A sitemap is a file that lists the pages on your website, so search engines can find them easily. The video explains what it is and shows how to submit it in Google Search Console.
What a sitemap looks like
An XML sitemap is a plain file, usually at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml, listing each page's URL and sometimes when it was last updated. Large sites split it into several sitemaps with an index file.
Do you need one?
Google can find pages through links, but a sitemap helps when your site is new, large, or has pages that are not well linked. It costs nothing, so every site should have one.
How to get a sitemap
- WordPress: WordPress creates one at /wp-sitemap.xml, and SEO plugins like Yoast create their own at /sitemap_index.xml.
- Other sites: use our sitemap generator and upload the file to your site's root folder.
Submitting it
- Open Google Search Console and choose your property.
- Go to Sitemaps.
- Enter the sitemap's address and choose Submit.
- Check back after a few days; the status should say Success.
Tips
- Include only pages you want in Google: no admin pages, thank-you pages or duplicates.
- Add the sitemap address to your robots.txt file too. The robots.txt generator does this.
- Submitting a sitemap does not guarantee indexing. Pages still need to be useful.
Want the full picture? This article is part of SEO: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
