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.
Monthly Scanning for New and Updated Pages
LinkStorm scans XML sitemaps once a month 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.txtfile 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 asitemap_index.xmlfile. 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.xmlfile.
When the Sitemap Discovery and Updates Happen
Once per month, LinkStorm:
Scans for new or updated sitemaps using the discovery methods outlined above.
Recrawl all the pages listed in these sitemaps in order to update link suggestions.
This consistent update process ensures that your internal linking suggestions remain accurate and up-to-date with your website's latest content.
Learn how LinkStorm crawls your website.
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.
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.xmlfile. 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
lastmodField Appropriately: Ensure that thelastmodfield 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.txtfile.Use a
sitemap_index.xmlfile to consolidate multiple sitemaps and make them easier to discover.Update the
lastmodfield 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.