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XML Sitemap
Definition
An XML sitemap is a machine-readable list of the pages on your site that you want search engines to find and index.
In plain English
It isn't a menu for humans. It's a file, usually at /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml, that says “here is every URL worth indexing, and when each one last changed”.
Search engines use it as a discovery shortcut instead of relying purely on following links.
Why it matters
A sitemap won't make weak pages rank, but it removes an entire class of problem: pages Google never found.
It matters most for new sites with few backlinks, large sites with deep structures, and any page not linked prominently from your navigation.
How it works
- Generate itWordPress has a basic one built in. Yoast, Rank Math and All in One SEO produce better ones.
- Include only indexable pagesNo noindex pages, no tag archives you don't want ranked, no thin pages.
- Submit it in Search ConsoleThen read the coverage report to see what got excluded, and why.
- Keep it currentIt should regenerate itself the moment you publish.
Open the coverage report
It's the most useful SEO screen most people never look at. It tells you page by page exactly why something isn't indexed.
Related terms
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