An XML sitemap is one of the most important files for your website’s SEO success. It acts like a roadmap for search engines, guiding them to your most important pages and ensuring that your content is crawled efficiently.
However, when implemented incorrectly, sitemaps can cause serious crawl issues and harm your search visibility. In this blog, you’ll learn the most common XML sitemap mistakes website owners make and how to fix them effectively.
What Is an XML Sitemap?
An XML sitemap is a structured file that lists the URLs you want search engines like Google and Bing to discover. It provides details such as the last modification date, update frequency, and URL importance.
A sitemap is especially useful for:
- Large websites with thousands of pages
- New sites with few backlinks
- Websites with poor internal linking or dynamic content
While a sitemap doesn’t guarantee indexing, it helps search engines understand your site structure better and crawl your pages more intelligently.
1. Including Non-Indexable or Blocked URLs
A common mistake is adding pages to your sitemap that are not meant to be indexed, such as:
- URLs with the
noindextag - Pages blocked by
robots.txt - Redirected or deleted pages
Why it’s a problem:
These pages send mixed signals to search engines — you’re saying “don’t index this page” yet also including it in your sitemap.
Fix:
Only include canonical, indexable pages. You can use tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Sitebulb to crawl your website and exclude blocked or noindex URLs before submitting your sitemap.
2. Adding Broken or Error Pages
Your sitemap should only contain live pages that return a 200 (OK) response. But many site owners accidentally include:
- 404 pages (Not Found)
- 500 errors (Server issues)
- Redirects (301/302)
Why it’s a problem:
Broken or redirected URLs reduce crawl efficiency and mislead search engines about which pages are important.
Fix:
Run a technical audit using Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to identify invalid URLs. Remove or replace them with the correct URLs in your sitemap.
3. Mixing HTTP and HTTPS URLs
If your sitemap includes both http:// and https:// versions of pages, or both www and non-www URLs, it causes confusion for search engines.
Why it’s a problem:
Mixed protocol URLs can lead to duplicate indexing and split link equity.
Fix:
Use consistent, canonical URLs throughout your site and sitemap. If your site uses SSL, ensure all sitemap entries are HTTPS. You can confirm your preferred version in Google Search Console settings.
4. Including Duplicate or Parameterized URLs
Sometimes, your sitemap may include duplicate or parameterized URLs, such as:
example.com/product?id=123
example.com/product?utm_source=facebook
Why it’s a problem:
These often point to the same content and create duplicate URL issues, wasting crawl budget.
Fix:
List only canonical URLs in your sitemap. Tools like Ahrefs Site Audit can help identify duplicate or parameterized URLs. You can also specify canonical tags and remove parameters using your CMS settings or Google’s URL Parameters tool.
5. Misusing <lastmod>, <priority>, and <changefreq>
While optional, these tags are often misused:
lastmodis set to today’s date for all pages (even unchanged ones)priorityis set to “1.0” for everythingchangefreqis marked as “always”
Why it’s a problem:
Search engines may ignore these tags if they’re inaccurate or inconsistent.
Fix:
Use <lastmod> only when the page content actually changes. Avoid manipulating priority and changefreq values — they don’t affect crawl rate directly. For reference, check Google’s sitemap documentation.
6. Oversized Sitemaps
According to Google:
- Each sitemap must not exceed 50,000 URLs
- The file must be smaller than 50MB (uncompressed)
Why it’s a problem:
Larger files may not be processed completely, meaning some URLs won’t be crawled.
Fix:
If your site has more than 50,000 URLs, split the sitemap into multiple files (e.g., sitemap-posts.xml, sitemap-products.xml, sitemap-pages.xml) and link them via a sitemap index file. You can see an example in Yoast’s sitemap guide.
7. Stale or Outdated Sitemaps
If your sitemap isn’t updated after content changes, you’re signaling search engines with outdated data.
Why it’s a problem:
Old URLs might waste crawl budget while new pages go undiscovered.
Fix:
Automate sitemap generation using your CMS or plugin. For WordPress, Rank Math and Yoast SEO automatically update sitemaps whenever you publish, edit, or delete content.
8. Sitemap Not Accessible or Missing in Robots.txt
Sometimes, your sitemap is perfectly built — but search engines can’t find it!
Why it’s a problem:
If you forget to reference it in robots.txt or it’s blocked behind authentication, crawlers won’t use it.
Fix:
Ensure your sitemap is publicly accessible (returns a 200 status) and listed in your robots.txt, like this:
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml
You can test sitemap accessibility with the Google Search Console Sitemap report.
9. Submitting Incorrect Sitemap Versions
Submitting both HTTP and HTTPS versions or old sitemaps can confuse Google.
Fix:
Submit only the correct, up-to-date sitemap that matches your site’s canonical version. Remove outdated or duplicate sitemap entries from Search Console.
10. Ignoring Sitemap Reports and Errors
Many site owners submit a sitemap once and never check it again. That’s a big mistake.
Why it’s a problem:
If there are errors (e.g., “Couldn’t fetch” or “Blocked by robots.txt”), Google may stop trusting your sitemap.
Fix:
Regularly monitor your sitemap’s performance using the Search Console Sitemap Report. Fix any warnings promptly to maintain crawl efficiency.
Quick Sitemap Audit Checklist
✅ Only include live, canonical URLs
✅ Remove noindex, 404, and redirect URLs
✅ Ensure consistent HTTPS structure
✅ Keep sitemap under 50,000 URLs and 50MB
✅ Reference it in your robots.txt
✅ Automate updates on content change
✅ Check Search Console for errors monthly
By following this checklist, you’ll maintain a clean, efficient sitemap that strengthens your site’s crawlability and indexing.
Final Thoughts
Your XML sitemap should work for your SEO — not against it. Think of it as a bridge between your website and search engines. A clean, consistent, and up-to-date sitemap helps crawlers find your important pages faster and keeps your website in Google’s good books.
Spend a few minutes each month auditing your sitemap, and you’ll prevent crawl errors, improve content discovery, and boost your site’s overall SEO health.
