Given that XML sitemaps are intended to assist Google, site owners may assume they play a role in search rankings. But is that true?
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Not to be confused with HTML sitemaps, which are designed to be viewed by humans, XML sitemaps are solely for search engines.
Given that XML sitemaps are intended to assist Google, site owners may assume they play a role in search rankings.
SEO experts even suggest XML sitemaps are so crucial to search that the absence of one can negatively impact rankings.
Alternate claims suggest Google has progressed past the need for XML sitemaps, and site owners can forego them altogether.
Despite only being used by search crawlers, is it possible XML sitemaps have nothing to do with rankings?
This chapter will answer that question as we investigate the various claims about XML sitemaps being a Google search ranking factor.
The Claim: XML Sitemaps Are A Ranking Factor
An XML sitemap is a list of a website’s pages that assists Google with discovering new URLs and recognizing when existing ones have changed.
XML sitemaps are often recommended as an SEO best practice, with claims suggesting they’re required in order for a website to rank to its full potential.
SEO experts may point out the absence of an XML sitemap as a red flag that’s holding a website back in search results.
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Read Full Story: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ranking-factors/xml-sitemaps/
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