Need help boosting your SEO efforts? Call Results Digital at (281) 975-2086.
Does your website have a sitemap? If not, you could miss out on fast SEO indexing, meaning your web pages could take longer to appear in search results. These SEO-friendly tips from our experts at Results Digital can help you learn how to create a sitemap for your website.
What Is a Sitemap?
Sitemaps outline the structure of your website and help search engines understand how each page connects to the others. You can also use sitemaps for planning a new website to help developers visualize the site’s structure and page hierarchy.
You can use three types of sitemaps, each with its own purpose:
- XML sitemap: An XML sitemap tells web crawlers which pages to index.
- Visitor sitemap: A visitor sitemap is a list of links for every page on your website. It helps visitors find their way around your site.
- Planning sitemap: Developers use this sitemap to show the relationship between pages and the intended user experience before they begin coding. You can also use this sitemap to set up a roadmap before building an XML sitemap for web crawlers. Examples include text outlines and visual sitemaps.
SEO-Friendly Tips for Creating Website Sitemaps
Here are a few tips on how to create a sitemap for websites that are SEO-friendly.
1. Have a Custom Home Page
This page should display your website’s most important content. For the best SEO, focus on above-the-fold content, so users don’t need to scroll to find the information they need. Include competitive search terms you’d like to rank for.
2. Create Informative Product and Service Pages
Think of these as your sales pages. For each page, write down commercial-intent keywords you want to rank for so your page shows up high in the search results.
3. Use Category Pages
These pages provide a broad overview of product and service offerings. Include engaging body copy to entice visitors to click on a category and learn more.
4. Highlight Team and Bio Pages
Include a bio page for important members of your team. These pages are great for personal SEO.
5. Create Engaging Blog Posts
If your site has a blog, this part of the sitemap helps you visualize your content management strategy. Here, focus on information-intent keywords that signal your blog’s purpose to visitors.
6. Incorporate Internal Links
Linking your site’s pages together is essential for SEO. If you’re making a visual sitemap, draw lines between all internally linked pages to help developers see where each page leads.
7. Show Some Off-Site Pages
Although other websites host these pages, they are valuable for your navigation and SEO. Examples include:
- Social media pages
- Login pages
- PPC landing pages
- Event registration pages
Let Results Digital Handle Your Sitemap Design Needs
Do you need help learning how to create a sitemap for your website? Our digital marketing agency provides sitemap creation and a full range of SEO services for businesses in The Woodlands and nearby cities. If you need a hand with your SEO, contact our Results Digital experts at (281) 975-2086 today.
