Build Your Own SEO Sitemap Extractor Tool

A step-by-step guide to creating a sitemap extractor with AI and Python.

By Casey Builds It · YouTube Video EadUsM2wSdM

1. Project Setup and AI Interaction

Prepare your environment and learn to prompt the AI effectively.

• Open the Cursor AI tool.
• Access the chat box for AI interaction.
• Initiate the process to build the sitemap extractor tool.
• Understand how to prompt Cursor to generate the Python script.
• Set up your project folder correctly.
• Copy generated code or data as needed.

2. Understanding the Tool's Functionality

Learn what the tool can do and how it processes sitemaps.

• Observe the tool in action extracting sitemaps.
• Identify how the tool handles different sitemap variations (e.g., sitemap.xml, sitemap_index.xml).
• See how the tool detects website types (e.g., WordPress/Yoast SEO vs. standard HTML).
• Enter a website URL to test the extractor.
• Review the sitemap overview generated by the tool.
• Examine the extracted URLs and data.

3. Advanced Extraction and Sorting

Explore features for handling complex sitemaps and specific data needs.

• Learn to separate sitemap URLs by location or service.
• Extract sitemaps for multi-location businesses.
• Sort extracted URLs by city or keyword.
• Process sitemaps with a large number of entries (e.g., 20+ locations).
• Understand how to tell the tool to perform advanced sorting.
• Save extracted data to a specific folder.

4. Data Export and Organization

Learn how to export and organize the extracted sitemap data.

• Export extracted results into clean CSV files.
• Include domain names and timestamps in exports.
• Organize exported data for tracking changes or managing client sites.
• Initiate the export process by hitting the export button.
• Save extracted URLs and location data.
• Verify that files appear in the output folder.
• Keep extracted data organized for future use.

5. Creating a Standalone Application

Convert your Python script into a distributable executable.

• Learn to convert the Python script into a standalone .exe file.
• Understand how to run the .exe on Windows without Python installation.
• Explore options for building in over-the-air updates.
• Download and replace existing tool files if updates are available.
• Test the standalone application.

6. Practical SEO Applications

Understand the value of sitemap extraction for SEO tasks.

• Apply sitemap extraction for technical SEO audits.
• Use the tool for site migration planning.
• Conduct content inventories using extracted URLs.
• Perform competitive research with sitemap data.
• Build a custom solution tailored to your workflow.
• Expand the tool with new features as needed.

7. Finalizing and Using the Tool

Complete the build process and prepare to use your new tool.

• Add any final features or customizations.
• Upload the finalized tool to your site (if applicable).
• Check the results of your sitemap extraction.
• Verify the success of the extraction process.
• Open the output folder to access saved data.
• Use the tool for your SEO tasks.
• Proceed with using the sitemap extractor.

Build your own custom SEO tools with AI assistance.