How LinkStorm Handles XML Sitemaps | Link Storm Help Center

XML sitemaps play a vital role in helping LinkStorm discover and monitor the pages on your website. LinkStorm's automated scanning process ensures that your site's pages are consistently kept up-to-date for internal linking opportunities. Here's how XML sitemaps are handled and how you can optimize their use with LinkStorm.

Weekly Scanning for New and Updated Pages

LinkStorm scans XML sitemaps once a week to identify new or updated pages and find new link opportunities.

Sitemap Discovery Process

When connecting a website to LinkStorm, the platform follows a structured process to discover your XML sitemaps:

Checking the robots.txt File: LinkStorm first examines the website's robots.txt file to locate any sitemap URLs listed there.
Looking for a sitemap_index.xml: If no sitemap is found in the robots.txt, LinkStorm searches for a sitemap_index.xml file. This file is commonly used to organize multiple sitemaps and is the recommended approach for large websites.
Searching for sitemap.xml: If neither of the above steps yields results, LinkStorm looks for a sitemap.xml file.

When the Sitemap Discovery and Updates Happen

The sitemap discovery process and weekly update scans occur on the same schedule. Once per week, LinkStorm:

Scans for new or updated sitemaps using the discovery methods outlined above.
Checks the pages listed in these sitemaps for any changes or additions.

This consistent update process ensures that your internal linking suggestions remain accurate and up-to-date with your website's latest content.

Monitoring and Controlling Scanning

The LinkStorm Dashboard provides information about the XML sitemap scan:

Number of Discovered Sitemaps: The Dashboard shows how many sitemaps were discovered during the most recent scan, along with the timestamp of the last scan.
Automatic Scan Toggle: You can disable the automatic sitemap scan by turning off a switch on the Dashboard.

Best Practices for XML Sitemaps

To maximize the efficiency of LinkStorm's sitemap scanning process and improve your site's SEO, follow these best practices:

Consolidate Multiple Sitemaps: If your website uses multiple XML sitemaps, include them in a sitemap_index.xml file. This file acts as a hub, making it easier for LinkStorm and search engines to discover all your sitemaps. For example, refer to the structure shown in this sitemap index.
Update the lastmod Field Appropriately: Ensure that the lastmod field in your sitemaps is updated only when the content of a page has changed. This prevents LinkStorm and search engines from performing unnecessary processing on unchanged pages, saving resources and improving efficiency.

Summary

By scanning your XML sitemaps weekly, LinkStorm keeps track of new and updated pages, ensuring your internal linking strategy remains relevant. To make the most of this feature:

Ensure your sitemap URLs are listed in your robots.txt file.
Use a sitemap_index.xml file to consolidate multiple sitemaps and make them easier to discover.
Update the lastmod field only when the content changes to avoid unnecessary processing.

Following these best practices will help LinkStorm seamlessly integrate with your website and keep your internal linking optimized as your content grows.