Scot's Sitemap Quick Help
last updated August 24, 2022
Scot's Sitemap Module is a sitemap generator utility module.
Google likes smaller sitemaps and this module helps with that by creating product list sitemaps for each category and then referencing them in a sitemap index XML file that you submit to Google and other sitemap crawlers.
Google References:
Module Settings
Main Sitemap Index Name : This is the filename of the sitemap index which is submitted to Google and other sitemap crawlers.
Sitemap Files Location : This is the directory where the category sitemap files are saved. If the directory does not exist it will be created when settings are updated.
Page Change Frequency : This is how often the sitemap items change. Google ignores this, but other sitemap crawlers might use it.
Pages Priority : Google ignores this but it doesn't hurt to include it for other sitemap crawlers.
Skip Empty Categories : Check this box to completely skip over empty categories. Recommended.
Do not include linefeeds : When testing and previewing your sitemaps leave this unchecked. Once you are ready to submit the sitemap index, check this box to keep the sitemap files as small as possible.
Category Sitemap Header Template
This is a token style template that is used at the top of the sitemaps. Unless you are doing something custom, use the following code:
<url>
<loc>%category_link%</loc>
<changefreq>%frequency%</changefreq>
<priority>%priority%</priority>
</url>
Category Sitemap Product List Template
This is used for the product list in each category sitemap. Each product will added to the file using this template. Unless you are doing something custom, use the template below.
<url>
<loc>%product_link%</loc>
<changefreq>%frequency%</changefreq>
<priority>%priority%</priority>
<lastmod>%last_update%</lastmod>
</url>
Available Tokens
%category_link% : uses links from the URI system
%product_link% : uses links from the URI system
%category_code%
%domain%
%product_code%
%frequency%
%priority%
%last_update% : this will set lastmod to the product last updated date
%current_date% : this will set lastmode to the current date
Sitemap Progress
If you refresh the sitemaps manually this screen will show the progress of sitemap generation.
Refresh Sitemaps
This will initiate sitemap generation. This happens in a separate process so stores with a lot of products do not time out. Use the Sitemap Progress link to view progress and see when it's done.
Important: Do NOT begin a new sitemap process while another one is already going. Unintended results may make the sitemaps unusable.
Scheduled Tasks
Scot's Sitemap Generator fully supports scheduled tasks so you can automate sitemap generation.
- HOME > EDIT STORE > SCHEDULED TASKS
- Button: Create New Scheduled Task
- Add Scheduled Task:
- Description: Scot's Sitemap Generator
- Operation: Scot's Sitemap Generator: Sitemap Refresh
- Select schedule based on how often your catalog changes
- Leave everything else as-is
