By Shad Super in Questions —

What Are the Common Errors Encountered in sitemap.xml Files, and How Can They Be Diagnosed and Fixed?

Summary

Common errors in sitemap.xml files include invalid URLs, incorrect namespace declarations, syntax errors, and exceeding size limits. Diagnosing these issues involves using online validation tools and examining error logs, while fixing them typically requires correcting the specific errors in the XML file. Below is a detailed guide to identify and resolve common issues found in sitemap.xml files.

Invalid URLs

Common Errors

Invalid URLs are a frequent issue in sitemap.xml files. This includes URLs that are incorrectly formatted, contain typographical errors, or URLs that respond with HTTP status codes other than 200 (OK).

Diagnosis

Use an online sitemap validation tool such as XML Sitemap Validator to identify invalid URLs. Additionally, utilize Google Search Console to inspect the sitemap and retrieve detailed error reports.

Fixes

Ensure all URLs in the sitemap are correct, fully qualified (including protocol), and accessible: <url> <loc>https://www.example.com/page/</loc> </url>

Incorrect Namespace Declarations

Common Errors

An incorrect or missing namespace declaration can cause the sitemap to be invalid. The correct namespace for sitemap.xml is: http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9

Diagnosis

Check the root <urlset> element to ensure it includes the correct namespace:

<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">

Fixes

If the namespace declaration is incorrect or missing, add or correct it as follows:

<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/page/</loc>
</url>
</urlset>

Syntax Errors

Common Errors

Syntax errors, such as unclosed tags, improper character encoding, or missing required elements, can invalidate the sitemap.

Diagnosis

Validate the sitemap using tools like XML Validation to identify syntax errors. The XML itself should be correctly structured and well-formed.

Fixes

Correct any syntax errors following proper XML structure:

<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/page/</loc>
<lastmod>2023-10-01</lastmod>
<changefreq>daily</changefreq>
<priority>0.8</priority>
</url>
</urlset>

Exceeding Size Limits

Common Errors

Sitemaps must be no larger than 50MB uncompressed and contain no more than 50,000 URLs. Exceeding these limits will make the sitemap invalid.

Diagnosis

Check the size and number of URLs in your sitemap. Most text editors can show file size, and URL count can be found by counting <url> elements:

Fixes

Split large sitemaps into index sitemaps if necessary:

<sitemapindex xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<sitemap>
<loc>https://www.example.com/sitemap-part1.xml</loc>
</sitemap>
<sitemap>
<loc>https://www.example.com/sitemap-part2.xml</loc>
</sitemap>
</sitemapindex>

References