Google Sitemaps

Google Sitemaps refer to files, primarily XML files, that provide a clear overview of the individual subpages of a website, which web crawlers can use as a guide when searching the World Wide Web. The interlinked pages can also be represented in a map structure, which aids search engine crawlers in indexing (related content) and is thus positive for search engine optimization. They also contain so-called metadata about the subpages, their relation to other URLs, and information about media on a page like videos and images, which are roughly described in the overview. In short: An XML Sitemap is a schematic URL listing.

When to create Google Sitemaps for a website should

The web crawler of the search engine Google – the Googlebot – has a specific amount of time available for each page on the World Wide Web, during which it tries to index as many subpages as possible. It moves to the next page via links. Since Google Sitemaps make indexing easier for the web crawler, resulting in more content being found in the index, creating the sitemap file is important. There are different situations where it makes sense to create the maps: For very extensive websites, new and updated content can be missed (without Google Sitemap); for a large archive that is not linked together but is cohesive; for new websites with few external links through which the Googlebot comes to the page.

How to create a sitemap

As a rule, Google Sitemaps are created as XML files, i.e., in a hierarchically structured form. According to the search engine, all sitemaps must comply with certain requirements in order to be submitted. This includes listing in a uniform syntax, dividing multiple Google Sitemaps, and the use of non-alphanumeric characters. Webmasters can create the map overviews manually or contact a third-party provider who will handle the professional implementation of Google XML Sitemaps. When deciding, one's own experience in dealing with sitemaps should be considered, as creation can be extremely time-consuming for beginners and may lead to erroneous results.

Submitting the XML file to Google: This is how the map is read

In order for the search engine to obtain information for indexing a webpage or URL, you must provide it in the form of the prepared XML file. The simplest way is through the company's webmaster tools, where the Google Sitemaps can be easily uploaded and managed. The system not only reports on faulty sitemaps but also provides detailed information on the last update of a page, the submitted URLs, as well as the subpages included in the index.