Filters and example code for Yoast SEO sitemaps

yoast_seo_sitemap_add_custom_type.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Create a Yoast SEO sitemap for a custom post type
 * Credit: Team Yoast
 * Last Tested: Unknown
 * Documentation: https://developer.yoast.com/features/xml-sitemaps/api/#add-a-custom-post-type
 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
 * HOW TO USE
 * Replace TYPE with your custom type
 */

add_action('init', 'enable_custom_sitemap');

function enable_custom_sitemap()
{
  global $wpseo_sitemaps;
  if (isset($wpseo_sitemaps) && !empty($wpseo_sitemaps)) {
    $wpseo_sitemaps->register_sitemap('TYPE', 'create_TYPE_sitemap');
  }
}

yoast_seo_sitemap_add_external.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Add External Sitemap to Yoast Sitemap Index
* Credit: Paul https://wordpress.org/support/users/paulmighty/
* Modified by: Team Yoast
* Last Tested: Aug 25 2017 using Yoast SEO 5.3.2 on WordPress 4.8.1
* Documentation:
* https://developer.yoast.com/features/xml-sitemaps/api/#add-additionalexternal-xml-sitemaps-to-the-xml-sitemap-index
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
* This code adds two external sitemaps and must be modified before using.
* Replace http://www.example.com/external-sitemap-#.xml with your external sitemap URL.
* Replace 2017-05-22T23:12:27+00:00 with the time and date your external sitemap was last updated.
* Format: yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ssZ
* If you have more/less sitemaps, add/remove the additional section.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
* Please note that changes will be applied upon next sitemap update.
* To manually refresh the sitemap, please disable and enable the sitemaps.
*/

add_filter('wpseo_sitemap_index', 'add_sitemap_custom_items');

function add_sitemap_custom_items($sitemap_custom_items)
{
  $sitemap_custom_items .= '
<sitemap>
<loc>http://www.example.com/external-sitemap-1.xml</loc>
<lastmod>2017-05-22T23:12:27+00:00</lastmod>
</sitemap>';

  /* Add Additional Sitemap
   * This section can be removed or reused as needed
   */
  $sitemap_custom_items .= '
<sitemap>
<loc>http://www.example.com/external-sitemap-2.xml</loc>
<lastmod>2017-05-22T23:12:27+00:00</lastmod>
</sitemap>';

  /* DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE
   * Send the information to Yoast SEO
   */
  return $sitemap_custom_items;
}

yoast_seo_sitemap_add_image.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Add single image to all content items in the Yoast SEO sitemap
 * Credit: Yoast team
 * Documentation: https://developer.yoast.com/features/xml-sitemaps/api/
 * Last Tested: Aug 08 2024 using Yoast SEO 23.2 on WordPress 6.6.1
 */

function filter_wpseo_sitemap_urlimages( $images ) {
  array_push( $images, [ 'src' => 'https://www.example.com/wp-content/uploads/extra-image.jpg' ]);
  return $images;
};

add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_urlimages', 'filter_wpseo_sitemap_urlimages' ); // Post Types (posts, pages, custom post)
add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_urlimages_term', 'filter_wpseo_sitemap_urlimages' ); // Taxonomies (category, tags)

yoast_seo_sitemap_change_entries_per_page.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Change the number of entries per sitemap
 * Credit: Yoast Team
 * Last Tested: Oct 17 2018 using Yoast SEO 8.4 on WordPress 4.9.8
 * Limit should be either lower than 100 or a multiple of 100 to avoid problems with the sitemap pagination
 * Documentation: https://developer.yoast.com/features/xml-sitemaps/api/#alter-the-number-of-sitemap-entries
 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
 */

add_filter('wpseo_sitemap_entries_per_page', 'max_entries_per_sitemap');

function max_entries_per_sitemap() {
  return 10;
}

yoast_seo_sitemap_remove_homepage.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Remove homepage from the page sitemap
 * Credit: Yoast team
 * Last Tested:  Jun 20 2024 using Yoast SEO 22.9 on WordPress 6.5.4
 */

add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_url', function ( $output, $url ) {
	if ( $url['loc']  === home_url( '/' ) ) {
		return '';
	}

	return $output;
}, 10, 2 );

yoast_seo_sitemap_remove_images.php

<?php
/********* DO NOT COPY THE PARTS ABOVE THIS LINE *********/

/* Remove all image URLs for the Yoast SEO sitemap
 * Credit: Yoast team
 * Last Tested: Aug 08 2024 using Yoast SEO 23.2 on WordPress 6.6.1
 */

// Post Types (posts, pages, custom post types)
add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_urlimages', '__return_empty_array' );

// Taxonomies (category, tags)
add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_urlimages_term', '__return_empty_array' );

I can´t find yoast_seo_sitemap_add_external.php anywhere on the plugin editor tab.

