How to Configure Media Sitemaps in CranSEO #
CranSEO allows you to control how media files, such as images and videos, appear in XML sitemaps, ensuring search engines index them effectively.
1. Include Media in Sitemap #
This setting determines whether media attachments (such as images and videos) are included in the XML sitemap.
How to Enable: #
- Navigate to CranSEO > Sitemap Settings.
- Locate the Media section.
- Toggle Include in Sitemap to On to include media files or Off to exclude them.
- Click Save Changes.
Best Practice: If your site hosts a large number of images and videos, enabling media sitemaps helps search engines discover and index them efficiently.
2. Redirect Attachment URLs #
Media files in WordPress are often assigned individual attachment pages. You can choose to redirect these pages to their parent post to improve SEO.
How to Enable: #
- Go to CranSEO > Sitemap Settings > Media.
- Toggle Redirect Attachment URLs to On.
- Save changes.
Best Practice: Redirecting attachment pages prevents thin content issues and improves user experience by directing visitors to the relevant post.
3. Include Images in Sitemaps #
This option ensures that images embedded in posts, pages, and other content types are referenced in the XML sitemap.
How to Enable: #
- Navigate to CranSEO > Sitemap Settings > Media.
- Toggle Include Images in Sitemap to On.
- Click Save Changes.
Best Practice: Including images in the sitemap improves image search rankings and increases visibility in Google Images.
4. Include Featured Images #
By enabling this setting, featured images (even if not directly embedded in content) are included in the sitemap.
How to Enable: #
- Navigate to CranSEO > Sitemap Settings > Media.
- Toggle Include Featured Images to On.
- Save changes.
Best Practice: Since featured images often represent key content, including them in the sitemap improves search engine visibility.
Final Tips for Optimizing Media Sitemaps #
- Enable media sitemaps for better image and video indexing.
- Redirect attachment URLs to avoid thin content issues.
- Ensure featured images are included for better search visibility.
- Regularly update media settings as your site grows.
