo3 provide this option with their respective integrated tools. If this option is not available, there is the opportunity to use a wide range of free or paid tools. Additionally, after uploading, you can receive indications of any issues with the XML sitemap through the Google Search Console.

Meaning for SEO

An XML sitemap makes it easier for Google as a search engine to find difficult-to-access pages, optimizing the crawling process. However, this does not necessarily improve a site's ranking. A well-maintained site map can help content on a page be found more quickly. Even smaller sites with few links have the chance to be listed on Google. For those who want to be listed on Google News, such a map is mandatory, by the way.