Sitemap is one of the most important components of internal SEO . Sitemaps are small files that act as a roadmap for search engine crawlers to find and index our site pages. It is clear that creating a sitemap has a positive effect on our SEO. Because Google and other search engines find new pages of our site with the help of sitemaps and are also informed about updating old pages.
Also, in the sitemap, the importance of all pages is not equal, and in this way, Google identifies our important pages. Because of the importance of sitemaps in SEO and site optimization, in this article we went to sitemaps. We are going to first get acquainted with the structure, function and types of sitemaps. In the following, we will learn how to create a sitemap and register it in Google Search Console. So if you want to learn how to make a site map in WordPress and introduce the site to Google, stay with us until the end of the article.
What is a site map?
Today, we all use the roadmap or the same routing programs as sign and wiz to get to where we are going for the first time. We expect these programs to show us the right way and accurately estimate the time. Search engines like Google, in order to navigate the millions of sites that are constantly changing, need a roadmap or site map to be able to first understand the main topic of the site and crawl it, and secondly to notice changes for better indexing of pages.
A sitemap is a file on your site that helps search engines find, crawl, and index all of your site content. Sitemaps also tell search engines which pages on your site are most important. In general, perhaps the best answer to what a sitemap is is that a sitemap is a roadmap for a website that allows Google to check and identify important pages, and is one of the most important things to look for in SEO techniques. We suggest that you read the article related to SEO technical.
What are the types of sitemaps?
In a general classification, the site map can be divided into 5 categories. We have described this category below, and then we will review 2 of the most important and main site maps.
1- XML sitemap
XML sitemap is the most common sitemap and is located in the robots.txt file for access by Google crawlers and other search engines. This file, like other sitemaps, is not visible to the user.
2- Video map site
Video sitemap works best when you use a lot of movies and videos in your business. With the Map Video site, you let Google know that your site content contains video, otherwise you do not need to use it, and you can use video schema codes to save creep budget.
3- Site Map Image
This type of sitemap is designed to understand images that Google would not normally have access to. But now with today’s SEO, it is possible to index images with page content and there is no need for this file. In addition, to better understand search engines, you can use image schema codes instead of this file.
4- HTML sitemap
This sitemap contains a set of information about the pages and their position for users and is considered as a guide to use the website for the user .
5- News Map site
News sitemap is a special type of sitemap that only indexes news and news articles. We use this sitemap when we want Google to display our news in the Google News section after it is published.
What are the most common sitemaps ?
As mentioned earlier, a sitemap can be structurally divided into several categories. But the most common ones used by most sites are HTML sitemap and XML sitemap.
1- HTML sitemap
HTML sitemap, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language, is for users and visitors who visit the website. This sitemap helps users to easily find the content, information and pages they need. This type of site map does not need to be registered in the search console.
2- XML sitemap
XML sitemap, which stands for Extensible Markup Language, is used to show site content and pages to search engine crawlers; As a result, users will not see this file.
By submitting an XML sitemap, you let Google know how many pages, authors, and categories you have on your site. By doing so, you are actually paving the way for search engine indexes and notifying them of changes or updates. As a result, Google will analyze your site faster and without any problems, which will have a positive effect on your site SEO.
How to create a sitemap in WordPress?
There are many ways to build a sitemap, and in this article we are going to show you two ways.
1- Creating a site map with the help of the Yoost plugin
The easiest and simplest way to build a sitemap is to use the Joast plugin. A plugin that can also be used to optimize pages. In this method, all you have to do is install and activate the plugin, go to the SEO >> General section from the right sidebar of the WordPress counter, and then open the Features tab. In this section, turn the site’s XML maps on and save Press at the end.
Finally, to make sure that you are on the right track and creating the sitemap, click on the question mark next to the xml sitemaps and view the sitemap. Of course, you can also put sitemap_index.xml next to your domain name in your browser to view the site sitemap:
https://www.example.com/sitemap_index.xml
In general, the plugin creates the necessary maps for the contents, pages and categories. Even if you have a store on your site, it will create a relevant sitemap for it.
2- Creating a site map with the help of google xml sitemaps plugin
This method is suitable for people who do not use the Just plugin. In this method, you must first download the free google xml sitemaps plugin from the WordPress repository and install it on WordPress. After activating the plugin, it will automatically create a sitemap for you, which you can see by going to:
https://www.example.com/sitemap_index.xml
Of course , it is worth mentioning that to use this plugin, you need to check its general settings to create a sitemap to make sure that all the important pages of your site are located in it . For example, in the settings section, be sure to check the sections related to Google and Bing search engines , as well as the section related to the sitemap in the robot.txt file .
How to register sitemap in search console?
Before we get into this, you need to know that Search Console is a free tool provided by Google for business owners and webmasters to check on their site. We suggest that you take part in a comprehensive DiamWise search console course to find out what problems your site has and how to resolve them .
To register a sitemap in the search console, after registering and activating the domain, go to the sitemaps section and enter the sitemaps address in the box specified in the image below and click submit to display the details of the sitemap.
Conclusion
As a site owner , you will need a sitemap to help search engines and ultimately gain a positive ranking in SEO . You can create a sitemap with plugins such as yoast , rankmath , google xml sitemaps and other tools to show Google a specific path and guide for indexing pages. Also, after creating a sitemap , if you register it in the free search console tool, you can better manage your site. you have.