Quick Reference
Element Code: XM-006
Issue: Sitemap contains URLs returning 404 or other client errors
Impact: Broken URLs in sitemap reduce trust in sitemap accuracy
Fix: Remove broken URLs or fix/redirect them
Detection: Google Search Console, Screaming Frog
What Is This Issue?
4XX errors in sitemaps indicate pages that no longer exist. This wastes crawl budget and reduces confidence in your sitemap quality.
Why This Matters for Your Website
Sitemaps with many errors may be crawled less frequently. Clean sitemaps improve crawl efficiency.
How to Fix This Issue
- Remove dead URLs: Clean up sitemap
- Implement redirects: If content moved
- Automate: Configure sitemap to exclude errors
Tools for Detection
- Google Search Console: Lists sitemap URL errors
TL;DR (The Simple Version)
Your sitemap has URLs that return 404 errors. Remove broken URLs from your sitemap to improve its quality and crawl efficiency.
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