That filename is the one from the example above. It is not part of the plugin and you will not see custom sitemaps in the plugin settings or edit screens/tabs.

I want the new custom sitemap I want to create to be inside of /sitemap_index.xml

The code snippet will add a link to the sitemap_index.xml file with all the other sub-sitemaps.

Is it possible to use this multiple times?

I'm using it in a custom plugin but also run another plugin that uses it.

It seems that using it multiple times just overwrites the filters from the other plugins and only the last run filter will be added.

Yes, the code can be used multiple times. However, you will likely need to make changes to avoid overwriting. For example, changing the function name add_sitemap_custom_items to something unique. You can also add a priority level so one piece of code triggers before the other.

I don't think it can be used multiple times?

Currently, another plugin is using the same filter to add a sitemap.

If I just use the same filter in my plugin then the sitemap only shows the filter from the first plugin.
if I increase the priority in my plugin then it overwrites the content added by the first plugin so my sitemap replaces the other one.

Both plugins have namespaced function names so I don't think that's the problem.

Before I sent my last reply, I tested the filter to add external sitemaps and was able to add 4 sitemaps, 2 from a plugin file and 2 from a theme's functions.php.

As that isn't happening in your setup, the issue is likely specific to your setup and this is not the proper place to request support. Please check out our extensive help section or visit the free support forum. If you require further support, upgrading to our premium version provides you with access to our support team.

I found the problem.
The first plugin wasn't passing the $sitemap_custom_items variable into their custom function and just returning their own output.

So I had to up the priority in my own function and append my sitemap to theirs.

"function add_sitemap_custom_items" Confirmed working just now. thanks

That filename is the one from the example above. It is not part of the plugin and you will not see custom sitemaps in the plugin settings or edit screens/tabs.

I cannot find all the three files. Where should I create them? Thanks.

I have created a custom URL sitemap and have 1000+ urls in it. This code
`add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_entries_per_page', 'max_entries_per_sitemap' );

function max_entries_per_sitemap() {
return 10;
}`
is not working for the custom URL. But is working for the default sitemaps that were already there.

Any help for this?

@tongsonbarbs I would guess that the method used to create the custom sitemap does not utilize the max entry limit. Adding a loop within the custom code should help.

If you're not familiar with loops, I'd recommend checking out Code Poet, WordPress Jobs, or WordPress Professional Network for development & consultancy.

@amboutwe Thanks for your response.
Is there any method to create a custom sitemap that would utilize the max entry limit?

thank you guys, this worked perfectly, added the code to my theme custom function.php and voilá!

Thanks

thank you guys, this worked perfectly, added the code to my theme custom function.php and voilá!

Thanks

Hi @Dewdan! did you also include the yoast_seo_sitemap_add_custom_type.php and entries page code? I mean I just copy the yoast_seo_sitemap_add_external.php code then replace the link and the date. Then paste the those code in my theme file editor functions.php but it is not working.

thank you guys, this worked perfectly, added the code to my theme custom function.php and voilá!
Thanks

Hi @Dewdan! did you also include the yoast_seo_sitemap_add_custom_type.php and entries page code? I mean I just copy the yoast_seo_sitemap_add_external.php code then replace the link and the date. Then paste the those code in my theme file editor functions.php but it is not working.

Hi @llenegc,

Can you paste your code here? It sounds like you might have missed something.
I didn't include that php, I just added the code into my child theme function.php. Make sure you create a.xml file and write in the code the right url. Mine is in the same directory as the wordpress directory.

add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_index', 'add_sitemap_custom_items' );

function add_sitemap_custom_items( $sitemap_custom_items ) {
   $sitemap_custom_items .= '
<sitemap>
<loc>**https://domainNAme/subdomain/menu-sitemap.xml**</loc>
<lastmod>2023-01-09T13:00:00+00:00</lastmod>
</sitemap>';

**return $sitemap_custom_items;**
}
 **?>**

Hi all,

I have tried many things to optimise a website that having MySQL performance issue due to apparently Yoast

this is website have a sitemap of +1 300 pages with 1000urls each due to important bbpress forum

so I tried to exclude them and it work

but I would like something more advance like :
Keep only the 250 last URL of each type
or Kepp only the URL of the past week

