=== BotsMap - XML Sitemap Manager ===
Contributors: techievedam
Donate link: https://www.wpvedam.com/
Tags: XML Sitemap, SEO, Disable Sitemaps, Privacy Friendly, Crawler Management,
Requires at least: 5.2
Tested up to: 6.9
Requires PHP: 7.2
Stable tag: 1.3
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

BotsMap - XML Sitemap Manager is your ultimate tool to control how search bots can crawl your website.


== Description ==
BotsMap is a lightweight, privacy-first sitemap management plugin that gives you full control over which XML sitemaps are visible to search engine bots. Designed for transparency and simplicity, it helps you manage indexing rules without bloated features or hidden tracking. Perfect for site owners who value ethical SEO and want to decide exactly what crawlers can see.


Perfect for excluding sensitive, temporary, or low-value content from search engine indexing — without relying on third-party SEO plugins.

Key Features:

✅ Individual Post Exclusion: Easily remove any single post or page.

✅ Archive Control: Turn off indexing for date, author, or category archives.

✅ No Bloat: Works directly with the core WordPress sitemap feature—no need for heavy, competing SEO plugins.

Give search engines a cleaner, more direct path to your valuable content.

== Docs and FAQ ==

You can find [docs](https://wpvedam.com/botsmap-xml-sitemap-manager/), [FAQ](https://wpvedam.com/botsmap-xml-sitemap-manager/).


== Installation ==

**Installing BotsMap**
1. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
2. Go to Settings → BotsMap. Toggle the options to include or exclude item from sitemaps list.
3. Edit any specific post or page and check the "Exclude from Sitemap" box to omit it from the sitemap.

Find more information on [how to install plugin](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/manage-plugins/#installing-plugins).

**Uninstalling BotsMap**
To uninstall/remove the plugin, visit the Plugins screen, deactivate and delete the plugin.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==
= Does this work with custom post types? =
Not yet, but support can be added easily. Reach out via the support forum if you\'d like help extending it.

= Does this affect Yoast or Rank Math sitemaps? =
No. This plugin only modifies WordPress's native sitemap. For third-party SEO plugins, use their built-in filters.

= Where is the sitemap located? =
WordPress\'s default sitemap is available at `/wp-sitemap.xml`.

= Does this plugin create new sitemaps? =
No. It works with existing WordPress or SEO plugin sitemaps and lets you control which ones are visible to search engine bots.

= Will hiding a sitemap affect my SEO? =
It depends on your strategy. Hiding certain sitemaps can prevent bots from indexing unwanted content, but make sure you keep important sitemaps visible for proper search engine coverage.

= Does the plugin store or share any user data? =
No. This plugin is privacy‑friendly and does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data.

= More Questions =
Send any questions or feedback via my [contact form](https://wpvedam.com/contact/).


== Screenshots ==
1. BotsMap Admin Interface path to manage sitemaps settings
2. Admin Interface to change the show/hide settings of different xml sitemaps generated automatically by WordPress.
3. Individual page/post settings option to exclude from sitemap listing.

== Privacy ==
This plugin does not set cookies or track individual users.

It manages and controls WordPress core XML sitemaps. These sitemaps are shared with third‑party search engines (such as Google and Bing) to improve site indexing and visibility. No personal data is collected, stored, or transmitted by this plugin.

Site owners should be aware that search engines may process the sitemap data according to their own privacy policies.

== Changelog ==

If you like BotsMap XML Sitemap Manager, please take a moment to give a 5-star rating. It helps to keep the plugin going strong, and is greatly appreciated.

= 1.0 =
* Initial release.
= 1.1 =
* Updated code logic with conditional filtering of post types from sitemap.

= 1.1.1 =
* Release.

= 1.2 =
* Added privacy feature.

= 1.3 =
* Added WooCommerce Sitemap Support.

== Upgrade Notice ==
= 1.3 =
Thanks for using BotsMap - XML Sitemap Manager. This release includes improved conditional filtering of post types from sitemap.No more clutter! With an intuitive interface, you can effortlessly exclude irrelevant pages like draft previews, old archives, or custom post types you don\'t want indexed. The result? A perfectly optimized, search-engine-friendly sitemap that guides Google straight to your best content. Get only what matters, and leave the rest out.