Sitemap
A file that lists a website's important pages, helping search engines discover and crawl them efficiently.
A sitemap (usually an XML file) is a list of the pages on your site you want search engines to find. It acts as a map that helps crawlers discover content, especially on large or newly launched sites.
Good practice
Keep it current, include only the pages you want indexed, and submit it through tools like Google Search Console. Most modern site platforms generate one automatically.
Why it matters
A sitemap makes it easier for search engines to find all your important pages — particularly useful when a site is new and has few external links pointing to it yet.
Related Terms
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301 Redirect
A permanent redirect that sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one, passing along most of the old page's ranking value.
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Alt Text
A written description of an image in a page's HTML, used by screen readers and search engines to understand what the image shows.
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Anchor Text
The visible, clickable words of a hyperlink, which give readers and search engines a clue about the linked page's topic.