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Search Engine Optimization => SEO Basics => Topic started by: hufujiyu on 12-07-2011, 00:11:56

Title: how to put a text-based sitemap on my site?
Post by: hufujiyu on 12-07-2011, 00:11:56
Putting together a text based sitemap and put it on our site is a good way for page ranking.Because there's a lot of navigation that spiders can't understand, such as flash, forms, java and javascript. Putting together a text-based sitemap gives the bots a way to navigate around the site.Can you tell me how to put a text-based sitemap on my site? Any help is welcomed!


Title: Re: how to put a text-based sitemap on my site?
Post by: anilkh7058 on 08-01-2023, 02:18:19
 To put a text-based sitemap on your site, you need to follow a few steps:

1. Create a new document: Open a text editor or any code editor of your choice and start a new document. Save it with a filename like "sitemap.txt" or "sitemap.xml".

2. Structure your sitemap: Use a simple yet organized structure to represent the different pages of your website. You can use plain text or XML format, depending on your preference.

3. List your webpages: Within the sitemap, list all the URLs of your webpages. Make sure to include the full URL, including the https:// or http:// prefix.

4. Include additional information (optional): For each webpage listed in the sitemap, you can optionally provide additional information such as the last modified date, the frequency of updates, or the priority of the page. This helps search engines understand the importance and freshness of your content.

5. Save and upload: Once you're done creating the sitemap, save the file and upload it to the root directory of your website. This means placing the file directly in the main folder that contains all your website files.

6. Reference it in robots.txt (optional): If you want to ensure search engines find and recognize your sitemap, you can add a reference to it in your website's robots.txt file. Include a line like:
   ```
   Sitemap: https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml
   ```

7. Notify search engines: To ensure search engines are aware of your sitemap, submit it through their respective tools, such as Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools.

additional details and best practices for creating a text-based sitemap:

1. Use a consistent format: If you choose to use an XML format, follow the XML syntax rules and ensure that each URL is enclosed within appropriate tags, such as `<url>` and `</url>`. If you opt for a plain text format, separate each URL with a new line.

2. Group related pages: Group your URLs based on their relevance or logical categories. This can make it easier for search engine bots to understand the structure of your website.

3. Consider hierarchical structure: If your website has a hierarchical structure, reflect that in your sitemap. You can include subdirectories to represent different sections of your site.

4. Prioritize important pages: When providing additional information in your sitemap, you can assign priority values to indicate the importance of certain pages relative to others. Use values between 0.0 and 1.0, where 1.0 represents the highest priority.

5. Update frequency and last modified date: Including the frequency of updates and the last modified date helps search engines prioritize crawling and indexing tasks. Use terms like "always," "hourly," "daily," "weekly," "monthly," "yearly," or provide a specific date and time.

6. Test the sitemap: Before uploading the sitemap to your website, validate it using online XML validators or check for proper formatting in plain text files. This ensures that search engine bots can properly interpret the sitemap.

7. Monitor your sitemap's performance: Keep an eye on your website's analytics and search engine console to see if search engines are successfully crawling and indexing the pages listed in your sitemap. This will help you identify any potential issues or improvements needed.

few more tips for optimizing your text-based sitemap:

1. Include all important pages: Make sure your sitemap includes all the important pages on your website that you want search engines to crawl and index. This includes your main content pages, blog posts, product pages, and any other relevant sections.

2. Exclude unnecessary pages: On the flip side, exclude any pages that you don't want search engines to index, such as login pages, duplicate content, or low-quality pages. This helps to focus the attention of search engine bots on the valuable content of your site.

3. Keep it concise: While it's important to include all important URLs, avoid adding unnecessary clutter to your sitemap. Stick to the key pages and avoid listing each individual image or media file.

4. Test crawlability: Once your sitemap is in place, use tools like Google Search Console's "URL Inspection" tool to check if search engine bots can access and crawl your sitemap successfully. This can help ensure that search engines are able to navigate through your site effectively.

5. Update regularly: As you add new pages or remove existing ones, remember to update your sitemap accordingly. Regularly maintaining and updating your sitemap ensures that search engines have the most accurate and up-to-date information about your website.

6. Use canonical URLs: If you have multiple versions of a page (such as HTTP and HTTPS, or with different query parameters), specify the canonical URL in your sitemap to indicate the preferred version for indexing. This helps to consolidate the indexing signals for that page.