Sitemap without lastmod: Use the change date sensibly
Lastmod can help search engines classify changes more efficiently.
Lastmod can help search engines classify changes more efficiently The sitemap is a control signal. It should only contain URLs that are reachable, relevant and meaningfully indexable from an SEO point of view.
Only issue traceable changes as a change date
Lastmod is an optional indication. If the CMS does not have a reliable change date, a missing value is better than a daily renewed date for unchanged content. An export time does not automatically describe the last essential edit of a page.
Example: Recognizing the Result
Illustrative example: A generator cannot reliably determine the change date of the item and omits lastmod. A blanket date of today would claim a non-existing change.
Limit cause and implement correction
Compare an actual updated URL and an unchanged URL after the next sitemap run. Only the appropriate page should receive a new content change date. Check if technical publishing jobs or layout changes unintentionally re-date all entries. A consistent approach to the field is more useful than its mere presence.
What makes you recognize a suitable correction
Provide only traceable significant content changes as a date. An unchanged article should not automatically receive a new date when rebuilding a sitemap only.
Classification and boundaries
When is this indication not a clear error?
Lastmod is optional. A missing value is often better than a systematically incorrect value.
Sitemap without lastmod according to CMS and cause
Many audit messages can be resolved faster if they are grouped by system, page type and technical cause. CMS indentations are only linked where Sitemap without lastmod has a clear cause or fixed route in the respective system.
For this error, there is currently no own CMS deepening, because the correction is usually not sufficiently system-specific. Take advantage of the general causes and checks on this page.
Frequent causes of this error
Related SEO Errors
Appropriate Seitenreport checks
This error should not be checked in isolation. The following tools and clusters help to narrow down the cause faster and to cleanly prioritize the affected URL groups.