Only launching a website is not enough in this digital landscape where there are millions of similar websites on the web. Your website needs to perform and appear better to the users which makes it more accessible for the online users. You need to keep an eye on the SEO practices and structure of the website to improve its performance over the internet. In such situations, an XML sitemap checker can help you find and fix the broken links on your website. You can easily access to any online free sitemap checker and run a diagnosis on your website to find its weak points. If you are not sure how to utilize this tool, here is a quick guide for you.
What is a Sitemap Checker?
A sitemap.xml file refers to a file that is comprised of a few instructions that are followed by the search engine spiders which allow them to crawl better and improve Google indexing benefits. It can help to greatly improve a website’s online presence as well as help to rank on the top of the search engine result pages. With the help of an XML sitemap, any HTML page can be easily found on the web. In simple words, a sitemap is a file that makes it easier for search engines to find the web pages of your website.
A sitemap checker is an online tool that checks the XML sitemap in order to find mistakes so that they can be fixed quickly, improving the overall performance of the website. Things that a sitemap checker looks for,
- Size – The index should be less than 10 MB in order to perform smoothly
- URLs – There should be no more than 50,000 URLs in the list
- Relevance of Domain – the index should always have URLs that belong to the same web address only
- Format – The right format of XML file is readable to Google
- Placement – make sure to put the XML sitemaps in the home path and send them to Google afterward
Pros and Cons of a Sitemap Checker
Pros
- It helps to identify the broken links
- helps to foster faster Google indexing
- Assures accurate search listings
Cons
- It does not support the sitemaps of over 50,000 URLs
- It requires regular validation for updating
- There are no certain penalties for not having a sitemap
How to Use a Sitemap Checker?
The process is quite simple and easy which makes it highly convenient for all kinds of website owners.
- Firstly, you need to add the URL of your XML sitemap in the given box
- After clicking on the button ‘Check’ or Validate; it will take a little while as the tool conducts a complete scrutiny of the website
- Upon completion of the analysis, the verification results will be available immediately
Why Should You Use a Sitemap Checker?
Well, there are plenty of reasons to use a Sitemap Checker and some of the crucial ones are,
- Absolutely free to use
- Easy, quick, and user-friendly
- Works for all kinds of websites and online platforms
- Highly secure and accurate
- Does not require any registration or installation on your device
Bottom Line
XML Sitemap Checkers are highly important to keep your website running smoothly along with the SEO benefits that help it reach potential customers.
