How to Create an HTML Sitemap Page on WordPress using Rank Math SEO

If you have a WordPress website, you probably know how important it is to keep your site well-organized and easy to navigate. Creating an HTML sitemap is one of the best ways to do this.

When I first started working on my website, I focused mainly on SEO and ranking higher on Google. However, I quickly realized that making my site user-friendly was just as important. That’s when I learned about HTML sitemaps and how they can help both visitors and search engines understand my website better.

An HTML sitemap is a simple page that lists all the important pages, posts, and categories on your website. Unlike an XML sitemap, which is mainly for search engines, an HTML sitemap is designed for real people. It acts like a table of contents, helping visitors find what they’re looking for quickly. I’ve noticed that having an HTML sitemap not only makes navigation easier for users but also boosts SEO by improving internal linking.

When I was looking for a way to create an HTML sitemap, I found that Rank Math SEO makes the process super easy. I didn’t need to install any extra plugins or write complicated code. With just a few clicks, I was able to generate an HTML sitemap and display it on a dedicated page. It saved me a lot of time and effort!

Here’s what the HTML sitemap looks like, also you can visit my Blogging Raptor blog’s HTML Sitemap.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to create an HTML sitemap page in WordPress using Rank Math SEO. I’ll explain why it’s important, how to enable the feature, and how to customize it to suit your website.

Whether you’re new to WordPress or already familiar with SEO, this step-by-step guide will help you set up an HTML sitemap quickly and easily. Let’s get started!

What is an HTML Sitemap?

When I first heard about sitemaps, I thought they were only for search engines. I knew about XML sitemaps, which help Google and other search engines understand a website’s structure. But I didn’t realize that there was another type of HTML sitemap which are designed for website visitors like you and me.

An HTML sitemap is a simple, user-friendly page that lists all the important sections of a website. It’s like a table of contents for a book. If a visitor lands on my site and isn’t sure where to go next, an HTML sitemap gives them a clear overview of all my pages, posts, and categories. This makes it easier for them to find what they’re looking for, rather than having to search through menus or categories one by one.

I find that an HTML sitemap is especially useful for large websites. If you have a small blog with only a few pages, people can usually find their way around easily. But as your website grows and you publish more content, it can become harder for visitors to navigate.

I experienced this firsthand when I added dozens of new blog posts, some of my older articles became buried in my archives. Adding an HTML sitemap made it easier for my visitors (and even myself!) to locate older posts that were still useful.

Now, let’s talk about the difference between an HTML sitemap and an XML sitemap because this part confused me at first:

Difference between XML sitemaps and HTML Sitemaps

• XML Sitemaps: These are mainly for search engines like Google. They are coded in XML format and tell search engines which pages exist on your site and how they are linked. Visitors don’t usually see XML sitemaps because they’re made for bots, not humans.
• HTML Sitemaps: These are designed for people. They are just normal web pages that list your site’s content in an organized way, making navigation easier for visitors.

Benefits of Using HTML Sitemap

So, why should you add an HTML sitemap to your WordPress site? Here are a few key benefits I’ve noticed:

1. Better User Experience: Visitors can quickly find pages they might not have discovered otherwise.
2. Fast Crawling & Indexing: An HTML sitemap helps search engines quickly find and index your pages, improving your site’s visibility in search results.
3. Improved SEO: Search engines follow links in your HTML sitemap, which helps them crawl and index your site more effectively.
4. Stronger Internal Linking: An HTML sitemap creates extra internal links, which can spread link authority across your site and help rankings.
5. Helpful for Large Websites: If your site has hundreds of pages, an HTML sitemap makes it easier for users to navigate everything in one place.

Before I started using an HTML sitemap, I relied only on my website’s navigation menus. But sometimes, menus can be limited—especially if you don’t want them to be overcrowded. With an HTML sitemap, I was able to provide a complete list of my content without making my main navigation bar too cluttered.

Now that you understand what an HTML sitemap is and why it’s useful, let’s move on to the next step: How to create one using Rank Math SEO Trust me, it’s easier than you think!

