Sitemap
A sitemap can make it easier for search engines to find their way around your website - and can therefore also help your SEO. But what is a sitemap, why is it important and how do you create one in practice? Read on and find out.

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What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is basically an overview of the URLs and content on your website. The purpose of a sitemap is to make it easier to find your website - for machines (bots) as well as people (users). Therefore, they are also important for your search engine optimization.
Just like bots and users navigate websites differently, and just like there are different types of content, there are different types of sitemaps. The different types include:
- XML sitemaps
- HTML sitemaps
- Image and video sitemaps.
XML sitemap - what is it?
From an SEO perspective, an XML sitemap is the most important of the different types of sitemaps. The XML sitemap helps search engines navigate and index the content on your website.
This ensures that search engines can find all the content on your website. This is why an XML sitemap can also be important for your SEO - especially if you have a large website with many URLs.
What does an XML sitemap look like?
An XML sitemap looks something like this (simplified example with only one URL):
https://www.hjemmeside.dk/underside
2022-12-02
The XML sitemap is not directly visible to users, but can usually be accessed by entering one of the following URLs in the address bar of your browser:
- https://hjemmeside.dk/sitemap
- https://hjemmeside.dk/sitemap.xml
- https://hjemmeside.dk/sitemap_index.xml
How do I create an XML sitemap?
In practice, you create your XML sitemap by specifying it in your website's robots.txt file or by submitting it in Google Search Console, Google's webmaster tool. If you're like many WordPress users, you can access the robots.txt file in Yoast SEO under Tools > File Editor.

In the Danish context, it is often sufficient to submit your sitemap in Google Search Console, as Google, with a market share of 93%, has a strong position in the Danish market. In other words, Google is where you'll find the majority of your Danish target audience, so you can concentrate on thinking Google-first in your SEO strategy.
In Danish SEO circles, you can more or less talk about Google optimization rather than search engine optimization, as Bing's and other search engines' market share is so small that it hardly pays to optimize against them. Try comparing the results of a Google and Bing search respectively. Few SEOs include Bing in the equation and therefore Bing's results will in many cases be different from Google's.
Here I am in the process of submitting a sitemap to Google.

HTML sitemap - what is it?
An HTML sitemap is essentially a clickable list of subpages on your website. In many ways, an HTML sitemap serves the same function as an XML sitemap, but is designed to make it easier for users to navigate your website.
The HTML sitemap will be visible and readable on its own unique URL to your users - just like any other URL would be. The link to the HTML sitemap is typically placed in the website's footer.
Is an HTML sitemap necessary?
The HTML sitemap has become somewhat redundant - both in terms of user experience (UX) and SEO.
In terms of user experience, most modern websites have a menu structure that makes it easy for users to find their way around, and many websites have internal search functions. Therefore, the HTML sitemap rarely serves a real function in terms of UX.
In terms of SEO, the HTML sitemap is even more redundant if you have an XML sitemap installed on your website - although the SEM reference siteSearch Engine Journal has a different opinion.
In addition, using the HTML sitemap in your SEO strategy is also a somewhat undated practice. A handful of years ago - before various Google algorithm updates made life difficult for black hat SEO practitioners - HTML sitemaps were widely used to manipulate keyword rankings on specific URLs because SEOs used them to manipulate websites' internal link profile.
Image and video sitemaps - what are they?
Image and video sitemaps are somewhat overlooked as they are not relevant for many websites. However, if images and/or videos are the primary focus of your website, you may want to consider creating an image and/or video sitemap on your website. That way, you ensure Google has easier access to visual content rather than specific URLs.
Here is a simple example of a video sitemap from Google Developers.
https://example.com/mypage
Grilling steaks for summer
http://streamserver.example.com/video123.mp4
Frequently asked questions about sitemaps
What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is an overview of subpages on your website that helps search engines and users find their way around the site.
Is a sitemap necessary?
An XML sitemap helps search engines find and understand your content better and is therefore beneficial for SEO - especially on large websites with many subpages.
Should all pages on a website be included in the sitemap?
All pages that need to be indexed by and found on Google should be included in the site map. Typically you would exclude thank you pages and in some cases author and category archives.
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