How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Introduction
A sitemap serves as a digital roadmap for your website, guiding search engines like Google to efficiently discover and index your content. This is especially useful for pages that may not be easily accessible through standard crawling. By submitting your sitemap to Google, you enhance the likelihood of all your site's pages being indexed and appearing in search results, ultimately improving your website’s visibility.
Important: A sitemap helps Google discover and index your website’s content more efficiently. However, sitemap submission will only work correctly if:
- Your domain is properly verified
- The sitemap URLs match your site’s preferred domain version (Refer to How to Verify My Domain on Google)
Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Your Sitemap
Step 1: Verify Your Domain
Before submitting your sitemap, you need to verify your domain in Google Search Console to confirm your website ownership. Follow the instructions in How to Verify My Domain on Google to complete this process.
Step 2: Locate Your Sitemap
- Log in to your Site Manager.
- Navigate to Promote → SEO Center → Webmaster Tools.
- Click on "Click Here To Go To Sitemap Index" to access your sitemap.
Step 3: Copy the Sitemap URL
- Once the sitemap index is open, find the part of the URL that includes: custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml
- Select and copy this portion of the URL.
🔎 Check the full URL carefully:
It must use the same domain version verified in Search Console
Example:
- Verified:
https://www.example.com - Sitemap must also use:
https://www.example.com/custom/domain_1/sitemap/index.xml
If these do not match, Google may reject or ignore the sitemap.
Step 4: Submit the Sitemap in Google Search Console
- Open Google Search Console and go to your verified domain.
- From the left-hand menu, select Sitemaps.
- Paste the copied URL into the "Add a New Sitemap" field.
- Click Submit to send your sitemap to Google.
Step 5: Troubleshooting Submission Errors
- If you receive a "Couldn't fetch" error, don't worry, it might take a few hours to a few days for Google to crawl your sitemap.
- Keep attempting submission until you see a "Success" message—this process may require multiple tries.
“Couldn’t fetch” Error
This usually means one of the following:
- The domain version does not match (
wwwvs non-www) - Google is still processing the verification
- Temporary crawl delay (wait a few hours and retry)
Redirect or Failed URL Errors
These typically occur when:
- The sitemap uses
example.com - The site redirects to
www.example.com(or vice versa)
✔️ Solution: Update the preferred domain and resubmit the sitemap.
Are you experiencing difficulties with your website’s indexing? Check our complete documentation: SEO Setup Checklist & Indexing Review Guide.
- If other errors occur, contact eDirectory support at support@edirectory.com for assistance.
Additional Requirements
- Your site must contain active content (listings, categories, or pages)
- Empty or unpublished sites may produce incomplete sitemaps
- Sitemap updates may take time to reflect in indexing reports
Conclusion
Submitting your sitemap to Google is a crucial step in optimizing your website’s visibility in search results. A properly indexed site ensures that all your important pages are discoverable, helping to drive more traffic and improve your SEO performance. By following these steps, you’ll enhance your site's discoverability and boost its search ranking.