How to Submit a Sitemap to Google (in 4 Simple Steps)

Submitting a sitemap to Google will assist the search engine crawl and index your pages. Which is nice on your website positioning.

In this information, we’ll share:

Let’s dive in. 

Note: If you need to be taught extra about sitemaps first, learn our newbie’s information to web site sitemaps.

How to Submit a Sitemap to Google

Google permits you to submit your sitemap immediately in its free software referred to as Google Search Console (GSC), previously often called Google Webmaster Tools.

Note: If you do not have a GSC account, you will have to create one. Read our information to Google Search Console to learn the way to set it up.

Here is a step-by-step information to submitting a sitemap: 

Step 1: Log in to Google Search Console

First, log in to your Google Search Console account.

Then, within the high left nook, choose the web site for which you need to submit a sitemap. (In case you have got multiple property beneath the identical account.)

(*4*)

Step 2: Go to the ‘Sitemaps’ Report

In the left sidebar menu, you will discover a “Sitemaps” report within the “Indexing” part. Go there.

This is the place you’ll be able to handle all of your sitemaps. It comprises two fundamental sections:

• “Add a new sitemap”
• “Submitted sitemaps”

We’ll deal with the primary one. 

Step 3: Find the URL of Your Sitemap

There are two primary sorts of sitemaps: XML sitemaps and HTML sitemaps. HTML sitemaps are usually not used for website positioning functions, so we’ll deal with an XML sitemap right here. 

Here are some efficient methods to discover your XML sitemap: 

• Try the commonest placement. There’s a excessive probability your XML sitemap shall be positioned at https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.
• Use a search operator. If you search Google for “site:yourdomain.com filetype:xml,” it is best to discover the placement of your sitemap.
• Check your robots.txt file. Your robots.txt file (positioned at https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt) could comprise a hyperlink to your sitemap. 

If you do not have an XML sitemap, you will want to create one. Check out our information on how to create an XML sitemap.

Step 4: Add a New Sitemap

Now, you’ll be able to add your sitemap to the “Add a new sitemap” part of the “Sitemaps” report.

Just paste the URL and click on “Submit.”

You’ll see a message confirming that your sitemap has been efficiently submitted.

After a while, you will see your sitemap within the record of “Submitted sitemaps.” It comprises details about when the sitemap was submitted, when it was final learn, and what number of pages Google found in it.

Most importantly, it can present you the standing of your sitemap submission. A inexperienced “Success” standing means there are not any points.

If you see a “Couldn’t fetch” or “Has errors” standing, you will want to observe the report’s strategies on how to repair the problems.

Jump to the “Sitemap Issues” section of this submit to be taught extra about attainable points and the way to detect them. 

What Should a Sitemap Contain?

You ought to use your sitemap to point out vital pages you need search engines like google to index and present of their search outcomes. 

Here is the data your XML sitemap ought to comprise:

• URLs you need to have listed. There’s no level in together with pages which have a “noindex” tag, as you do not need these pages listed.
• The “lastmod” worth. Include details about when the web page was final up to date.
• The “hreflang” worth for native variants of the URLs. If your pages have localized variations, you’ll be able to indicate them in the sitemap.

And right here is a few data it is best to not embrace in your sitemap:

• Non-canonical pages: If there are a number of (duplicate or near-duplicate) variations of the identical web page, solely embrace the one which has a canonical tag.
• 3xx or 4xx pages: If a URL returns a 4xx standing code (consumer error) or a 3xx standing code (redirect), do not embrace it in your XML sitemap.
• The “changefreq” and “priority” values: Google ignores these values, so it’s a waste of time to use them in your sitemap.

Here’s some excellent news: If you utilize one of many well-known content material administration programs (CMSs) like WordPress, Wix, and many others., on your web site, or in the event you generated your sitemap with a sitemap generator, you most likely haven’t got to fear about any of this stuff. 

Your CMS (or the generator you used) will doubtless adhere to these greatest practices and robotically embrace all the things you want in your sitemap. 

