Simple Sitemap guide
Build a useful HTML sitemap in WordPress.
Create a clear, visitor-friendly HTML sitemap with the block editor, or keep an established shortcode workflow. This guide covers the current Simple Sitemap 3.6.x interface.
Quick start
Publish your first sitemap
- Install and activate Simple Sitemap.
- Create or edit the Page where the sitemap should appear.
- Insert the Simple Sitemap block.
- Choose the content, ordering, labels, links, and layout in the block sidebar.
- Review the live preview, then publish or update the Page.
Simple Sitemap creates a visible HTML sitemap for people browsing your site. It does not replace the XML sitemap used by search engines.
Checkpoint: after step 3, the editor should show a live list and the block sidebar should show General Settings, ordering, display, tab, and Page controls.
In this guide
Choose the right block
Simple Sitemap
Use this for a list of posts, Pages, or other available content types. It supports standard lists, optional tabs, ascending or descending order, custom labels, excerpts, linked or plain-text items, and Page-depth controls.
Simple Sitemap Group
Use this when entries should be grouped under taxonomy terms, such as posts grouped by category. Choose the post type, taxonomy, term ordering, item ordering, labels, excerpts, and links from the block sidebar.
Use Simple Sitemap when…
You want one list for Pages, posts, or another available content type, with optional post-type tabs.
Use Simple Sitemap Group when…
You want entries collected under terms from a taxonomy, such as posts grouped by category.
Follow the visual workflow
The screenshots below show the real editor and front-end workflow. WordPress and theme styling may change the surrounding controls, but the Simple Sitemap settings and output structure remain recognisable.
Configure the sitemap
Select the block to open its settings. The exact controls depend on the block and edition, but the core workflow is consistent:
- Content: choose which available post types are shown.
- Order: sort by title, author, date, ID, menu order, comment count, or random order, then choose ascending or descending direction.
- Presentation: show or hide post-type labels, excerpts, and links; optionally open links in a new tab.
- Layout: use a standard list or responsive tabs and set Page indentation where needed.
- Multiple sitemaps: add more than one block to a Page when separate lists make the content easier to scan.
Styles and scripts load only on Pages that contain a sitemap. Each sitemap receives its own ID, which helps when more than one instance needs separate configuration or styling.
| Setting | Use it to | Check before publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Post types | Select the content lists shown by this block. | Every selected type contains published, publicly viewable items. |
| Order and order by | Sort by title, date, menu order, author, ID, comments, or random order. | The chosen sort makes sense to a visitor, not only to an administrator. |
| Labels and excerpts | Add context around each list or item. | Long excerpts do not make the sitemap harder to scan. |
| Links and new tabs | Choose linked or plain-text items and optional new-tab behaviour. | New tabs are genuinely useful and not enabled by habit. |
| Tabs | Separate selected post types in a compact responsive interface. | Every tab works with a keyboard and remains readable at narrow widths. |
| Page depth | Control how Page hierarchy is represented. | Child Pages appear under the intended parent structure. |
Use shortcodes when you need them
The block editor is the easiest route for new sitemaps. Existing classic-editor and page-builder layouts can continue using:
[simple-sitemap]
[simple-sitemap-group]Common [simple-sitemap] options include types, order, orderby, show_excerpt, links, and page_depth. The grouped shortcode uses tax for its taxonomy. Add only the settings you need and test the result on the front end after changing an established shortcode.
[simple-sitemap types="page" orderby="title" order="asc"]
[simple-sitemap-group tax="category" orderby="title" order="asc"]Migration tip: keep an existing shortcode in place until the equivalent block has been configured and checked on a duplicate Page. Replacing the shortcode is optional.
When Simple Sitemap Pro helps
Pro is intended for larger or more structured sites that need custom post types and taxonomies, individual include or exclude rules, additional sitemap blocks and shortcodes, advanced responsive and horizontal layouts, interface colour and presentation controls, or developer filters.
Compare Simple Sitemap Pro licences when the standard block settings no longer cover the required structure.
Troubleshooting
The sitemap is not showing the content I expected
Confirm the selected post type, publication status, include/exclude settings, taxonomy, and ordering. Preview the Page while signed out so private or draft content does not affect the test.
The layout looks different in the editor and on the front end
Check the published Page at desktop and narrow widths. Theme styles can affect list spacing and typography, while the plugin controls the sitemap structure and responsive behaviour.
Do existing shortcodes still work?
Yes. The blocks provide a visual workflow, while [simple-sitemap] and [simple-sitemap-group] remain available for established content.
Is this an XML sitemap plugin?
No. It creates an HTML sitemap for visitors. WordPress or your SEO plugin can continue providing an XML sitemap for search engines.
The grouped sitemap is empty
Confirm that the selected post type uses the chosen taxonomy and that published items are assigned to visible terms. Temporarily remove include or exclude rules to identify whether a rule is filtering the expected content.
The tabs or links do not respond
Check the browser console for a JavaScript error, temporarily disable optimisation that combines or delays scripts, and test with a default WordPress theme on a non-production copy. Re-enable each layer separately once the conflict is identified.
If you need support, include:
- Simple Sitemap version and edition.
- WordPress, PHP, and active theme versions.
- The block or shortcode being used, with private IDs and URLs removed.
- Steps that reproduce the issue and the result you expected.
- A screenshot of the block settings and published result when relevant.
Still stuck?
Choose the support route for your edition.
Pro customers can sign in for private support. Free-edition questions belong in the public WordPress.org forum.