A Sitemap lists all Pages/Posts in a particular given Wordpress Blog/Website. With the help of Sitemap, you can help various Search Engines in discovering your Blog/Website Content (including URLs) that may not be discoverable by their Normal Crawling Process.
In this post we will learn (in short) about Wordpress XML and XHTML Sitemaps. With the Help of both XML and XHTML Sitemaps, your Wordpress Blog will get better Indexed by major Search Engines like Google, Yahoo!, Bing etc.
Let’s see about Wordpress XML Sitemap and XHTML Sitemap in brief:
Wordpress XML Sitemap
XML stands for Extensible Markup Language and Wordpress XML Sitemap is one of the widely preferred Plugin around the World for various Self Hosted Wordpress Blogs.
With the help of this Plugin you can easily configure:
- Priority for your Posts, Pages, Categories, Tags, Author Pages and Archive Pages
- Change Frequency for your Wordpress Homepage, Posts, Static Pages, Categories, Tag Pages and Yearly/Monthly Archives.
- Which part of your Blog must be included/excluded in the Sitemap
In order to understand Priority and Change Frequency for Wordpress XML Sitemap, you can refer Sitemap Protocol Page
The XML Sitemap Plugin also helps Pinging various Search Engines like Google, Yahoo!, Bing, Ask etc, as soon as you update/add content to your Wordpress Blog.
If you want to Install XML Sitemap for your Wordpress Blog, than you can get it from here. Make sure you go through it’s Installation Guidelines and FAQs. Installation Guidelines and FAQs covers almost all points relating to XML Sitemap, still you have any doubt you can ask it at Official Wordpress Support Forum or just drop a comment below
Bonus Tips:
- Make sure you include your Wordpress XML Sitemap Address in your robots.txt file like THIS
- Make use of All in One SEO Pack Plugin with Wordpress XML Sitemap
- Make sure you Submit your XML Sitemap to Google, Yahoo! and Bing
Wordpress XHTML Sitemap
XHTML stands for Extensible Hypertext Markup Language. Wordpress XHTML Sitemap helps you Link all your Blog Pages, Posts, Monthly Archives, Categories and Feeds from a Single Wordpress Static Page (Example of XHTML Sitemap). This XHTML Sitemap is equally helpful for Search Engines as well as visitors!
Google Webmasters Guidelines Clearly States that:
- Make a site with a clear hierarchy and text links. Every page should be reachable from at least one static text link.
- Offer a site map to your users with links that point to the important parts of your site.
And to both the Points above, XHTML Sitemap serves the purpose. You can download and read complete information about XHTML Sitemap here
Some Important Points regarding XHTML Sitemap:
- No matter whether your XHTML Sitemap Page consists of URLs greater than 100 or less than 100, It won’t hurt your blog in any aspect. Search Engine Bots may process or completely ignore this XHTML Sitemap Page, if it consists more than 100 URLs.
- If you are using noindex meta tag for any of your Posts/Pages/Categories, than XHTML Sitemap is not going to change anything.
Feel Free to ask your Queries/Share your Thoughts in the Comment Form below. I’ll try my level best to solve your Queries or will give you suitable sources.
Also See: How to Add a Sitemap for Blogspot/Blogger Blogs?
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