Google Phasing Out Sitemaps Ping Endpoint: Impact on SEO Practices and Alternatives Explored

Google Phasing Out Sitemaps Ping Endpoint: Impact on SEO Practices and Alternatives Explored

The upcoming deprecation of the sitemaps “ping” endpoint by Google is expected to have a notable impact on SEO practices. Scheduled to occur later this year, this move will necessitate alternative methods for sitemap submission and may slightly affect content indexing speed.

Sitemap ping, an unauthenticated REST method, enables users to submit sitemaps directly to search engines like Google and Bing without relying on authentication. The primary purpose of this method is to notify search engines about updates or changes to a sitemap, ensuring that the most recent content is accessible to search queries.

However, Google’s internal studies, in conjunction with findings from other search engines such as Bing, have indicated that unauthenticated sitemap submissions are no longer very useful in the modern digital landscape. The primary reason for this change is that the majority of submissions via the ping endpoint have turned out to be spam rather than legitimate sitemap updates.

Consequently, Google is encouraging users to switch to alternative sitemap submission methods before the sitemaps ping endpoint is deprecated. One recommended method is submitting sitemaps through the Google Search Console, which requires authentication and thus safeguards against spam submissions. Additionally, users can consider incorporating sitemap submission instructions in their site’s robots.txt file. To further improve indexing efficiency, it is essential to maintain accurate “lastmod” data within the sitemap file, specifying the date of the last modification for each listed URL.

Of note, Google does not utilize the “changefreq” or “priority” elements found within sitemap files, and the deprecation of the sitemaps ping endpoint will not change this practice. Existing code or plugins implementing this endpoint will not cause any issues for Google Search, according to the tech giant. However, users can expect a slight slowdown in content indexing due to the removal of ping support. Google, for its part, does not seem overly concerned about this potential slowdown, as long as users maintain accurate and useful “lastmod” data.

By the end of this year, the sitemaps ping endpoint will be officially deprecated. Website owners should review their CMS or custom code for any sitemap pinging functionality and explore the potential for updating their systems accordingly. It is crucial to reinforce the importance of maintaining accurate “lastmod” data for SEO purposes, as it will become increasingly essential in the absence of the sitemaps ping endpoint.

In conclusion, Google’s decision to phase out the sitemaps ping endpoint signals a shift in SEO practices and highlights the importance of keeping up with the evolving digital landscape. As alternative sitemap submission methods become the norm, website owners and developers must adapt to ensure their website content remains visible and easily discoverable for users across the globe.

Reference:

• Google to deprecate Sitemaps ping endpoint later this year, Search Engine Land.