sitemap

7 synonyms for sitemap, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A file listing the addresses of the pages on a website, provided so that search engines can find them all and see when each was last changed.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

XML sitemap URL list index file site structure site index information architecture diagram navigation map

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun technical

A file listing the addresses of the pages on a website, provided so that search engines can find them all and see when each was last changed.

“Submit the sitemap so the new articles get picked up more quickly.”

XML sitemap URL list index file

2. noun neutral

A page or diagram showing how the sections of a website are arranged and how they relate to one another, made for people rather than machines.

“The sitemap is linked in the footer if you would rather browse the structure.”

site structure site index information architecture diagram navigation map

How to use sitemap

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

XML sitemap submit a sitemap sitemap index HTML sitemap

Written sitemap or site map; sitemap is standard for the search-engine file, site map more common for the diagram.

Etymology

A compound of site and map.

Full origin of sitemap →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a sitemap and robots.txt?

A sitemap lists pages a site would like search engines to know about. A robots.txt file tells crawlers which parts of the site they should not request. One suggests what to look at, the other sets out what to leave alone.

Does a sitemap guarantee that pages get indexed?

No. It helps search engines discover addresses, particularly on large sites or pages that few links point to, but each engine still decides for itself which pages to index.

What is the difference between an XML sitemap and an HTML sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a machine-readable file for search engines. An HTML sitemap is an ordinary page listing links for visitors to browse. A site may have either, both or neither.

Nearby words

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