One step that should be taken towards having an easier time with your Google indexing and visibility is the submission of a sitemap. In case you have just started a blog or remade a web-site or have been working on your SEO, then knowing how to enter a sitemap in the Google Search Console will save your time and enable Google to crawl your pages more effectively.
This guide will tell you what a sitemap is, how to create one, the ways to present it correctly and how to identify the common sitemaps errors. At the end, you will be sure about how to use Google Search Console to maintain your site in index and be SEO-friendly.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is a Sitemap?
Sitemap is a file (usually an XML file) containing all significant pages of your site. It assists Google to learn about the structure of your site, finding new pages as well as crawling your site quicker.
Why is a Sitemap Important?
A sitemap helps with:
- Faster indexing of new pages
- Discovering deep pages
- Improving crawl efficiency
- Resolving coverage problems within the Google Search Console.
A sitemap is helpful to every site, particularly a blog, eCommerce website and other websites that are updated on a regular basis.
Types of Sitemaps You Can Use
- XML sitemap -Most widespread; in general web pages.
- Image Sitemap- Assists Google in indexing valuable images.
- Video sitemap is recommended especially to the creators of YouTube videos and those who make use of a video-focused blog.
- News Sitemap- will be necessary to Google News-approved publishers.
A novice should just have an XML sitemap.
Sitemap Generation (Uncomplicated Strategies)
Before sending it to Google search console, you require a sitemap. This technique is platform dependent.
1. If You’re Using WordPress
a. Yoast SEO Plugin
The following steps are involved in the process of installing and enabling Yoast SEO.
- Go to SEO → General → Features
significant XML sitemaps are also To be enabled.
View your sitemap Click the link. - Your sitemap URL will be:
yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml
b. Rank Math Plugin
Overall, the installation of Rank Math and its activation will be performed.
- Click on rank math
by going to Sitemap Settings. - Turn ON sitemap
- Your URL will be:
yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml
2. In case You are using Blogger (Blogspot)?
Sitemap is automatically generated by Blogger.
Use these URLs:
- Main sitemap:
https://yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml - Posts sitemap:
https://yourblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500
3. In case You are using Wix / Squarespace
Sitemaps are also auto-generated on these sites:
- Wix : yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
- Squarespace : yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
4. In case You are using Custom/HTML Website2
Create tools of free sitemap generator:
- XML-Sitemaps.com
- Screaming Frog (SEO crawler)
Component Upload the sitemap created will be located in the root of your site.
How to Submit-Your-Sitemap in Google-Search Console
After preparing a sitemap, these are the steps to follow:
1. The very first step requires logging into Google Search console.
Click on: Google Search console
Sign using your Google account.
In case you have not added your own web site you have to validate it with either:
- Domain verification
- HTML upload
- DNS records
- Verifying Google Analytics
: Authenticating Google Analytics.
After the verification, go to the second step.
2. Choose your property (Website).
The correct website property is selected on the left sidebar. Make sure you select either:
- domain property (inclusive of all URLs ), or
- URL version property CSS prefixing
- URL prefixing property CSS prefixing
3. And the next step is to open the “Sitemaps” Section.
In the left menu, go to contents of Indexing, then click on Sitemaps.
You post and take care of all your sitemap files in this area.
4. Enter Your Sitemap URL
Enter your sitemap URL in the so-called Add a new sitemap field, i.e.
sitemap.xmlsitemap_index.xml
Most WordPress users enter:
- sitemap_index.xml
Click Submit.
5. In step five, you need to verify whether you have submitted your assignment or not.
Following submission, there will be a depiction of a status message:
- Success- This is because the sitemap will be submitted and read correctly.
- Makes mistakes– Google identified problems.
- Couldn’t fetch Your sitemap can not be accessed.
An effective submission will assist Google in crawling through your site on a frequent basis.
Google search engine (and its search console) have common sitemap-related errors that can be fixed by following this post.
Just because you have submitted your sitemap, you may receive a number of warnings or errors. The following are the most common an answer to them.
1. “Couldn’t Fetch” Error
Meaning You cannot access your sitemap in Google.
Solutions:
- See whether the sitemap URL is correct.
- Do not know of a downed web page.
- eliminate superfluous those or typing errors.
- Re- generate the sitemap with the help of the plugins.
- Do not forget about the robots.txt that blocks it.
2. Sitemap Contains URLs Blocked by Robots.txt Enterprise file.
Meaning : You have your robots.txt blocking pages.
Fix:
- Go to your robots.txt file
- delete pages that interfere with valuable pages.
- Use:
Allow: /
if you want full access
3. “Submitted URL Not Found (404)”
Significance: The sitemap is non-existent.
Fix:
- Double-check the URL
- Develop a new sitemap with the help of plugins.
- Clear website cache
4. Sitemap Has Incorrect Format
Wrong format of a sitemap.
Errors In use: Incorrect method of coding or invalid XML.
Fix:
- Regenerate the sitemap
- Basic Testing XML with an XML validator.
5. Notification Indexed but not submitted in Sitemap (Notification)
This is not an error. It is just that the Google discovered pages through links despite the fact that they are not specified in your sitemap.
In order to correct that, the check-box of all the significant URLs should be added to your sitemap settings.
Best Practices- Sitemaps in Google Search console.
Adherence to these tips will enhance the indexing and the performance of SEO:
1.Submit Only Important URLs
Exclude:
- Admin pages
- Duplicate content
- Tag/archive pages (optional)
2.Keep Your Sitemap Clean
There should be deletion of broken, redirected or non-canonical URLs.
3. Use Only One Master Sitemap
Use sitemap index. xml rather than a group of sitemaps.
4. Ask Your clipper Sitemap Weekly.
Google Search Console allows monitoring so that problems are identified early.
Advantages of Submission of a Sitemap in Google Search Console.
At the time Google has seen through your site effectively, you are privy to:
- New postings in blogs indexed more quickly.
- The search results are better displayed.
- Improved ranking options of keywords.
- Reduced crawl errors
- Improved the comprehensive SEO performance.
Your sitemap is a guide to Google, it enables it to know all the valuable pages of your website.
Final Thoughts
Sitemap submission to Google Search Engine is an easy activity that provides long-term optimisation returns. Regardless of whether your application is a blog, eCommerce site or small business web site, it is important to keep your sitemap dynamic and free from errors to allow Google to crawl your site effectively.
Always check your sitemap status in the Google Search Console to ensure healthy sitemap indexing in case you usually publish some content, update websites, or optimize search engine optimization.
Also Read ==>How to Use Google Search Console to Boost Blog Traffic(2025)?