Every website owner wants their site to be accessible to users. Behind the scenes, Google crawls your website to find the pages relevant to user search terms. If Google can’t find your pages, you won’t be put in front of the right audience. However, this is where XML sitemaps come in; they cater to search engines and make your website user-friendly. As such, every website should have an HTML sitemap – but how do you get started with one?
To answer that question – and more – we’ve created this informative guide to all things HTML sitemap!
What Is a HTML sitemap?
An HTML or hypertext markup language sitemap acts like a table of contents for your website. Like a list, it includes every page of your site and organises them all to help users navigate effectively.
Some websites include a simple format, which can look messy. However, if you want users to use an HTML sitemap successfully, creating an organised directory of your website is a great solution.
What Is the difference between HTML and XML sitemap?
XML and HTML sitemaps: what’s the difference? The most common sitemap people will have heard of is an XML sitemap, which is generated for search engines. Because it’s for search engines, it may seem a little confusing when you look at your website XML sitemap – after all, it’s basically a list of URLs. Although it might appear complex, search engines need the XML sitemap to crawl your website. If you don’t have one, you’re not telling Google which pages it should look at and index.
In comparison, HTML sitemaps are generated for users. Therefore, they make your website easier to navigate alongside your primary menu options.
How to Create HTML Sitemap
Coding language seems daunting, but you don’t have to know the ins and outs of HTML to create this sitemap.
Generally, there are three ways to make an HTML sitemap:
- Plug-in on your CMS platform
- Create one manually
- Use an HTML sitemap generator
Let’s take a look at each option:
HTML Sitemap Plug-In
Most CMS platforms have a range of plug-ins you can utilise; for example, WordPress has Sitemap or Hierarchical HTML Sitemap plug-ins.
Creating a sitemap is a simple process using these tools. All you need to do is create a new page on your website and follow the instructions on the plug-in. This will generate an HTML code you input on the page, then hit ‘Publish’ – easy.
Adding an HMTL Sitemap Manually
Unless you have a small website, this option isn’t recommended, as manually creating a list of all your web pages is time-consuming. However, websites with fewer pages are manageable, and you can arrange your list effectively – organising everything into pages and subpages.
Using an HTML Sitemap Generator
A HTML sitemap creator is a handy tool for making an organised list on your web pages. Typically, an HTML sitemap generator is free to use up to a certain number of pages. However, paid versions are also available if you have a large website.
Add a Link to Your HTML Sitemap
Once you’ve created your HTML sitemap and the page it sits on, don’t forget to add a link to it. If you generate an HTML sitemap, it needs to have navigation for users to find it. Let’s face it; it’s probable that one will be typing ‘/sitemap’ after the URL.
The sitemap link doesn’t have to be in the main navigation, either; just add it to the footer in case anyone needs it.
How to Check HTML Sitemap of a Website
Sometimes the sitemap of a website isn’t immediately obvious. For instance, some companies include the page in their footer menu so that users can easily view every page on the site – although that’s not always the ideal place for it.
However, if you want a HTML sitemap checker to look at your website HTML sitemap example, head to the browser and type in ‘sitename.com/sitemap’. Unfortunately, some websites don’t have an HTML sitemap, in which case it’ll throw up a ‘page not found’.
If you add /sitemap.xml to the URL, this will bring up the website’s XML sitemap, which is used for crawling.
Benefits of an HTML Sitemap
XML sitemaps are beneficial for SEO – but what about HTML sitemaps? While search engines use the XML sitemap to index your website, its HTML counterpart might seem obsolete. However, it does serve a purpose – and that’s improving the user experience.
Google and other search engines take this into account when displaying the best search results for users. So, if you’re still on the fence about creating an HTML sitemap, it’s probably better to have one than not.
Alongside making your website more user-friendly, there are other benefits to creating an HTML sitemap, including:
Categorising Content
While an XML sitemap lists everything to be crawled, an HTML sitemap organises your pages so search engines can categorise your content. Even if this has the slightest benefit for SEO, it’s still a great way to improve the overall user experience, as users can find the pages they need quickly.
Organising Large Websites
A sitemap HTML acts like a directory for your website. If you have a large number of pages, this feature arranges everything effectively, allowing users to find what they’re looking for more efficiently.
Improving Site Navigation
If you have pages that seem to disappear into the void, an HTML sitemap could identify areas to improve your navigation.
Internal Linking
Internal linking is another important area of SEO, and it’s often overlooked, especially if you have a large website. Creating an HTML sitemap identifies every page on your website and enables you to improve linking opportunities to orphaned pages.
Helps Identify Target Keywords
While using a sitemap HTML probably won’t give you substantial SEO gains, they are an excellent opportunity to add some targeted keywords. A good HTML sitemap example, boots.com/site-map, uses keywords in each category and page level to utilise this linking opportunity.
Do I Need an HTML Sitemap for My Website?
Creating an HTML sitemap is a personal choice. Still, even if negligible, there are several benefits to making one for your website. Plus, they’re simple to generate, too, so having one could prove a worthwhile addition to your website’s user experience and SEO efforts in the long term.
Should you have any further questions on this or any other aspects mentioned in this guide, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert teams!