The first function working but not the other one (I sued it once each not all function in same time)

/* Exclude Multiple Content Types From Yoast SEO Sitemap */
add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_exclude_post_type', 'sitemap_exclude_post_type', 10, 2 );

function sitemap_exclude_post_type( $value, $post_type ) {
	$post_type_to_exclude = array('topic','reply');
	if( in_array( $post_type, $post_type_to_exclude ) ) return true;
}*/


add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_entry', 'filter_yoast_sitemap_entries', 10, 3 );
function filter_yoast_sitemap_entries( $url, $type, $post ) {
    // Si le type de post est 'topic' ou 'reply'
    if ( in_array( $type, array( 'topic', 'reply' ) ) ) {
        // Si le post a été publié il y a plus d'une semaine, on l'exclut
        if ( strtotime( $post->post_date_gmt ) < strtotime( '-1 week' ) ) {
            return false;
        }
    }
    return $url;
}


function exclude_posts_from_yoast_sitemap( $excluded_posts_ids ) {
    $post_types = array( 'topic', 'reply' );

    foreach ( $post_types as $post_type ) {
        $posts = get_posts( array(
            'post_type'      => $post_type,
            'posts_per_page' => -1, // Récupère tous les posts
            'fields'         => 'ids', // Récupère seulement les IDs
            'date_query'     => array(
                array(
                    'column' => 'post_date',
                    'before' => '250 days ago', // Adaptez cette valeur si nécessaire
                ),
            ),
        ) );

        $excluded_posts_ids = array_merge( $excluded_posts_ids, $posts );
    }

    return $excluded_posts_ids;
}

add_filter( 'wpseo_exclude_from_sitemap_by_post_ids', 'exclude_posts_from_yoast_sitemap' );


function filter_yoast_sitemap_entries( $url, $type, $post ) {
    // Si le type de contenu est 'topic' ou 'reply'
    if ( 'post' === $type && ( 'topic' === $post->post_type || 'reply' === $post->post_type ) ) {
        // Récupère les 250 derniers posts de ce type
        $recent_posts = wp_get_recent_posts( array(
            'numberposts' => 250,
            'post_type'   => $post->post_type,
            'fields'      => 'ids',
        ) );
        // Si le post n'est pas dans les 250 derniers, ne l'ajoute pas au sitemap
        if ( ! in_array( $post->ID, $recent_posts ) ) {
            return false;
        }
    }
    return $url;
}

add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_entry', 'filter_yoast_sitemap_entries', 10, 3 );


function limit_yoast_sitemap_post_count( $count, $post_type ) {
    if ( 'topic' === $post_type || 'reply' === $post_type ) {
        return 250; // Limite à 250 URLs pour 'topic' et 'reply'
    }
    return $count; // Retourne le nombre par défaut pour les autres types de contenu
}

add_filter( 'wpseo_sitemap_post_type_archive_link_count', 'limit_yoast_sitemap_post_count', 10, 2 );

Do you have any ideas ?

I'm trying to optimise this SQL query actually :

SELECT l.ID, post_title, post_content, post_name, post_parent, post_author, post_status, post_modified_gmt, post_date, post_date_gmt
                        FROM (
                                SELECT WP_posts.ID
                                FROM WP_posts

                        WHERE WP_posts.post_status IN ('publish')
                                AND WP_posts.post_type = 'topic'
                                AND WP_posts.post_password = ''
                                AND WP_posts.post_date != '0000-00-00 00:00:00'

                                ORDER BY WP_posts.post_modified ASC LIMIT 100 OFFSET 101500
                        )
                        o JOIN WP_posts l ON l.ID = o.ID;

This is not the proper place to request support. Please check out our extensive help section or visit the free support forum. If you require further support, upgrading to our premium version provides you with access to our support team.

Thanks @amboutwe , I agree totally, you have been very helpful and it is now getting a little our of hand.

Cheers
:Dewdan

The first example, file-yoast_seo_sitemap_add_custom_type-php, is not complete. Function is not properly closed. Also, we don't know what create_TYPE_sitemap callable is and does, how to create our own implementation.

@djboris88 The plugin automatically detects most custom post types (CPT), so you'd only need this in some instances. You can check under Admin > Yoast SEO > Settings > Content types to see if your CPT was detected automatically.

The code requires that you replace TYPE with your CPT. For example, if your CPT is called recipe, the register sitemap line would change as shown here.

$wpseo_sitemaps->register_sitemap( 'recipe', 'create_recipe_sitemap' );