Google recently made an announcement that might have a significant impact on website owners and developers. They have revealed their decision to discontinue support for Sitemaps ping endpoints within the next six months. According to Google, these endpoints have proven to be “not very useful” and have become a breeding ground for spam. This comes as a surprise since Google previously encouraged the use of sitemap pinging as a way to expedite the discovery of new content by their search engine. However, Google has now taken a U-turn and will no longer support sitemap pings by the end of this year.
The deprecated REST API will return a 404 error to any HTTP requests or “pings” made to it once the functionality has been formally deprecated. It is worth noting that Google initially supported sitemap pings back in 2007. Bing, another major search engine, has also ceased support for anonymous sitemap submissions due to rampant spamming activities.
Google now advises website owners to focus on using the lastmod date accurately in their sitemap files. In today’s digital landscape, the lastmod date serves multiple purposes and is used as a signal for scheduling crawls of URLs that have been previously indexed. To ensure the effectiveness of the lastmod element, it needs to be in a supported date format, which is documented on sitemaps.org. In the event of any inconsistencies, Google’s Search Console will provide notifications. Furthermore, the lastmod date needs to consistently reflect the actual modifications made to a page. If a page was altered seven years ago, but the lastmod element states that it was modified just yesterday, Google will eventually lose trust in the accuracy of the last modified date provided.
Google has also recommended alternative methods for submitting sitemaps, such as through robots.txt and Google Search Console. In a recent statement, they emphasized the significance of the lastmod tag in sitemaps. They stated that if you have new content that you want search engines to reflect in their results, it is advisable to update the lastmod date accordingly. However, if there are no significant changes, there is no need to modify the lastmod date unnecessarily.
It is important to highlight that certain Content Management Systems (CMS) or servers automatically set the lastmod date to the current date and time for all pages. This practice renders the data useless. On the other hand, a good CMS will set the lastmod date thoughtfully, even if it’s not always perfect. This approach proves to be more valuable in terms of providing accurate information.
In 2015, Google claimed that they did not heavily rely on the lastmod date. However, in 2020, they revised their stance and stated that the lastmod date plays a crucial role in their indexing process. According to the latest official Google documentation: “Google uses the lastmod value if it’s consistently and verifiably accurate, for example, by comparing it to the last modification date of the page.” The importance of keeping the lastmod date up-to-date has also been lately emphasised by Microsoft Bing, which has provided some interesting data on this topic.
This recent decision by Google has sparked a discussion among website owners and developers. How will this change affect their SEO strategies? What alternatives are available? The support for sitemap pings might have been dismissed, but the importance of accurate lastmod dates has been emphasised. Share your thoughts and join the conversation!
FAQs
Q. What are sitemap ping endpoints, and why is Google ending support for them?
Sitemap ping endpoints are URLs used to notify search engines about new content on a website. Google has deemed these endpoints “not very useful” due to the prevalence of spam submissions, leading to their decision to discontinue support.
Q. How will this change affect my website’s SEO efforts?
You may need to look into alternative strategies to make sure Google finds your content now that sitemap ping support has ended. It’s crucial to understand the impact on your website’s visibility in search results and adjust your SEO strategies accordingly.
Q. What does Google recommend instead of sitemap pings?
Google now advises using the lastmod date accurately in your sitemap file. This date serves as a signal for scheduling crawls to URLs that have been previously indexed. Additionally, submitting sitemaps through robots.txt and Google Search Console is recommended.
Q. What should I keep in mind when using the lastmod date in my sitemap file?
The lastmod date should be in a supported format documented on sitemaps.org. It should also consistently match the actual modifications made to your pages. Inaccurate or inconsistent lastmod dates can undermine Google’s trust in your content’s freshness.
Q. Are there any pitfalls to be aware of regarding the lastmod date?
Some CMS or servers automatically set the lastmod date to the current date and time for all pages, rendering the data useless. It’s important to have a CMS that sets the lastmod date thoughtfully to provide accurate information.
Q. How does Google use the lastmod date in its indexing process?
In 2020, Google revised its stance and acknowledged the importance of the lastmod date for indexing. They consider the lastmod value if it’s consistently and verifiably accurate, such as by comparing it to the last modification date of the page.
