ProRank SEO

KML Sitemaps

Generate Google-compatible KML sitemaps for enhanced local search visibility

Pro+ Required. KML sitemap generation is part of the Local SEO module. Your KML sitemap is available at /sitemap-locations.kml and updates as you add or modify locations.

What is a KML Sitemap?

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML format used to display geographic data in mapping applications like Google Maps and Google Earth. A KML sitemap helps search engines understand your physical business locations and can improve your visibility in local search results.

How It Works

When the Local SEO module is active and you have locations saved, ProRank automatically generates a KML sitemap at:

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-locations.kml

The generator registers the rewrite rule ^sitemap-locations\.kml$and outputs KML XML containing each location's name, address, description, and coordinates.

Location Coordinates

Each location in the KML output includes geographic coordinates:

  • If coordinates are stored for a location, those are used directly
  • If coordinates are missing, the generator uses a placeholder. Provide explicit coordinates for accurate results
Always provide latitude and longitude for each location. The current fallback behaviour is limited, so locations without explicit coordinates may not appear accurately on maps.

KML Output Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
  <Document>
    <name>Your Business Locations</name>
    <Placemark>
      <name>Main Office</name>
      <description>123 Main Street, London</description>
      <Point>
        <coordinates>-0.1276,51.5074,0</coordinates>
      </Point>
    </Placemark>
  </Document>
</kml>

Submitting to Search Console

  1. Open Google Search Console for your property
  2. Go to Sitemaps
  3. Enter sitemap-locations.kml
  4. Click Submit

You can also add the KML sitemap URL to your robots.txt manually:

Sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-locations.kml

Verification

To verify your KML sitemap is working:

  1. Visit https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-locations.kml in your browser
  2. You should see valid KML XML with your locations
  3. Check that coordinates and addresses are correct
  4. Optionally open the file in Google Earth to visualise your locations

Best Practices

  • • Keep location addresses accurate and up to date
  • • Provide explicit coordinates when possible for best accuracy
  • • Submit the KML sitemap alongside your XML sitemap in Search Console
  • • Verify the KML output after adding or modifying locations
  • • Use consistent address formatting across all locations