How to Enable HTML Sitemap in Rank Math SEO

Now that we know why Rank Math SEO is a great choice for creating an HTML sitemap, let’s move on to the actual process of enabling it. When I first set up my HTML sitemap, I was surprised at how simple it was. I didn’t need to install any extra plugins or mess with complex settings—it was all built right into Rank Math.

If you’re using Rank Math for SEO (which I highly recommend), enabling the HTML sitemap takes just a few steps. Below, I’ll walk you through the process, from enabling the feature to displaying your sitemap on a page. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Make Sure Rank Math is Installed & Activated

Before anything else, you need to have Rank Math SEO installed and activated on your WordPress site. If you haven’t installed it yet, follow these steps:

1. Install Rank Math SEO Plugin

The installation and activating process of Rank Math on WordPress is very easy.

You can do that in two ways:

1st Way: You can download it from the WordPress plugin library:

Just go to Google and search “Rank Math Plugin download”.

• In the very first result, you will get the WordPress official site. 

• Click on that result. You will land on WordPress’s plugin library with Rank Math’s downloadable link.

• Simply download this zip file, and extract it.

• Then go to the WordPress admin dashboard. Click on: Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin > Choose File > Install Now > Activate it.

2nd Way: From the WordPress admin‘s dashboard.

This process is straightforward.

• Just go to the “Plugins” section. 

• Click on Add New and type Rank Math in the search box.

• It will provide the Rank Math plugin. Install it and activate it.

After activating, Rank Math will guide you through a setup wizard. If you haven’t configured it yet, follow the instructions to set up basic SEO settings.

Step 2: Enable the HTML Sitemap Feature

By default, Rank Math comes with an XML sitemap enabled, but we need to turn on the HTML sitemap feature separately. Here’s how:

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Rank Math > Sitemap Settings.

• You will find the HTML Sitemap section, click on it.

• then click the toggle ON to enable the HTML Sitemap feature.

• Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

That’s it! Now, Rank Math will start generating an HTML sitemap for your website automatically.

Step 3: Customize Your HTML Sitemap (Optional)

One thing I love about Rank Math is that it allows me to customize my HTML sitemap. I don’t have to list every single page on my website—I can choose what I want to include and exclude. Here’s how:

• Stay in the Sitemap Settings section, scroll down a bit, first you will see the “Display Format” section. Here you have to choose how you want to display the HTML sitemap.
• The first option is shortcode, if you paste the given shortcode “rank_math_html_sitemap” on any page, your HTML Sitemap will get added there.

• Second, you can select the Page option, so you need to create a blank page or select an existing page for HTML Sitemap from the below drop-down menu and your sitemap will be added to that page.

After adjusting these settings, click Save Changes.

• Next, you have the “Sort by” option, the Sort option allows you to control how your sitemap content is arranged. Here are the four available sorting options

1. Published Date – Displays posts/pages in the order they were originally published, from newest to oldest.
2. Modified Date – Lists content based on the last update, ensuring recently edited posts appear first.
3. Alphabetical – Organizes content in A-Z order based on the title, making it easier for users to find specific pages.
4. Post ID – Sorts pages and posts by their unique WordPress ID, typically in the order they were created.

Choosing the right sorting option helps improve navigation and usability for both visitors and search engines.

• Then you have the “Show Dates” option, the Show Dates section lets you choose whether to display dates next to your listed posts and pages in the sitemap. You can simply turn ON or OFF the toggle to show or hide the date.

• Next, the Item Titles section, allows you to choose how your posts and pages are named in the sitemap. There are two options:

1. Item Titles – Displays the default WordPress post or page title.
2. SEO Titles – Uses the SEO-optimized title set in Rank Math, which may include keywords or custom formatting.

After customizing your HTML Sitemap just hit the “Save Changes” button to save your changes.

Step 4: Add the Sitemap to Your Website’s Navigation (Recommended)

To make it easier for visitors to find your HTML sitemap, I recommend adding it to your website’s menu or footer. Here’s how:

1. Go to Appearance > Menus in WordPress.
2. Select the menu where you want to add the sitemap.
3. Click Add Custom Link and paste the URL of your sitemap page.
4. Give it a name like “Sitemap” and click Add to Menu.
5. Click Save Menu.

Alternatively, you can also place the sitemap link in the footer widget area.

