XML Sitemaps - Multi-lingual website

[J-Banz]

Hi Mozzers,

I am working with a large website that has some of its content translated across multiple languages. I am planning on using The Media Flow to create an HREFLANG Sitemap for content on various languages. Please see the attached image for the questions below. Thanks!

Section Highlighted Yellow:

• When there is a URL that does not have a translated version, should it not be included on the same HREFLANG sitemap?
• Alternately, could I just remove the languages that are not being targeted, so  this would just reflect English language targeting?

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[Martijn_Scheijbeler]

Hi,

1. You can always include it in the same sitemap, that won't matter for the markup of a sitemap. A normal sitemap is just expecting a list of URLs and the REL altnerates for translated pages are just an extension. However I would advise not include them in the same sitemap but create an alternative one for this and only include translated URLs into this one. By doing this you can measure the indexation rate of translated articles v.s. non translated articles.
2. Sure, you only include the languages that you've translated your articles too.

[J-Banz]

Thank you Martign! That makes sense. I'm excited to see how using the HREFLANG markup helps with multi-lingual users.