A `sitemap.xml` file is an essential component for any website, as it helps search engines understand the structure of your site. Here’s a simple overview of what it typically includes:
- URL Entries: Each page on your website that you want to be indexed should be listed.
- Last Modified Date: Indicates the last time a page was updated.
- Change Frequency: Suggests how often the content on the page is likely to change (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
- Priority: Indicates the importance of a page relative to other pages on your site (from 0.0 to 1.0).
Here is a simple example of what a `sitemap.xml` might look like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap-image/1.1">
<url>
<loc>http://www.example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2023-10-01</lastmod>
<changefreq>monthly</changefreq>
<priority>1.0</priority>
</url>
<url>
<loc>http://www.example.com/about</loc>
<lastmod>2023-09-15</lastmod>
<changefreq>yearly</changefreq>
<priority>0.5</priority>
</url>
</urlset>
Make sure to keep your `sitemap.xml` file updated as your website grows or changes!