What is Sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a file, usually found at yourcompany.com/sitemap.xml, that lists the pages you want search engines to know about. It may also include when each page was last updated. It is written for search engines, not for visitors.

A sitemap helps Google discover pages, especially on new sites, large sites or pages that are not well linked. It does not guarantee a page will be indexed or ranked, but it removes one obstacle. You can submit it in Google Search Console and see which pages Google has processed.

A good sitemap includes only the pages you want in search, not duplicates, redirects or private pages. Many platforms generate one automatically, but the default is not always clean. We set up and check sitemaps as part of technical SEO and launches.