# Sitemap: definition

> A sitemap is an XML file listing the pages of a site that its owners want search engines to crawl, sometimes with indications of update frequency or relative importance.

- Source canonique : [https://allaux.fr/en/glossaire/sitemap](https://allaux.fr/en/glossaire/sitemap)
- Langue : EN
- Dernière mise à jour : 2026-09-30

## What a sitemap actually does for a store

On an e-commerce store, the number of pages (products, categories, editorial content) can quickly exceed what a search engine would spontaneously discover by following internal links, particularly for recent pages. The sitemap acts as an explicit map: it gives search engines a list of URLs to visit, which speeds up the discovery of new pages and helps spot indexing errors.

The sitemap.xml file is usually referenced from robots.txt, at the site root. It is also submitted to Google Search Console, which lets you track how many submitted URLs are actually indexed and spot any discrepancies.

On both PrestaShop and WooCommerce, the sitemap is generated automatically by the CMS or a dedicated extension, and updates whenever products are added or removed. A store with a changing catalogue should therefore check regularly that this file stays up to date and accessible.

## FAQ

### Does a sitemap guarantee that the pages it lists will be indexed?

No, it only makes discovery easier. Google can choose not to index a listed page, particularly if its content is judged to be of little value or a duplicate of another page already indexed.

### Should every page of a store be included in the sitemap?

No, only pages meant to be found through search: cart, customer account or checkout pages generally have no place in a sitemap.

### How can you check that a store's sitemap is working correctly?

Google Search Console shows the number of URLs submitted and indexed from the declared sitemap, with details of any errors for each excluded URL.