HTML sitemap
What is an HTML sitemap?
An HTML sitemap is an ordinary web page that lists links to a site’s main sections and pages, usually grouped by topic or category. Unlike an XML sitemap, which is written for search engines, it is written for people, though crawlers can follow its links like any others. It is often linked from the footer.
On a small site an HTML sitemap might be one page of links. Large sites, such as retailers or news publishers, often build a tree of sitemap pages: an index of categories, each linking to a page of subcategories or products, so every page is a few clicks from the top.
Google does not require an HTML sitemap and does not treat it as a special signal. Its value comes from the internal links it adds.
Why HTML sitemap matters for SEO
Every link on an HTML sitemap is an internal link. That makes it a cheap way to reduce crawl depth and give otherwise hard-to-reach pages at least one link, so they are less likely to become orphan pages.
It also helps visitors who cannot find what they want through menus or search, and it can expose gaps in your site architecture: if the sitemap is a jumble, the navigation probably is too.
It is not a substitute for an XML sitemap or good navigation. Think of it as a safety net.
How to build an HTML sitemap
- Group links by the same sections as your main navigation, with clear headings.
- Link to important hub and category pages first. On very large sites, link to category pages and let those link onwards, rather than listing every URL on one page.
- Keep each page to a sensible number of links so it stays usable. Split by section if it gets long.
- Generate it from your CMS so it updates when pages are added, moved or removed. Never link to redirected or deleted pages.
- Link the sitemap page from the footer so it is reachable from every page.
HTML sitemap example
<h2>Guides</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/guides/keyword-research">Keyword research</a></li>
<li><a href="/guides/technical-seo">Technical SEO</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Tools</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="/tools/serp-checker">SERP checker</a></li>
</ul>HTML sitemap FAQ
Are HTML sitemaps still useful for SEO?
They can help on large or deep sites because they add internal links to pages that are otherwise hard to reach. On a small site with clear navigation they add little.
What is the difference between an HTML sitemap and an XML sitemap?
An HTML sitemap is a page of links for people. An XML sitemap is a machine-readable file for search engines that you submit in Search Console. Most sites should have an XML sitemap; an HTML sitemap is optional.
Related SEO terms
An XML sitemap is a file that lists the URLs you want search engines to crawl and index, with optional last-modified dates.
Internal links are links from one page on your site to another. They help visitors navigate, help crawlers find pages and spread link authority.
Site architecture is how a website’s pages are organised and linked together, which shapes how people and search engines find and value them.
Crawl depth is how many clicks a page is from the homepage. Deep pages are found and crawled less often than shallow ones.
An orphan page is a page with no internal links pointing to it, so visitors and crawlers cannot reach it by browsing the site.
Breadcrumbs are a row of links showing where a page sits in a site’s hierarchy, such as Home > Shoes > Running. They help users and search engines.