In short. AIOSEO publishes an HTML sitemap through five methods with configurable content selection and ordering.
Definition: All in One SEO (AIOSEO) can publish a visitor-facing HTML sitemap through a dedicated page, shortcode, Gutenberg block, widget, or PHP code. Its HTML Sitemap settings also select the content types and taxonomies and define their order.
Key facts
- AIOSEO's HTML sitemap documentation describes five display methods: a dedicated page, shortcode, Gutenberg block, widget, and PHP code.
- The feature is configured under Sitemaps in the All in One SEO menu, on the HTML Sitemap tab. The Enable Sitemap toggle is enabled by default in the documented screen.
- The content controls cover Post Types and Taxonomies. Each can include all items or a selected list.
- Sort Order chooses the field used for ordering, while Sort Direction applies ascending or descending order. AIOSEO's shortcode documentation exposes the same choices through
orderandorder_by. - Publication Date shows or hides the publication date beside each item for post types.
Which display methods does AIOSEO support?
The Dedicated Page method creates a dynamic, virtual page. Select Dynamic Page in the display section, enter the page name, save the settings, and use Open HTML Sitemap to view it.
The other methods place the sitemap inside existing WordPress surfaces. AIOSEO's shortcode documentation gives this shortcode:
[aioseo_html_sitemap]
The same documentation says the shortcode works in the Classic Editor, the Block Editor, and page builders. AIOSEO's block documentation says the HTML Sitemap block is for the WordPress Block Editor. Its widget documentation places the AIOSEO - HTML Sitemap widget under Appearance » Widgets. The fifth method is PHP code in a WordPress theme.
How does AIOSEO select and order sitemap content?
The central settings provide Include All Post Types and Include All Taxonomies checkboxes. When either checkbox is cleared, AIOSEO shows the available post types or taxonomies for selection. Advanced settings also provide Exclude Posts / Pages and Exclude Terms fields. The documentation says an exclusion can match an ID, title, or slug.
The Sort Order setting offers four documented bases: Publish Date, Last Updated Date, Alphabetical, and Post / Term ID. The Sort Direction setting accepts Ascending or Descending. In the shortcode form, the corresponding attributes are order_by with the values publish_date, last_updated, alphabetical, or id, and order with ASC or DESC.
[aioseo_html_sitemap post_types="post,page" taxonomies="category,post_tag" label_tag="h2" show_label="true" publication_date="true" archives="false" order="ASC" order_by="alphabetical"]
The shortcode documentation describes publication_date as a true or false option and archives as the option that controls a compact archive. The central documentation says Compact Archives works with the WPBeginner Compact Archives plugin.
Do placement methods use the same settings?
The block displays the sitemap according to the settings under All in One SEO » Sitemaps » HTML Sitemap. Selecting Use Default Settings in the block lets its settings override those central values. The widget has corresponding settings, and changes made in the widget override the HTML Sitemap defaults. Shortcode and PHP code can pass their own content, label, date, archive, and ordering arguments.
The AIOSEO page used here is marked “Last updated on August 14, 2026.” The documentation describes the controls and display methods, while the actual visible output depends on the method and settings selected in WordPress.
Related terms
FAQ
Can a shortcode be used in a page builder?
Yes. AIOSEO's shortcode documentation says the shortcode can be used with the Classic Editor, Block Editor, or any page builder.
Does the HTML Sitemap block work in the Classic Editor?
No. AIOSEO documents the block for the WordPress Block Editor and says WordPress blocks do not work with the Classic Editor or page builders.
Can the sitemap be sorted alphabetically?
Yes. Choose Alphabetical in Sort Order, or set order_by="alphabetical" in the shortcode.
Can publication dates be hidden?
Yes. The Publication Date setting shows or hides the date beside each post type item. The shortcode equivalent is publication_date="false".
Sources
- AIOSEO, "How to Create an HTML Sitemap", 14 August 2026
- AIOSEO, "Using a Shortcode to Display Your HTML Sitemap", 14 August 2026
- AIOSEO, "Using a Block to Display Your HTML Sitemap", 14 August 2026
- AIOSEO, "Using a Widget to Display Your HTML Sitemap", 14 August 2026
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