- Article
- 2 minutes read
- Reviewed August 4, 2026
An XML sitemap is a machine-readable list of URLs that a website wants search engines to discover.
WordPress core includes an extensible sitemap system. SEO plugins can replace or extend it.
Which URLs Belong in a Sitemap
Include canonical URLs that are:
- Public.
- Indexable.
- Useful.
- Returning
200. - Intended to appear in search.
Avoid redirects, noindex pages, parameter duplicates, broken URLs, private content and staging URLs.
Sitemap Indexes
Large systems use an index that links to several sitemap files.
WordPress can separate URLs by post type, taxonomy, user and pagination.
Last Modification Dates
A reliable last-modified value can help crawlers prioritize recrawling.
Update it when meaningful content changes. Do not change every date automatically on every request.
Core and Plugin Sitemaps
Use one primary sitemap system. Duplicate sitemap generators can create inconsistent URLs and unnecessary confusion.
Submission
Search Console can accept a sitemap index URL.
Submission helps discovery and monitoring but does not guarantee indexing.
Diagnosing Problems
Check HTTP status, XML validity, hostname, HTTPS, canonical consistency, exclusions, cache and plugin conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WordPress include XML sitemaps?
Modern WordPress core includes a basic sitemap system unless it is disabled or replaced.
Should noindex pages appear in the sitemap?
Generally no.
Continue Learning
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