A sitemap is a digital roadmap of all the pages on your website. It helps search engines like Google discover and index your site’s content more effectively, especially pages that may not be easily found through normal crawling. By submitting your sitemap to Google, you improve your chances of having all your site’s pages indexed and appearing in search results.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to submit your sitemap to Google:
1. Verify Your Domain
Before submitting a sitemap, you must verify your domain in Google Search Console. This ensures that you own or manage the website. Follow the instructions in this guide: How to Verify My Domain on Google.
2. Locate Your Sitemap
- Log in to your Site Manager.
- Navigate to Promote → SEO Center → Webmaster Tools.
- Click on the "Click Here To Go To Sitemap Index" button.
3. Copy the Sitemap URL
- After clicking the button, locate the part of the URL that reads: custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml
- Select and copy this part of the URL.
4. Submit the Sitemap in Google Search Console
- Go to your verified property in Google Search Console.
- From the left-hand menu, select Sitemaps.
- Paste the copied URL into the Add a New Sitemap field.
- Click the Submit button.
5. Troubleshooting Submission Errors
- If you receive a "Couldn't fetch" error, refresh the page and try submitting again.
- Repeat the submission process until you see a "Success" message. It usually does not work in the first time, but after a few attempts, the sitemap should be successfully submitted.
- For any other errors, contact eDirectory support at support@edirectory.com.
Important Note: Ensure your site contains content like listings and categories; an empty site may prevent the sitemap from functioning correctly.
By following these steps, you’ll help Google better understand your site’s content, improving its visibility in search results. A well-structured sitemap is a critical part of your SEO strategy.