Sitemap Lastmod
Checks that sitemap URLs include a <lastmod> timestamp reflecting real content changes.
What this check measures
We look for `<lastmod>` inside each `<url>` entry. Missing lastmod makes Google fall back to heuristics for recrawl priority. Lastmod that updates on every deploy (without content change) is also flagged.
Why it matters
Google uses lastmod to prioritize crawl budget. Accurate lastmod means your updated pages get recrawled sooner. Fake or always-current lastmod (every URL has today's date) gets Google to ignore it.
How our audit detects it
Parse sitemap.xml URL entries, check for `<lastmod>` element, and heuristically detect if all lastmods are identical (sign of auto-generated false dates).
Typical findings
- error_outlineNo lastmod on any URL in the sitemap.
- error_outlineAll URLs have the same lastmod — usually today's build date.
- error_outlineLastmod format invalid (not W3C datetime format).
How to fix
Set lastmod to the actual last modification of the page content (e.g., from your CMS updated_at field). For static pages that never change, omit lastmod rather than faking it.
Copy-paste fix prompt for your stack
Lovable · Cursor · Bolt · v0 · Replit · Windsurf · Claude Code · Base44
Frequently asked questions
Is changefreq still used?expand_more
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