Issue: Your sitemap.xml should only list clean URLs that lead directly to unique, active pages. Including redirects, duplicate content, or error pages (non-200 status codes) can confuse search engines, waste crawl resources, or even get your sitemap rejected.
Fix: Go through your sitemap.xml file and remove any URLs that:
- Redirect to another page
- Are duplicates or non-canonical versions of your pages
- Return error status codes (anything other than 200)
Replace these with direct, canonical URLs that return a 200 status code, ensuring only the best-quality pages are in your sitemap.
Tip: A well-maintained sitemap boosts search engine efficiency and helps all your key pages get crawled.