Are you finding it challenging to create and submit sitemaps to Google or Bing? XML sitemaps are a vital resource for ensuring your website is properly indexed by search engines. While not mandatory, they serve as a roadmap for search engines to efficiently crawl and index your pages.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of creating, submitting, and managing XML sitemaps.
Table of Contents
- What is an XML Sitemap?
- Do You Actually Need a Sitemap?
- Generating an XML Sitemap
- How to Submit a Sitemap to Search Engines?
- Keeping Your Sitemap Updated
What is an XML Sitemap?
An XML sitemap is a file that lists the pages, videos, images, and other content on your website, providing search engines with essential information such as the last modified date, change frequency, and priority of each page.
While XML is the most common format for sitemaps, you can also create them in HTML or RSS/Atom feeds. Below is a simple example of an XML sitemap:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>http://www.example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2005-01-01</lastmod>
<changefreq>monthly</changefreq>
<priority>0.8</priority>
</url>
</urlset>Accessing your sitemap is usually as simple as adding sitemap.xml to your domain. For example, https://wppro.au/blog/sitemap_index.xml, which is automatically generated by the RankMath SEO plugin.
Do You Actually Need a Sitemap?
The short answer is no; your website can be indexed without a sitemap. However, having one can significantly enhance the crawling process, especially for larger or more complex sites.
Sitemaps expedite the discovery of your key pages, particularly if your site has less than 500 pages or if certain pages are less accessible. Here are a few benefits of using a sitemap:
- Improved Indexing: Ensures that all pages, including dynamic or isolated content, are identified by search engines.
- Faster Updates: Helps search engines quickly find newly added or updated pages.
- Better Crawl Management: For larger sites, sitemaps help prioritise which pages need to be crawled first.
Generating an XML Sitemap
Creating an XML sitemap is straightforward. If you’re using WordPress with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath, these tools typically generate your sitemap automatically. If you’re not using these plugins, you have a few options:
1. Online Sitemap Generators
Utilise online tools, such as XML-sitemaps, to generate your sitemap by simply entering your website’s URL. Keep in mind that some services may charge fees or limit the number of URLs for free users.
2. SEO Tools
If you have access to tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush, you can create sitemaps through these platforms as well.
3. Custom Creation
For those with technical skills, you can manually write a script for your sitemap. However, this approach is not recommended for larger websites due to the time involved.
Once created, upload your sitemap to the root directory of your website, accessible via [your_website_domain]/sitemap_index.xml.
How to Submit a Sitemap to Search Engines?
Now that you know what XML sitemaps are, let’s look at how to submit them to Google.
How to Submit XML Sitemap to Google
- Log in to Google Search Console and select your website property.
- Click on the “Sitemaps” option in the left-hand menu.
- Enter the new sitemap URL in the field and click the Submit button.
- Check the status of your submitted sitemap. Google Search Console will indicate whether it was successfully processed and if any errors occurred.
Is Submitting Sitemaps Necessary?
While submitting a sitemap via Google Search Console is not strictly necessary, it can help in specific situations, especially for larger or newer sites that may not have many internal links.
How to Submit a Sitemap to Bing
- Log in to Bing Webmaster Tools and select your website property.
- Click on the “Sitemaps” option in the left-hand menu.
- Select “Submit Sitemap” in the top right corner.
- Input your sitemap URL and click the Submit button.
Bing also provides a status column to check the status of your submitted sitemaps.
Keeping Your Sitemap Updated
It is advisable to update your sitemap at least every 1-2 months, or more often if your content changes frequently. If using SEO plugins, you can set them to automatically update your sitemap when you add new content.
For ongoing support with sitemap updates and SEO management, consider our WordPress website growth plans.
