27.13. Basic SEO for WordPress: Creating an XML Sitemap

Basic SEO for WordPress: Creating an XML Sitemap

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial aspect of the success of any website. One of the fundamental tools for improving SEO is the XML sitemap. In this guide, we'll cover the concept of an XML sitemap, its importance, and how you can create one for your WordPress site.

What is an XML Sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a file that lists all the important URLs on your website, allowing search engines like Google to find and crawl all relevant content. It acts as a map that guides search engine robots (crawlers) through all accessible pages, facilitating indexing.

Why is XML Sitemap Important?

The XML sitemap is important for several reasons:

• Efficient Indexing: Helps search engines index your site more efficiently, ensuring that all pages can be found.
• Content updates: When you update your site with new content, the XML sitemap informs search engines about these changes, allowing new pages to be crawled and indexed quickly.
• Site organization: An XML sitemap can provide valuable information about the structure of your site, including the frequency of page updates and the relevance of certain sections over others.

Creating an XML Sitemap in WordPress

Creating an XML sitemap in WordPress is a simple process, thanks to a variety of plugins available. Let's explore the steps to create an XML sitemap using one of the most popular plugins: Yoast SEO.

Installing the Yoast SEO Plugin

First, you need to install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin. For this:

1. Access your WordPress site’s admin panel.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New.
3. Search for 'Yoast SEO' and click 'Install Now'.
4. After installation, click 'Activate'.

Configuring XML Sitemap with Yoast SEO

With Yoast SEO enabled, follow these steps to set up your XML sitemap:

1. In the WordPress side menu, go to SEO > General Resources.
2. Click the 'Resources' tab and locate the 'XML Sitemaps' section.
3. Ensure the 'XML Sitemaps' option is enabled. If not, activate it.
4. Click 'Save changes'.

Now, your XML sitemap is active and configured. You can view it by clicking on the 'View XML sitemap' button that appears just below the option you just activated.

Optimizing your XML Sitemap

While Yoast SEO does a great job of creating an XML sitemap, there are some optimizations you can make:

• Delete irrelevant content: If there are pages on your site that provide no value to search engines (such as privacy policy or terms of service pages), you can exclude them from the XML sitemap. This is done in the 'Post Types' or 'Taxonomy Types' section in the Yoast SEO sitemap settings.
• Update frequency: For pages that are updated frequently, you can indicate a higher update frequency in the XML sitemap to encourage search engines to crawl them more frequently.
• Page Priority: Although Yoast SEO automatically sets page priority, you can manually adjust the priority of specific pages if necessary.

Submitting your XML Sitemap to Google

After creating your XML sitemap, it is a good practice to submit it to Google Search Console to ensure that Google can find it and crawl your site efficiently. To do this:

1. Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account.
2. Select your site property.
3. In the side menu, click on 'Sitemaps'.
4. In the 'Add a new sitemap' field, enter the URL of your XML sitemap and click 'Submit'.

With these steps, you will have created and submitted your XML sitemap, which is a big step towards improving the SEO of your WordPress site. Remember that SEO is an ongoing process and keeping your XML sitemap updated is just one part of it. Continue optimizing your site with quality content, relevant keywords, and a solid site structure to get the best results in search engines.