By Shad Super in Questions —

How Should the <loc>, <lastmod>, <changefreq>, and <priority> Tags Be Optimally Used Within a sitemap.xml File?

Summary

The <loc>, <lastmod>, <changefreq>, and <priority> tags play crucial roles in a sitemap.xml file, guiding search engines on how to efficiently index and crawl a website. Optimal use of these tags ensures improved visibility and performance in search engine results. This guide provides a detailed explanation of how to use each tag effectively with examples and authoritative references.

<loc>: Location of the URL

Definition and Use

The <loc> tag specifies the URL of a webpage. It is the most crucial tag since it defines the exact location of the webpage that should be indexed.

Example

<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/</loc>
</url>

Guidelines

Make sure to include the full URL, starting with the scheme (http:// or https://). Avoid using session IDs or other unnecessary parameters that might create issues with search engines indexing duplicate URLs. [Google Search Central, 2023]

<lastmod>: Date of Last Modification

Definition and Use

The <lastmod> tag specifies the last time the content at the URL was modified. This helps search engines determine how often the content changes and if it needs to be re-crawled.

Example

<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2023-10-01</lastmod>
</url>

Guidelines

The date should be in the YYYY-MM-DD format and can also include time for more precision (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS+TZD). Only use this tag if you are able to update it each time the content changes. Incorrect dates might confuse the crawlers. [Sitemap Protocol, 2023]

<changefreq>: Change Frequency

Definition and Use

The <changefreq> tag indicates how frequently the content at a URL is likely to change. This information helps search engines allocate resources more effectively.

Example

<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2023-10-01</lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
</url>

Guidelines

Acceptable values for <changefreq> include: always, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and never. Be realistic in your settings, as exaggerating the update frequency can lead to inefficient crawling and potential ranking issues. [Google Search Central, 2023]

<priority>: Page Priority

Definition and Use

The <priority> tag assigns a numerical value between 0.0 and 1.0 that indicates the importance of a webpage relative to other URLs on your site.

Example

<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2023-10-01</lastmod>
<changefreq>weekly</changefreq>
<priority>0.8</priority>
</url>

Guidelines

Assign higher priority to crucial pages like your homepage or key service pages. Note that priority does not affect your pages' positions in search results but helps search engines understand which pages you consider most important. Be mindful not to assign all pages the same priority to avoid diminishing the tag's value. [Google Search Central, 2023]

Conclusion

Effective use of the <loc>, <lastmod>, <changefreq>, and <priority> tags in a sitemap.xml file significantly enhances a website's SEO by providing search engines with structured and updated information on the website's pages. Following these best practices ensures that your site is crawled and indexed efficiently, improving its visibility and performance in search engine results.

References