Sitemaps are important because they tell search engines where to find your website pages. A sitemap acts like a index of pages, so search engines can read all of your pages and index them appropriately.
There are two distinct types of sitemap that search engine like.
1. HTML sitemap
2. XML Sitemap
HTML Sitemap Code Example
XML Sitemap Code Snipet Example
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Both formats display the same type of information. However, the XML sitemap is easier for search engines to read and contains specific page information such as, priority and change frequency.
It’s not uncommon for websites to have the 2 sitemap formats. Normal website visitors find XML data difficult to read and understand, that’s why HTML is so popular with web site developers. HTML allows websites to be built so that thy look similar to a newspaper or magazine article.
XML Advantages
Data Feed – Can be used to feed data into a database or other storage device quickly
Structured – Contains structured and “clean” data
Small file size – XML is designed to take up less file space compared to other file types
Versatile – XML isn’t software specific and can be opened on many different types of PC
HTML Advantages
CSS and Style Enabled – Can be styled to make pages look good, similar to a magazine article page
Web Compatible – The preferred format to build websites and read websites
Search Engine Friendly – The preferred format search engines like to read websites
Similar to how normal people read pop up banners, XML sitemaps are used by search engines to index and catalogue a website in their search index. They use their search index to periodically revisit a website.