XML Sitemap is a treasure for search engine bots. It contains additional information that can make it easier for bots to discover more webpages to crawl and to understand their quality.

Now the Site Audit tool checks your sitemap.xml files.

SEMrush checks to see if an XML Sitemap is located in the top directory of the website. If one isn’t detected, you’ll receive a warning that reads “Sitemap.xml file (not found)” (1).

If your website does have an XML Sitemap, the file will be checked for format errors.

Moreover, if webpages indicated in your sitemap.xml file return an error status (4xx or 5xx), you will receive an error.

If your website doesn’t have an XML Sitemap yet, you should think about creating one. If you already have a Sitemap, you should correct it, if needed, and keep it up to date. Follow SEO best practices and get your webpages better crawled and indexed!

Semrush is a leading online visibility management SaaS platform that enables businesses globally to run search engine optimization, pay-per-click, content, social media and competitive research campaigns and get measurable results from online marketing. Semrush offers insights and solutions for companies to build, manage, and measure campaigns across various marketing channels. Semrush, with over 91,000 paying customers, is headquartered in Boston and has offices in Philadelphia, Trevose, Austin, Dallas, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belgrade, Berlin, Limassol, Prague, Warsaw, and Yerevan.