WordPress has rolled out the version 6.5 update, introducing native support for the lastmod element in sitemaps.
This move can streamline search engine crawl efficiency and improve your website's visibility.
The announcement was made by Gary Illyes, a member of Google's search relations team, who praised the efforts of the WordPress developer community on LinkedIn.
Lastmod Element: Important Signal to Crawlers
The lastmod metadata tag indicates the last significant modification date of a web page, allowing search engine crawlers to prioritize and schedule crawls.
Iries' words:
“The lastmod element in your sitemap is a signal that helps crawlers understand how often your page is crawled.”
WordPress 6.5 lets you populate the lastmod field natively to improve your website's SEO efforts without any additional manual configuration.
Illyes emphasizes that “breaking” changes are updates that may be important to users and, in turn, the performance of your website.
WordPress community collaboration
Lastmod support in WordPress 6.5 is made possible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the developer community led by Pascal Birchler.
Mr. Ilies acknowledged and praised their contributions, saying:
“If you use WordPress, starting with version 6.5 this field is populated natively, thanks to Pascal Birchler and the WordPress developer community.”
While Illyes praises this new feature, he urges website owners to upgrade their WordPress installations to take advantage of lastmod support.
He adds:
“If you're hesitant to upgrade your WordPress installation, take the plunge and do so (once there are no plugin conflicts).”
As WordPress evolves, this update demonstrates the platform's commitment to following SEO best practices and giving users the tools they need.
FAQ
What is the importance of the lastmod element in a sitemap?
The lastmod metadata tag indicates the date of the most recent modification of a web page. This information allows search engine crawlers to prioritize and efficiently schedule page crawls.
By indicating the latest updates, the lastmod tag helps search engines focus on your most recent content, potentially increasing your site's visibility in search results.
How does WordPress 6.5 support the lastmod element?
With the release of WordPress 6.5, native support for the lastmod element in sitemaps is now available. This means that WordPress automatically includes this metadata in your sitemap without requiring any additional manual configuration by you.
Why should website owners upgrade to WordPress 6.5?
Website owners are encouraged to upgrade to WordPress 6.5 to use native lastmod support.
Upgrading ensures compatibility with the latest SEO techniques and tools, providing users with a more effective and easier-to-use platform. However, we recommend that you verify that there are no plugin conflicts before upgrading.
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