A sitemap is similar to the contents or table of contents of a book. It helps users quickly find the information they need.
In addition, sitemap is useful for SEO because it speeds up the indexing of pages by search engines.
Why do we need a sitemap
Today, a sitemap is mainly needed to help search engines quickly find a list of all the pages on the site. With the increase in pages on sites up to hundreds and thousands of people search for information through the site map has become very long and inconvenient. Multi-level menus are now offered for the convenience of users.
What sites need a sitemap
A sitemap is needed for every site that needs to get into the search engines, and especially:
- New sites. Having a sitemap will help get into search results faster for keywords.
- Resources with dozens of sections. For example, online stores or online encyclopedias are better to create a map and thus make it easier for users and robots to find content.
- Sites without linking. The absence of external links makes it difficult for robots to find not only the desired content, but also the resource itself.
- Sites with multimedia. For example, news resources with images, video and audio sitemap helps to promote content in search engines.
- Sites with constantly updated content.
Resources with good navigation and logical structure need only to create an XML-map for search engine crawlers. There is no need for a sitemap – users will be able to cope without a table of contents. The same applies to business card sites.
What should not be added to sitemap
When you create a sitemap it should be noted that it affects search engine results, so some pages should not be added to sitemap:
- Technical files with service information.
- Obsolete pages.
- Deleted 404 pages. Also you should not add password-protected data with a 401 code.
- “Junk.” Duplicates and other useless information for search engine.