Using the SITEMAP file for your site in Yandex

• In what cases do I need a SITEMAP file in Yandex
• Yandex supported by Yandex for your site
• SITEMAP file requirements for your site in Yandex
• How to create a SITEMAP file for your site and inform Yandex about it
• Questions and answers to the SITEMAP file for your site in Yandex

The SITEMAP file is a file containing links to the pages of your site that informs the search engines about the structure of the site. Yandex supports XML and TXT formats, while the XML format allows you to transmit additional data.

Note: Yandex does not guarantee that all the links specified in the file will be indexed and will appear in the search results.

In what cases do you need a SITEMAP file for your site in Yandex

Yandex uses special algorithms by which its robot indexes the pages of the site. Usually this happens through internal and external links when the robot passes from one page to another. Sometimes the robot can skip the pages, which makes the SITEMAP file with a useful tool. Use it if on your site:

• A large number of pages are present;
• Some pages have no navigation links;
• The site has deep pages.

Yandex supported by Yandex for your site in Yandex

Yandex supports two main formats of the SITEMAP file:

• XML (recommended format for your site);
• Txt (additional format for your site).

To transmit information about the pages of the site in XML format, use the following elements:

Mandatory elements:

• LOC - page address (required).
• Lastmod - The date of the last renewal of the page (not mandatory, but if indicated, the maximum size is 100 bytes).
• Changefreq - The frequency of page changes (not mandatory, the maximum size is 100 bytes).
• Priority - The significance of the page (not mandatory, but recommended for pages with high priority, the maximum size is 100 bytes).

An example of the correct XML markup for your site:

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"> <url> <loc>http://www.example.com/page1.</loc> <lastmod>2005-01-01</lastmod> <changefreq>monthly</changefreq> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> ... </urlset> 

This format is used to transmit URLs of the pages of your site. Example for TXT format:

 https://www.example.com/page1. https://www.example.com/page2. 

Also, using Sitemap, you can transmit information about localized pages of your site and images (for Yandex pictures). For the video, you need to use a micro -test and add pages with video to Sitemap.

Attention: Yandex does not support the use of RSS and ATOM-feeds in the SITEMAP file.

SITEMAP file requirements for your site in Yandex

• Use UTF-8 encoding. Yandex properly processes the Cyrillic URL both in encoded and in its original form.
• The maximum number of links in the file is 50,000. If there are more links, divide the SITEMAP into several files and create the SITEMAP index file.
• The maximum file size (unbroken) is 50 MB.
• Indicate only those pages of your site that are in the same domain with the SITEMAP file.
• Place the SITEMAP file on the same domain as your site.
• When a file is requested, the server must return the HTTP code 200.

How to create a SITEMAP file for your site and inform Yandex about it

• Determine the canonical URLs for the pages of your site to avoid duplication of information in the SITEMAP file.
• Select the file format and create a SITEMAP file using third -party tools or resources.
• Check the file using the SITEMAP tool from Yandex.
• Indicate the link to the file in your Robots.txt or in the SITEMAP file section in Yandex webmasters.

If necessary, you can delete Sitemap information from Yandex webmaster.

Questions and answers to the SITEMAP file for your site in Yandex

How to organize sitemap for a large site in Yandex?

For sites with a large number of pages, it is recommended to indicate only new or updated pages in the SITEMAP file, excluding already known to Yandex. Include in Sitemap only those pages that are relevant.

What to do if the SITEMAP file is displayed in the status of the "wrong format of the document"?

This does not affect indexing. An error may occur if Yandex tried to index the file as a regular page, but Sitemap files do not participate in the search.

What to do if an unknown tag error appears?

If the file has unstoppable elements, they will be ignored, and the rest of the information will be processed correctly. Problems with other tags can be ignored.

What to do if the SITEMAP file is not processed in Yandex?

• Check the availability of the file for the robot through the Yandex webmaster tools.
• Make sure that the file is correctly placed and the server responds with code 200.
• After making changes to the file, wait for up to two weeks to update data in Yandex webmasters.

For consultations on the creation and optimization of Sitemap on your site, you can contact our SEO.computer SEO company. We are ready to help you on any issues. Contact us by email info@seo.computer or through WhatsApp by number +79202044461.

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