Further studying: How to Create a Sitemap for a WordPress Website

How to Detect and Fix Sitemap Issues

To discover and repair probably the most critical points associated to your sitemap, you’ll be able to conduct a technical website positioning audit of your web site. Semrush’s Site Audit software is a good spot to begin. 

Start by creating a free Semrush account. 

Once you have signed up, observe these steps:

1. Create a challenge within the “Projects” part
2. Go to Site Audit and choose your area
3. In the “Site Audit Settings” window, configure your audit settings (observe this step-by-step setup information in the event you’re undecided about one thing) 
4. Hit the “Start Site Audit” button

A free account permits you to crawl up to 100 pages. Once the audit is completed, you’ll get an summary of your web site’s well being, detailed stories about numerous points, and—most significantly—a record of all the problems.

Go to the “Issues” tab and seek for “sitemap.” An inventory of all of the attainable points associated to your sitemap will seem.

If your web site has a problem, you’ll be able to click on the hyperlink with the variety of affected pages. 

This will open a new report with a full record of affected pages.

By clicking the “Why and how to fix it” hyperlink, you’ll be able to see the detailed description of the problem and observe the directions on how to repair it.

After you have fastened all of the sitemap-related points, you’ll be able to run one other audit to be certain that all the things is resolved.

Note: TheGoogle Search Console “Sitemaps” report may even inform you if there are points with the sitemap you have submitted. Google’s pointers embrace the full error list that covers a lot of the points GSC could detect. 

Common Sitemap Issues

Here are some frequent sitemap points that the Site Audit software can detect:

• Sitemap not discovered. Your web site doesn’t have a sitemap, or the sitemap isn’t positioned within the anticipated location.
• Sitemap.xml not indicated in robots.txt. Your web site’s robots.txt file doesn’t point out the placement of the sitemap.xml file.
• Incorrect pages present in a sitemap. Your sitemap comprises URLs that aren’t supposed to be in a sitemap (e.g., redirects, non-canonical URLs, and many others.)
• Sitemap has format errors. There are errors within the format of your sitemap file, similar to lacking XML tags.
• Sitemap information are too giant. Your sitemap is simply too giant, exceeding the scale limits set by Google.

Further studying: How to Perform a Technical website positioning Audit

FAQs

Do I Have to Submit a Sitemap to Google?

No. Google’s bots will crawl your web site finally. Submitting a sitemap simply hurries up the method.

However, importing your sitemap to Google Search Console continues to be thought of the website positioning greatest follow. Since it can solely take you a couple of seconds, there isn’t any purpose not to do it. 

How Can I Remove My Sitemap from Google?

Sometimes, it’s simply simpler to take away the previous sitemap and add a new one. Especially if the positioning structure has modified considerably. Or if the previous sitemap has many errors. 

Here’s a step-by-step information on how to take away a sitemap from Google:

1. Log in to your Google Search Console account
2. If you personal a number of web sites, choose the web site for which you need to take away the sitemap within the high left nook
3. Click “Sitemaps” beneath the “Indexing” part of the left sidebar menu
4. In the “Submitted sitemaps” part, click on the road with the sitemap you need to take away 
5. Click the three-dot menu icon subsequent within the high proper nook. Then click on “Remove sitemap.” 
6. Confirm the elimination by clicking the “Remove” button within the pop-up window that seems

Wait for Google to course of your request. 

Alternatively, you’ll be able to simply delete the sitemap file out of your web site. Google will eventually stop checking the file if it isn’t accessible for a longer time frame. 

Can I Use Multiple Sitemaps?

Yes. For instance, you should utilize completely different sitemaps for various kinds of content material (e.g., a sitemap for pages, a sitemap for posts, a sitemap for movies, and many others.)

Also, you will have to use extra sitemaps in case your sitemap file is greater than 50MB (uncompressed) or comprises greater than 50,000 URLs. (Both are technical limitations for a single sitemap file set by Google.)

If you utilize a number of sitemaps, you want to create a sitemap index file. A sitemap index is principally a sitemap that comprises all your sitemaps. It comprises the URLs of all of your sitemaps. 

Then, you’ll be able to observe the directions on this information and submit the sitemap index URL to Google Search Console the identical means you’ll do with a common sitemap. 

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