Step 5: Test Your HTML Sitemap

Before considering the job done, I always double-check my sitemap to make sure everything is working correctly. Here’s what you should do:

• Visit the HTML Sitemap Page: Open the page you just created and make sure the sitemap appears as expected.
• Check If All Important Pages Are Listed: Scroll through the sitemap and confirm that it includes all the pages, posts, and categories you want.
• Try Clicking on the Links: Ensure that all the links in the sitemap work correctly and lead to the right pages.

If everything looks good, congratulations! Your HTML sitemap is now live and helping both visitors and search engines navigate your site better.

Why Use Rank Math SEO for Creating an HTML Sitemap?

When I first started looking for ways to create an HTML sitemap for my WordPress website, I thought it would be a complicated process. I assumed I’d have to install a separate plugin or write custom code. However, after some research, I found that Rank Math SEO has a built-in feature that makes it super easy to generate an HTML sitemap in just a few clicks.

I’ve been using Rank Math for a while now, and I love how it simplifies SEO tasks. Unlike some other SEO plugins, Rank Math is lightweight, feature-rich, and doesn’t slow down my website. The best part? It offers HTML sitemap generation without needing extra plugins. This means I can keep my site optimized without installing unnecessary tools that might affect performance.

Here’s why I think Rank Math SEO is the best choice for creating an HTML sitemap:

1. Built-in HTML Sitemap Feature (No Extra Plugins Needed)

One thing I always try to do is keep my WordPress site lightweight. Installing too many plugins can slow down a website and cause conflicts between different tools. Luckily, Rank Math comes with an HTML sitemap generator built right into its settings. I didn’t have to install anything extra, just a few adjustments in Rank Math, and my HTML sitemap was ready.

2. Easy Setup (No Coding Required)

I’m not a developer, and I know many people using WordPress don’t want to mess around with coding either. With Rank Math, I was able to enable and display my HTML sitemap without writing a single line of code. It’s as easy as turning on a setting, copying a shortcode, and pasting it into a WordPress page. That’s it!

3. Automatic Updates for New Content

One of the biggest headaches of manually creating an HTML sitemap is keeping it updated. Every time I publish a new post or add a new page, I have to edit the sitemap manually. But with Rank Math, the HTML sitemap automatically updates whenever I add or remove content. This saves me time and ensures my sitemap is always accurate.

4. Customization Options

Not all pages on my website need to be listed in the HTML sitemap. For example, I don’t want certain pages like thank you pages, private landing pages, or admin-related pages to show up. Rank Math allows me to customize my HTML sitemap by excluding specific pages, posts, or even entire categories. This level of control makes sure my sitemap only displays the most relevant content.

5. SEO-Friendly (Better Internal Linking & Indexing)

Since I focus a lot on SEO, I love how Rank Math improves internal linking through the HTML sitemap. It creates an organized structure that helps both users and search engines find content easily. Google bots follow links in an HTML sitemap, which helps with faster crawling and indexing. So, using Rank Math’s HTML sitemap not only benefits visitors but also helps boost search engine rankings.

6. Lightweight & Performance-Friendly

Some sitemap plugins I’ve tried in the past slowed down my website, especially when they had to generate large sitemaps. Rank Math is designed to be lightweight, meaning it doesn’t add unnecessary load to my website. Even if I have a big site with hundreds of pages, Rank Math handles the HTML sitemap efficiently without affecting performance.

7. Free & Beginner-Friendly

One of the best things about Rank Math is that it offers the HTML sitemap feature for free. Many other SEO plugins either require a paid version or a separate plugin for this functionality. I appreciate that Rank Math includes it in its free plan, making it accessible to beginners and small website owners without extra costs.

Conclusion

Setting up an HTML sitemap with Rank Math SEO is quick, easy, and doesn’t require any coding. I love how automatic and customizable it is—once it’s set up, it updates itself whenever I add new content.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend enabling an HTML sitemap on your site. Not only does it improve user experience, but it also helps with SEO by making your site structure clear and easy to crawl.

Now that your sitemap is ready, you might also want to submit it to Google to help search engines find and index your pages faster. In the next section, I’ll show you how to do that step by step. Let’s keep going!