So what the heck is a sitemap? Simply put an XML sitemap is a document or file that lists the URLs of a website that is created using XML (Extensible Markup Language) for the purpose of submitting to search engines to be included in their index. An example image of a XML sitemap is provided you can also view the example XML sitemap here.

This map allows search engines to see the locations (URLs) of the content pages on your site. Optionally you can also include information about how often you update a page, or how important it is in relation to other pages on your domain.

I know what you’re thinking. . . what does that mean for me and my small business? How can I use the sitemap to my advantage? and how do I even create one?

Having a sitemap helps Search Engines to quickly crawl through your site, and better understand the importance of pages within your site. It’s a valuable Search Engine Optimization tool for indexing hard to reach pages and new content. If you run an eCommerce website having your XML sitemap dynamically generated every time a new product is added or once a night allows for search engines to quickly identify the new content instead of having to go from link to link to find the new content. The link to link process takes more time to find new content URLs which is one of the main reasons the XML sitemap protocol was created.

You could go to the official website that dictates the XML sitemap protocol, Sitemaps.org, and code one by hand or you could use our free xml sitemap generator. This site will create and email an XML sitemap to you, so you too can be quickly indexed by search engines. Just make sure you name it sitemap.xml, and place it in your root directory!