Google: an HTML sitemap won't replace XML, but it still helps

Google's John Mueller and Martin Splitt discussed on Search Off The Record whether HTML sitemaps can still be used today. According to Search Engine Journal, Mueller said these pages do not replace an XML sitemap, but they can be useful.

What is the difference between an HTML sitemap and an XML sitemap?

An HTML sitemap is a map of a site made for visitors, while an XML sitemap is a strictly structured file submitted to search engines. According to Mueller, an HTML page cannot be submitted as a sitemap file or processed one-to-one like XML, because it is simply a collection of links.

Even so, if a crawler finds the page it can follow the links in it like any other links on the site. Mueller said this is helpful.

Should an HTML sitemap list every page?

No. Mueller said many HTML sitemaps do not include everything. For an online shop he suggested listing categories rather than all products, so that visitors go to the right category and pick the product there. The same logic applies to any site with service, sector or topic sections.

How should sites use this?

The contribution here is to treat the map as a user tool, not an SEO trick. Google's message is also about being useful to users. As an interpretation, for sites with many categories or service pages this can be a low-cost internal linking layer that supports both visitors and crawling.

• Focus the map on main category, service and sector pages; do not list every product or article.
• Add the link to the footer and monitor the page in Search Console alongside, but not instead of, the XML sitemap.
• Check that the pages on the map are also in the XML sitemap and lead to working addresses without redirects.
• Measure in analytics whether the map is clicked; if it is not used, the content is probably not simple and clear enough.