In this article, I would like to discuss a Sitemap and its usefulness in search engine optimization. Here we will learn the importance of a sitemap, what is the size of an XML sitemap, and how to a create sitemap.

If I have to describe a Map in words, I would say a tool to make you reach point A to Point B. Today, I am going to talk about the map, but this is for the website. Hence, It is called a Site Map.

Whenever a website owner creates a website or adds a new blogpost; Search engine crawlers/bots come over the website; Crawlers start scanning all pages to gather information and, based on content types, start indexing in databases. Whenever you type in something on the google search bar, it starts showing the list of top relevant websites.

A good Search Engine Optimization(SEO) practice says it is always a great idea to help crawlers find routes that lead to every page of your website to improve ranking on SERP. In this way, the crawler’s job will get must easier and faster.

Importance of Sitemap

1)Sitemap helps to get your page indexed by Search Engine.
When you have a new website or a new blog, it is evident that the number of backlinks is challenging to acquire. In that case, site map submissions can help to get noticed by search engine bots.

2)In the case of older websites, Whenever a new post is updated, any changes made, and when a new site map is submitted to the search console, it sends a signal to search engine crawlers for the latest updates, and thus it gets indexed and ranked.

Suppose two persons are heading towards Jungle; one is carrying a map in hand. The other is walking without any plan and thinking that finding routes is easy when asking directly to people passing by; This process is time-consuming and doesn’t guarantee the destination. The same happens with the crawlers. Without sitemaps, crawlers could miss out on any crucial page of your website, and that page will never show up in search engines. Hence, Sitemap has become essential in technical SEO.

Sitemap File Size

The Sitemap file size max limit is up to 50 MB or 50000 URLs in numbers. In the big websites, if this max out, then alternatively, a long listing file can be divided into small listing files to create multiple sitemaps.

A simple way is to create a sitemap index file containing all the sitemaps list and submit it to the Google Search Console.

The type of XML Sitemaps is also divided based on the content of your website.

1)XML sitemap for webpages
2)XML Sitemap for Images
3)XML Sitemap for Video

That means, Sitemap is generated separately for pages, images, and videos.

XML Sitemap creation with Yoast SEO-

Yoast SEO provides great Sitemap functionality features.
Go to WordPress plugins and search for Yoast SEO plugin, install, and activate.

Once it is activated, Go to Yoast SEO—> General Features—> XML Sitemaps.

Now you will have the updated XML sitemap lists on the screen. The next step is to submit this list to Google.

There are two methods to submit a sitemap to search engine :

1)Mention Sitemap file or index file address in Robots.txt File

2)Submit to Google Search Console

I hope you liked this article. Thank you reading.