Creating a Standard Sitemap Protocol Feed

A Standard Sitemap Protocol Feed also referred to as an XML Sitemap Feed, is a tool that updates your XML Sitemap automatically once configured.

Steps for Creating the Feed

To create the feed, navigate to the Marketing category on the left side of the page, then click on the Feeds tab. Once done, click on the Add Feed button.

Entering Feed Information

In the form that opens, fill in the required fields as described:

• Code: This represents a unique identification for the feed in your store database.
• Name: This identifies the feed in the Miva admin display.
• Feed Module: Choose Standard Sitemap Protocol from the dropdown menu.
• Suffix: This field is necessary if you manage multiple stores on the same domain to prevent your sitemap files from being overwritten. For instance, a suffix “store1” will make your sitemap file named “sitemapstore1.xml.

Additional Settings

• Update robots.txt when sitemap is created: Checking this ensures a robots.txt file is created and updated with the file path each time your sitemap file updates.
• Notify Google of an updated sitemap: If checked, the Miva admin communicates with Google, providing the location of your updated XML sitemap file.
• Notify Bing of an updated sitemap: If checked, the updated location of your XML sitemap file is communicated to Bing by Miva admin.
• Products: This dropdown allows you to select which products will appear in the XML sitemap file. Options include:
  • None: No products will be listed in the sitemap file.
  • Active: All store products will be in the sitemap file, inclusive of products in Availability Groups.
  • Available: All store products will be in the sitemap file, excluding products in an Availability Group.

Miscellaneous settings

• Product URI Priority: Allows you to set webpage priority in your XML sitemap.
• Exclude Free Products: Checking this omits all free products from your XML sitemap feed.
• Categories: Functions similar to the Products dropdown outlined above.
• Include pages in the sitemap: When checked, the XML sitemap feed includes any page that does not have the sitemap_exclude item assigned.

More settings

• Non-Canonical URI Priority: Functions similar to the Products dropdown.
• Output Non-Canonical URIs/Output Archived URIs: Ensures the inclusion of non-canonical URIs and archived URIs in the XML sitemap when checked.
• Last Modified: A lastmod tag is added with this field to the XML sitemap. Options included "None", "Date", and "Date & Time".
• Change Frequency: The Change Frequency field can be used to give search engines an idea of how regularly your web pages are updated.