SEO · Website glossary

XML sitemap

Quick answer · What is XML sitemap?

A machine-readable file listing URLs a site wants search engines to discover, optionally with supported metadata.

IN PRACTICE

XML sitemap: an example

A publisher lists its preferred public article URLs in a sitemap and references it through supported channels.

KEEP IN MIND

A sitemap is a discovery aid, not a guarantee that every listed URL will be indexed.

Put the idea to work

Frequently asked questions

What is a practical example of XML sitemap?

A publisher lists its preferred public article URLs in a sitemap and references it through supported channels.

Does listing a URL in a sitemap guarantee indexing?

A sitemap is a discovery aid, not a guarantee that every listed URL will be indexed.

Which concepts should I read alongside XML sitemap?

Crawling: The discovery and fetching of pages or resources by an automated crawler.
Canonical URL: The preferred representative URL selected or indicated for a set of duplicate or closely similar pages.