Use video sitemap with expiration dates for removed videos.
- Use video sitemap with expiration dates for removed videos1 cited source1 category
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Why this matters
Signaling video removal with expiration dates helps search engines avoid showing unavailable content in search results, improving user experience.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Identify videos that have been removed or will expire.
- Add <video:expiration_date> elements in the video sitemap corresponding to those videos.
- Ensure the expiration dates reflect the correct date of video removal.
- Resubmit the video sitemap in Search Console.
- Regularly audit video sitemap to keep expiration dates updated.
Watch for
Neglecting to indicate video expiration can lead to broken or outdated video links in search results.
Definition of done
Video sitemap includes expiration dates for videos that are no longer available, reflected in search engine indexing.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.