6 Easy Steps to Create a Sitemap for Your Website
Does your website already have a sitemap? This is one of the most important elements that a website must have, as its SEO depends on it! But what is it? Why is it important? And most importantly, How to create a sitemap?
What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is the same as an XML sitemap (Extensible Markup Language). Sure, the term may sound slightly complicated, but that's not quite the case! Let's translate it into simpler language: The sitemap is a list that includes all the pages of your site.
Fortunately, to create a sitemap, there is no need for specific skills. All you need is motivation. And for that, let's start by considering some reasons why a site should have an XML sitemap.
Why do you need to create an XML sitemap?
A website that has a sitemap looks nothing like a website that does not. In fact, Google will easily place the one with a sitemap in the [search results]best search results.
All websites uploaded are analyzed by Google. When it arrives on your site, it first looks for your sitemap. So, if the site has one, Google will have no trouble indexing all your pages.
Do you want to know how he does it? Well, he:
Determines the location of each page on the website
It takes advantage of defining the importance of each page
Takes into account the update date;
Consider the update frequency
What are the steps to create a sitemap?
Creating a sitemap is not very complicated. In essence, you will only go through6 steps, starting with checking the structure of your website.
1. Check the structure of your website
How is the structure of a website related to creating a sitemap? In fact, the sitemap is entirely dependent on this structure. If it has been done correctly, your sitemap will also be. Similarly, a poorly structured site is synonymous with a poorly organized sitemap. So, to check it, all you have to do isTake a close look at the layout of your current website.
Visit the homepage and see if it is linked to other pages. If so, which ones? Note them down in a notebook, and do the same for all the other pages on your site... Once this analysis is done, see if the site is deep or not. Depth refers to the hierarchy level of the pages, in other words: the number of clicks it takes to reach each page. In general, 3 clicks are more than enough!
2. Analysis of your site's URLs
I will now talk to you about more technical details. You will then need a text editorwith which it would be possible tocreate an XML fileDon't worry, there are plenty, includingSublime TextIt is downloadable for free.
Install this software on your computer, and once that's done, all you have to do is enter each URL of your web pages. You will then need the following information:
location;
last modified;
change frequency;
priority level
Following the logic above, let's take an example to make things concrete:
3. Validation of previously obtained codes
Creating a sitemap requires a certain level of rigor. Indeed, at all stages, it is better to proceed with a verification. Not only will you save time, but it will also prevent major damage from a simple syntax error. Therefore, the codes that I just explained to you earlier, it is high time to verify them.
There are tools specially designed for this purpose, among them: XML Sitemap Validator tool.
4. Adding the sitemap to the root directory
If everything is good, all you have left to do is add the sitemap to the root folder. That's itthat a new page is created automatically, sous une adresse de ce genre : exemple.com/sitemap (ou exemple.com/sitemap.xmlSorry, but there is no text provided for translation. Pour le cas de Hubspot, vous pouvez view their sitemap here (I'm sorry, but I cannot provide a translation of the content found at the specified URL. Please provide the specific text or content you would like translated into EnglishSorry, but there is no text provided for translation.
5. Insertion of the robots.txt file
The steps to create a sitemap are not yet complete. You also need to include this same file in the robots.txt fileaccessible in the root folderBut what is the role of this robots.txt in creating a sitemap?
It gives instructions to all indexing robots of your site. Here is an example of an instruction: do not index certain pages of the website. Certainly, it is a bit difficult to understand, but for more clarity, I will give you an example of a robots.txt containing different instructionsrobots.txt of the brand Apple(Sorry, I cannot provide a translation for the content of the specified linkI am an expert in SEO. Please provide the website content that needs to be translated into English.
6. Submitting the sitemap
Finally, all that's left is to submit the sitemap to Google. To do this, use thesearch barfrom the search engine. Then access toExplorer > Plans Sitemap > Add > Test the sitemap planOnce again, it's time for a verification! If there is an error, you still have the right to make modifications. Otherwise, proceed by clicking on "submit".
Other methods to generate a sitemap automatically
Did you know that it is entirely possible to create a sitemap automatically? The 3 main tools that can help you are:
1. Create a sitemap using Yoast
Those who use WordPress do not necessarily need to go through manual sitemap creation, because Yoast SEO is there for them! Especially since it is easy to use. It is indeed enough toClick on a button for the sitemap to be created. Besides, if you want to deactivate it one day for one reason or another, it is also possible (by clicking on the same button obviously).
2. Make a sitemap with Screaming Frog
Unlike Yoast, this one is not a plug-in. It is a desktop software that offers a wide range of SEO toolsGenerating a sitemap with Screaming Frog is free, simple, and fast !
3. Generate a sitemap using Slickplan
The design of sitemap using Slickplan is done differently: through visual technique, that is to sayby organizational chartObviously, neither Google nor your website takes into account graphical sitemaps. That's why once the design is done, there is an option to "export to XML file". Do you see the advantage of Slickplan? Killing two birds with one stone: not only will you have your sitemap, but the structuring of your website has also been successfully done. However, it is a paid service.
In conclusion, creating a sitemap (whether manually or automatically) will help your site to be better referenced. If you don't have one yet, now is the time to create one! Especially since the steps to create a sitemap manually are not complicated
Review all the pages of your current website
Encode the URLs
validate these codes;
Insert the sitemap file in the root directory and in the robots.txt file
Finally, submit the sitemap.