Sitemap Validator
The Sitemap Validator checks your XML sitemap for errors, warnings, and SEO best practices. A well-structured sitemap helps search engines discover and index your pages more efficiently, while errors can prevent pages from being crawled.
Paste your sitemap XML content and get instant validation results. We check for proper XML formatting, valid URL structures, correct date formats for lastmod tags, and appropriate priority values. You'll see a summary of total URLs, any errors found, and warnings for SEO improvements.
The tool also identifies common issues like missing required tags, invalid characters in URLs, dates in wrong formats, and priority values outside the 0.0-1.0 range. Each issue includes an explanation and fix suggestion.
Essential for technical SEO audits, post-migration checks, and ensuring your sitemap follows Google's guidelines for optimal crawling.
How It Works
Get results in just a few simple steps
Paste your XML sitemap content into the text area
Click validate to analyze the sitemap structure
Review the summary: URL count, errors, warnings
Check individual URL entries for issues
See explanations and fix suggestions for each problem
Fix issues in your sitemap and re-validate
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't make these frequent errors
Including URLs that return 404 or redirect
Using incorrect date format for lastmod (should be W3C format)
Setting all priorities to 1.0 (makes priority meaningless)
Including non-canonical URLs or duplicate content
Exceeding 50,000 URLs or 50MB file size limits
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the correct format for sitemap dates?
Sitemap dates should use W3C Datetime format: YYYY-MM-DD for dates (2024-01-15) or full ISO 8601 for datetime (2024-01-15T09:30:00+00:00). Our validator flags incorrectly formatted dates.
Does sitemap priority affect rankings?
Google has stated they largely ignore the priority tag. It's a hint for crawl frequency relative to your other pages, not a ranking factor. Focus on accurate lastmod dates instead, which do influence crawl scheduling.
How many URLs can a sitemap contain?
A single sitemap can contain up to 50,000 URLs and must be under 50MB uncompressed. For larger sites, use a sitemap index file that references multiple sitemap files. Our validator warns if you're approaching limits.
Should I include all pages in my sitemap?
Include only indexable, canonical pages. Exclude noindex pages, redirect URLs, paginated pages (usually), and duplicate content. Your sitemap should match what you want Google to index.
Related Resources
Dive deeper into these topics with our comprehensive guides and templates.
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