Sitemap Lastmod, Priority and Changefreq: Which Tags Matter?

Of the optional XML sitemap tags, only lastmod is worth keeping, and only if it is accurate. Google has said it ignores the priority and changefreq values. A reliable lastmod date can help search engines decide when to recrawl a page, but a wrong one teaches them to ignore it.

Lastmod: useful when honest

The lastmod tag records when a page last changed in a meaningful way. Update it when the content genuinely changes, not whenever a template, sidebar or date stamp changes.

<url>
  <loc>https://www.example.com/guide/</loc>
  <lastmod>2026-10-01</lastmod>
</url>

Priority: ignored by Google

The priority tag was meant to tell crawlers which pages matter most on your site. In practice Google does not use it, and giving every page the same high value defeats the purpose anyway.

Changefreq: also ignored

The changefreq tag claims how often a page changes, such as daily or monthly. Google does not use it either, so it adds file size without benefit.

Common lastmod mistakes

• Setting every page to today’s date on each build.
• Changing the date for tiny edits.
• Leaving old dates after a major rewrite.

What to do in practice

Keep loc and an accurate lastmod. Drop priority and changefreq unless another tool you use relies on them. When you build a file by hand, the XML sitemap generator keeps the structure valid, and the sitemap validator checks it.

Back it up with real freshness

Dates only help when the content is truly updated. Read what an XML sitemap is for the fundamentals.

Frequently asked questions

Next steps

If you want your sitemap checked for accuracy, contact me here.

More in this series (XML sitemap questions): start with Free XML Sitemap Generator, then explore:

• XML Sitemap Size Limits and When to Use a Sitemap Index
• Which URLs Should Be in Your XML Sitemap (and Which Should Not)
• Image, Video and News Sitemaps: When Do You Need Them?
• Sitemap Could Not Be Fetched in Search Console: Causes and Fixes