Tool Guide

Sitemap lastmod Guide

The <lastmod> field signals when a URL meaningfully changed. Accurate values help recrawl prioritization; fake ones erode trust.

What good looks like

  • lastmod reflects a real content change, not the build time of every page.
  • Derived from a source of truth (e.g. the last git commit that touched the file).
  • Present on each URL entry.

Common mistakes

  • Setting today's date on every URL each build.
  • Omitting lastmod entirely.
  • lastmod that disagrees with the actual page.

Verify

Inspect coverage with the Sitemap Validator. Background: optimizing sitemap.xml.

FAQ

Does lastmod guarantee a recrawl?

No. It is a hint used alongside other signals, not a command.

Should every page have today's date?

No — that signals nothing. Use the real last-change date.

Related guides

Optimize sitemap.xmlFull guide Improve crawlabilityRelated

Related tool

Sitemap ValidatorFree, browser-only — no upload

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