Manage your sitemaps

Managing Large Sitemaps with Sitemap Index Files

When dealing with websites containing a vast number of pages, a single sitemap might exceed the size limit imposed by search engines. In such cases, splitting the sitemap into multiple smaller sitemaps becomes essential. A sitemap index file acts as a roadmap to these smaller sitemaps, enabling search engines to efficiently crawl and index the entire website.

Understanding Sitemap Index Files

A sitemap index file is structured similarly to a regular sitemap file, adhering to the Sitemap Protocol defined by XML format. Essentially, it lists the URLs of all individual sitemaps comprising the complete website structure.

Illustrative Example:

Let's imagine an e-commerce website selling books, electronics, and clothing. Due to the extensive inventory, a single sitemap would be extremely large. Instead, separate sitemaps are created for each category:

• books-sitemap.xml: Contains URLs for all book pages.

• electronics-sitemap.xml: Contains URLs for all electronics pages.

• clothing-sitemap.xml: Contains URLs for all clothing pages.

A sitemap index file (sitemap_index.xml) would then list these individual sitemaps:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<sitemapindex xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <sitemap>
    <loc>https://www.example.com/books-sitemap.xml</loc>
    <lastmod>2023-10-26T10:00:00+00:00</lastmod>
  </sitemap>
  <sitemap>
    <loc>https://www.example.com/electronics-sitemap.xml</loc>
    <lastmod>2023-10-27T14:30:00+00:00</lastmod>
  </sitemap>
  <sitemap>
    <loc>https://www.example.com/clothing-sitemap.xml</loc>
    <lastmod>2023-10-28T09:15:00+00:00</lastmod>
  </sitemap>
</sitemapindex> 

Sitemap Index Best Practices and Requirements

To ensure seamless sitemap index file implementation and optimal crawling by search engines, adhere to these best practices:

• Consistent Hosting: Host all individual sitemaps referenced in the index file on the same domain as the sitemap index file itself.

• Directory Structure: Maintain a structured hierarchy by placing individual sitemaps in the same directory or a subdirectory relative to the sitemap index file.

• Submission Limit: A maximum of 500 sitemap index files can be submitted per site within a Search Console account.

Sitemap Index File Structure and Tags

Similar to regular sitemaps, sitemap index files employ specific tags to define their structure and content.

Required Tags:

• : This root tag encapsulates all other tags within the sitemap index file.

• : This parent tag signifies an individual sitemap listed in the index file.

• : This tag specifies the URL location of the individual sitemap.

Optional Tags:

• : This tag indicates the last modification timestamp of the corresponding sitemap, utilizing the W3C Datetime format.

By correctly implementing sitemap index files and following best practices, website owners can ensure that even large and complex websites are efficiently crawled and indexed by search engines. This leads to improved visibility, discoverability, and ultimately, a better user experience.