Is the `` element still commonly utilized in modern XML sitemaps? I recently encountered one that included thumbnail details, which I hadn't seen before. When did Google discontinue support for this element? Is it now considered outdated or obsolete? Thank you.
The <pageMap> element is considered deprecated and is no longer actively supported by Google. While it was previously used to provide structured data for search engines, such as thumbnail details, it has been superseded by other methods of providing structured data, namely schema.org vocabulary.
This means that while you may still encounter <pageMap> elements in older sitemaps, they are not recommended for new sitemaps and may not be properly processed by search engines. Google’s official documentation recommends using schema.org vocabulary to provide structured data for search engine understanding.