How to Easily Build XML and HTML Sitemaps on Your WordPress Site

Sitemaps are essential tools for enhancing your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). They help search engines like Google easily discover and index your site’s content. This guide will walk you through the process of creating XML and HTML sitemaps for your WordPress website, ensuring better visibility and smoother navigation for both users and search engines alike.

What Is a Sitemap?

A sitemap provides information on all the pages, posts, and content included on your site. There are essentially two types of sitemaps:

• XML Sitemaps: Designed to assist search engines such as Google and Bing in cataloging your website.
• HTML Sitemaps: Used by users to easily see how a website is arranged.

Why Are Sitemaps Important for WordPress?

Sitemaps are beneficial for various reasons:

• Enhance Discoverability: Help search engines discover all your content, especially new or updated pages.
• Boost SEO: Improve your SEO ranking by ensuring a better site crawl rate.
• User-Friendly Navigation: Allow users to find important content through an organized layout (in the case of HTML sitemaps).
• Efficient Indexing: Facilitate faster indexing of content, particularly for large sites with many pages.

Part 1: How to Create an XML Sitemap in WordPress

1. Use a Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)

The easiest way to generate an XML sitemap in WordPress is by using a plugin. Here are the top plugin choices:

a. Yoast SEO Plugin

Steps:

1. Install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin from the WordPress Plugin Directory.
2. Go to your WordPress dashboard → SEO → General.
3. Under the Features tab, ensure that the XML sitemaps option is turned on.
4. Click on the question mark icon beside XML sitemaps and select “See the XML sitemap.”

Your sitemap will usually be available at:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml

b. All in One SEO (AIOSEO)

Steps:

1. Install and activate the AIOSEO plugin.
2. Navigate to All in One SEO → Sitemaps.
3. Enable the Enable Sitemap option.
4. Customize your sitemap settings if needed.

Your sitemap will typically be available at:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml

2. Use WordPress’s Built-in Sitemap (For Simpler Sites)

As of version 5.5, WordPress includes a built-in XML sitemap. To view it, simply visit:
https://yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml

Note: This version offers limited customization, so it’s best suited for simpler websites.

3. Submit Your XML Sitemap to Google Search Console

Once your XML sitemap is created, you should submit it to search engines.

Steps to submit to Google:

1. Visit Google Search Console.
2. Select your website property.
3. Go to Sitemaps in the left menu.
4. Enter your sitemap URL (sitemap.xml or sitemap_index.xml) and click Submit.

Part 2: Creating an HTML Sitemap in WordPress: A Step-by-Step Guide

HTML sitemaps not only guide your visitors through your website with ease but also give your SEO a boost by enhancing internal linking.

1. Use a Plugin for HTML Sitemaps

Several plugins offer user-friendly ways to create HTML sitemaps.

a. Simple Sitemap Plugin

Steps:

1. Install and activate the Simple Sitemap plugin.
2. Create a new page in WordPress.
3. Use the shortcode [simple-sitemap] for pages or [simple-sitemap-group] for categorized listings.
4. Publish the page and add it to your menu or footer for easy access.

b. WP Sitemap Page Plugin

Steps:

1. Install and activate the plugin.
2. Create a new page.
3. Insert the shortcode [wp_sitemap_page] to display the sitemap.
4. Publish the page and include it in your site navigation.

2. Create a Custom HTML Sitemap Manually (For Full Control)

If you prefer not to use plugins:

Steps:

1. Create a new page in WordPress and name it something like “Site Map” or “Sitemap.”
2. Manually add links to all important pages and posts.
3. Use bullet points or list elements for better readability.
4. Update the page as you add or remove content from your website.

This method requires more maintenance but gives you complete control over the sitemap layout.

Best Practices for Managing Sitemaps

1. Keep Your Sitemap Updated

Your sitemap acts as a roadmap for search engines, helping them navigate and index your website efficiently. To ensure all your content is being crawled, keep your sitemap updated to reflect the latest changes, such as new pages, posts, or any removed content. Most sitemap plugins, like Yoast or Rank Math, handle this automatically. However, if you’re managing your sitemap manually, make it a habit to update it regularly whenever changes are made to your site.

2. Exclude Irrelevant Pages

Not every page on your website needs to be listed in your sitemap. Including irrelevant or unnecessary pages, such as login pages, thank-you pages, or admin pages, can clutter your sitemap and make it harder for search engines to focus on your core content. Thankfully, most sitemap plugins offer options to easily exclude such pages, helping you maintain a clean and streamlined sitemap focused on the most important pages.

3. Limit the Number of URLs per Sitemap

For large websites, managing your sitemap can be tricky due to the sheer volume of URLs. Google recommends keeping each sitemap file under 50,000 URLs to ensure proper crawling and indexing. If your site exceeds this limit, break your sitemap into multiple smaller index files to organize your content effectively.

4. Place Sitemap Links in the Footer

For HTML sitemaps, providing a link in your website’s footer is a great way to enhance visibility. Not only does this make it easier for users to discover all the content on your site, but it also helps search engines find and crawl the sitemap efficiently. Adding a footer link ensures that your sitemap remains easily accessible, improving both user experience and SEO performance.

Troubleshooting Common Sitemap Issues

1. Sitemap Not Updating

If your sitemap isn’t updating, start by clearing your cache, including both your browser cache and any plugin cache that might be interfering. Check that your sitemap plugin is active and configured properly to reflect changes. Some plugins may require you to manually update the sitemap or re-save your settings to trigger updates.

2. Sitemap Not Showing in Search Console

If your sitemap isn’t appearing in Google Search Console, double-check the URL format of your sitemap. Make sure it’s accessible by visiting the sitemap URL directly in your browser. Also, confirm that your site is properly verified in Google Search Console, as an unverified site won’t display any sitemaps.

3. Errors in Sitemap

When errors appear in your sitemap, use the “Inspect URL” tool in Google Search Console to get a detailed diagnosis. Common issues include broken links, restricted pages blocked by robots.txt, or URLs that return a 404 error. Review your sitemap file to ensure all listed URLs are accessible and valid. If you’re using a plugin, try regenerating the sitemap to fix potential formatting or inclusion problems.

Conclusion

Creating both XML and HTML sitemaps for your WordPress website is essential for optimal SEO and user experience. XML sitemaps help search engines index your site accurately, while HTML sitemaps improve navigation for your visitors. Whether you prefer using plugins or manual methods, implementing and maintaining sitemaps ensures that your site remains discoverable, organized, and up to date.

For more detailed guides and tips on optimizing your WordPress site, explore our WordPress SEO resources.