Special Sitemaps (Pro+)
Advanced sitemap types for video and news content with ProRank SEO Pro+
Special Sitemaps require a Pro+ license or higher.Upgrade your license
Overview
Special sitemaps extend ProRank SEO's sitemap capabilities with specialized formats for video and news content. These sitemaps help your multimedia and time-sensitive content get discovered and indexed more effectively by search engines.
Video Sitemaps
Help search engines discover and index video content with rich metadata including thumbnails, duration, and descriptions.
News Sitemaps
Submit time-sensitive content to Google News with publication dates, keywords, and stock ticker information.
Video Sitemaps
Features
- ✓Automatic video detection in post content
- ✓Support for YouTube, Vimeo, and self-hosted videos
- ✓YouTube Shorts detection and optimization
- ✓Automatic thumbnail extraction
- ✓Duration and view count metadata
- ✓Custom field support for video URLs
- ✓API caching for performance (15-minute default)
Configuration
Video Sitemap Settings
- Enable Video Sitemap:Toggle to activate video sitemap generation
- Hide from Sitemap Index:Option to exclude from main sitemap index
- Post Types:Select which post types to scan for videos
- YouTube API Key:Optional - enhances metadata for YouTube videos
- Custom Fields:Specify custom field names containing video URLs
- Auto-detect Videos:Automatically find videos in content (recommended)
- Supported Formats:Choose which video platforms to include
Supported Video Formats
| Format | Supported | Detection | API Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Yes | Automatic | Optional (for metadata) |
| Vimeo | Yes | Automatic | No |
| MP4 | Yes | Automatic | No |
| WebM | Yes | Automatic | No |
| Dailymotion | Yes | Automatic | No |
YouTube API Setup
YouTube API key is optional but recommended for enhanced metadata like view counts and ratings.
- Go to Google Cloud Console
- Create a new project or select existing
- Enable YouTube Data API v3
- Create credentials (API Key)
- Copy the API key
- Paste in ProRank SEO Video Sitemap settings
Video Sitemap URL
https://yoursite.com/video-sitemap.xmlNews Sitemaps
Features
- ✓Google News compatible format
- ✓Automatic article detection (last 48 hours)
- ✓Publication name and language support
- ✓Genre and keyword tagging
- ✓Stock ticker symbols support
- ✓Automatic expiration (articles older than 2 days)
Google News Requirements
Prerequisites for Google News
- • Your site must be approved for Google News
- • Content must be newsworthy and timely
- • Articles must have clear publication dates
- • Author information should be present
- • Unique, original content only
- • Regular publishing schedule (multiple articles daily)
Configuration Settings
| Setting | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Publication Name | Yes | Your news publication name |
| Include Categories | No | News categories to include |
| Retention Days | No | Days to keep articles in sitemap (default: 2) |
| Stock Tickers | No | Related stock symbols for articles |
| Keywords | No | Article keywords and tags |
News Sitemap Format
ProRank SEO generates news sitemaps following Google's specifications:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"
xmlns:news="http://www.google.com/schemas/sitemap-news/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://yoursite.com/news/article-title</loc>
<news:news>
<news:publication>
<news:name>Your Publication Name</news:name>
<news:language>en</news:language>
</news:publication>
<news:publication_date>2025-01-20T10:00:00Z</news:publication_date>
<news:title>Article Title Here</news:title>
<news:keywords>keyword1, keyword2, keyword3</news:keywords>
<news:stock_tickers>NASDAQ:GOOGL, NYSE:AAPL</news:stock_tickers>
</news:news>
</url>
</urlset>News Sitemap URL
https://yoursite.com/news-sitemap.xmlImplementation Guide
Setting Up Special Sitemaps
- Verify License:Ensure you have an active Pro+ license
- Navigate to Settings:Go to ProRank SEO → Technical SEO → Sitemaps
- Open Special Sitemaps Tab:Click on the "Special Sitemaps" tab
- Configure Video Sitemap:Enable and set up video detection options
- Configure News Sitemap:Enable and enter publication details
- Save Settings:Click "Save Settings" to generate sitemaps
- Submit to Search Engines:Add sitemap URLs to Google Search Console
Best Practices
Video Sitemaps
- ✓ Use descriptive video titles and descriptions
- ✓ Provide accurate video duration
- ✓ Include high-quality thumbnails
- ✓ Add transcripts when available
- ✓ Keep video URLs stable
- ✓ Use structured data alongside sitemaps
News Sitemaps
- ✓ Publish fresh content regularly
- ✓ Use clear, descriptive headlines
- ✓ Include relevant keywords naturally
- ✓ Add stock tickers for financial news
- ✓ Maintain consistent publication schedule
- ✓ Remove articles after 2 days automatically
Monitoring & Analytics
Track Performance
Google Search Console
- • Monitor video sitemap indexing under "Video pages"
- • Check news sitemap status in "Sitemaps" section
- • Review coverage reports for errors
- • Track impressions and clicks for video/news content
Key Metrics to Monitor
- • Video indexation rate
- • News article discovery time
- • Click-through rates for rich results
- • Coverage errors and warnings
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Videos Not Appearing in Sitemap
- • Check if video format is supported
- • Verify auto-detection is enabled
- • Ensure videos are in published posts
- • Check custom field names if used
News Sitemap Empty
- • Articles must be less than 48 hours old
- • Check publication name is set
- • Verify post categories are included
- • Ensure posts have proper timestamps
License Error
- • Verify Pro+ license is active
- • Check license key in settings
- • Contact support if license is valid
ROI Tip: Video sitemaps can increase video visibility in search by up to 40%, while news sitemaps ensure timely indexing of breaking news content.