How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google

Introduction

A sitemap is a file that helps search engines like Google discover and index your website's content more efficiently. By submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console, you help Google find new and updated pages, improving your website's visibility in search results.

This guide will show you how to locate your sitemap in eDirectory and submit it to Google Search Console.

Before You Begin

Before submitting your sitemap, make sure you have:

A verified website in Google Search Console
Administrator access to your eDirectory Site Manager
A live domain connected to your website

Important: Your sitemap will only be accepted if your domain has already been verified in Google Search Console and the sitemap uses the same domain version (www or non-www) that you verified.

If you have not yet verified your domain, please follow our guide: How to Verify Your Domain on Google

Step 1: Open Your Sitemap

1.1. Log in to your eDirectory Site Manager.

1.2. Navigate to Promote → SEO Center → Webmaster Tools

1.3. Click Click Here To Go To Sitemap Index. This will open your sitemap in a new browser tab.

Step 2: Copy the Sitemap Path

When your sitemap opens, you'll notice that the browser displays a complete URL similar to:

https://www.example.com/custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml

You do not need to copy the entire URL.

Instead, copy only the portion beginning with "custom". This is the only value that needs to be submitted to Google Search Console. Example:

Copy this:

custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml

Do NOT copy this:

https://www.example.com/custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml

Important: Google automatically appends this path to your verified domain. Pasting the full URL may cause the sitemap submission to fail.

Step 3: Submit the Sitemap in Google Search Console

3.1. Open Google Search Console.

3.2. Select your verified website property.

3.3. From the left-hand menu, click Sitemaps.

3.4. In the Add a new sitemap field, paste the sitemap path you copied:

custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml

3.5. Click Submit.

Google will begin processing your sitemap.

Verifying the Submission

After submitting your sitemap, Google Search Console will display its current status.

If everything is configured correctly, the status will change to Success after Google finishes processing the sitemap.

Please note that indexing is not immediate. Although the sitemap can be accepted within minutes, Google may take several hours or even several days to crawl and index your website's pages.

Troubleshooting

I receive a "Couldn't fetch" error.

This is usually temporary and may happen because:

Google is still processing your website verification.
Google has not yet crawled your sitemap.
Your website was recently launched.

Wait a few hours and try submitting the sitemap again.

My sitemap was rejected.

Verify the following:

Your domain has been successfully verified in Google Search Console.
Your preferred domain (www or non-www) matches the version used in Search Console.
You submitted only:

custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml

instead of the complete URL.

My sitemap was accepted, but my pages are not indexed.

Submitting a sitemap does not guarantee immediate indexing.

Google determines when pages should be crawled and indexed. New websites or websites with little content may take longer to appear in search results.

Also verify that:

Your website contains published content.
Your pages are accessible.

Additional Information

Keep in mind:

Your website should contain published listings, categories, or pages.
Empty websites may generate incomplete sitemaps.
Google updates indexing reports gradually, so newly submitted pages may take time to appear.

If your website is not being indexed as expected, we recommend reviewing our complete SEO guides before contacting support:

SEO Setup Checklist & Indexing Review Guide — A comprehensive checklist covering all the recommended configurations to maximize your website's visibility in Google Search.
Understanding Google Indexing, Search Console Errors, and What They Mean for Your eDirectory Site — Learn how Google indexes websites, understand common Search Console messages and errors, and determine which issues require action and which are simply informational.

Reviewing these guides can help identify common configuration issues and provide a better understanding of Google's indexing process.

Conclusion

Congratulations!

Your sitemap has now been submitted to Google Search Console.

Submitting your sitemap helps Google discover and crawl your website more efficiently, improving your chances of appearing in search results. As you continue adding new content to your eDirectory website, Google will periodically revisit your sitemap to keep its index up to date.