Getting your website noticed by Google is essential for online success.
You can submit your website to Google through Google Search Console to help it appear in search results faster.
This simple process tells Google about your site and asks them to crawl and index it.
When you create a new website or update an existing one, you don’t have to wait for Google to find it naturally. You can submit your URL directly or upload your sitemap using Google Search Console.
This helps Google understand what pages to index and how they connect.
For existing websites with new or updated content, Google offers a way to request recrawling. Using the Fetch as Googlebot feature, site owners can see how Google views their pages and submit them for indexing immediately.
Of Sitemaps and SEO
Sitemaps serve as roadmaps that guide search engines through websites, making them crucial tools for effective SEO.
They help Google find, crawl, and index web pages properly, which can improve visibility in search results.
What is a Sitemap?
A sitemap is a file that lists all the important URLs on a website. It tells search engines about the organization of site content and helps them discover pages they might otherwise miss.
Sitemaps come in XML format (sitemap.xml), which is the most common type. This file contains structured information about each page, including:
- When the page was last updated
- How often the page changes
- The page’s importance relative to other pages
For larger websites, sitemaps are especially valuable. They help search engines understand complex site structures and find new or updated content quickly.
Many website owners place their sitemap.xml file in the root directory of their site (example.com/sitemap.xml). This location makes it easy for search engines to find.
If you are a WordPress user, then SEO plugins such as Rank Math SEO make it so easy to generate and autosubmit sitemaps to Google.
The Role of Sitemaps in SEO
Sitemaps boost SEO performance in several important ways. They provide information to search engines about content, making crawling more efficient.
Key SEO benefits include:
- Faster discovery of new pages
- Better indexing of important content
- More complete coverage of website pages
When Google’s crawlers visit a site, a sitemap helps them understand which pages matter most. This can lead to more pages appearing in search results.
While submitting a sitemap doesn’t guarantee indexing, it significantly improves the chances.
For websites with deep page structures or limited internal linking, sitemaps help search engines find pages that might otherwise be missed.
Sitemaps also provide valuable metadata that helps search engines understand content context and relevance.
Types of Sitemaps
XML Sitemaps: The standard format for search engines. They’re machine-readable files that list a website’s URLs along with metadata about each URL.
HTML Sitemaps: Designed for human visitors rather than search engines. They appear as regular web pages with organized links to important sections of a site.
While less powerful for SEO than XML versions, they improve user experience.
Here’s how our HTML Sitemap looks like:
HTML Sitemaps are also great for content teams as they can easily use Ctrl + F to easily find the articles for internal linking, since everything is in one place.
While some rely on Advanced search on Google ( site:example.com search query)., not all pages are indexed, so they won’t show up with Google site search.
Video and Image Sitemaps: Specialized XML formats that provide details about media content. These help search engines understand and index non-text content properly., especially those queried via Javascript code.
News Sitemaps: Used by news publishers to highlight fresh content for Google News and other news aggregators.
Each type serves specific purposes, but XML sitemaps remain the most important for helping search engines crawl and index websites effectively.
Getting Started with Google Search Console
GSC offers a powerful set of tools for website owners to monitor and optimize their site’s presence in Google search results.
This free platform helps you understand how Google views your site and identify opportunities for improvement.
Verify Ownership with Google
Before using Google Search Console, you must prove you own the website. Google offers several verification methods to choose from:
- HTML file upload: Upload a specific HTML file to your website’s root directory
- HTML tag: Add a meta tag to the
<head>section of your homepage - DNS record: Add a TXT record to your domain’s DNS configuration
- Google Analytics: Link your Google Analytics account if it’s already set up
- Google Tag Manager: Use your Tag Manager account for verification
The HTML meta tag method is often easiest for most users. Simply copy the provided code snippet and paste it into your site’s homepage HTML. If your website uses WordPress, you can add this script using a plugin like Code Snippets.
Once added, click “Verify” and Google will check for the tag.
Add a Property to Your Account
After verification, you’ll need to add your website as a property in Search Console. There are two property types to choose from:
Domain properties cover your entire domain including all subdomains and protocols. This provides the most comprehensive data but requires DNS verification.
URL-prefix properties only include the specific URL you enter and any pages underneath it. This option works well for subdomain monitoring or specific sections of larger sites.
To add a property:
- Sign in to Google Search Console
- Click “Add Property” at the top of the page
- Enter your website URL or domain name
- Follow the verification steps
Multiple properties can be added to a single Search Console account, making it easy to manage several websites.
Familiarizing with Google Search Console Features
Search Console provides numerous tools to help you understand and improve your site’s performance:
a) Performance Report shows how often your site appears in search results, click-through rates, and which queries trigger your pages. This data helps identify which content performs well and what needs improvement.
b) URL Inspection Tool lets you check how Google sees specific pages. You can test live URLs, request indexing for new content, and troubleshoot crawling issues.
c) Coverage Report highlights indexing problems like pages Google couldn’t access or duplicate content issues. The report categorizes errors by severity, making it easier to prioritize fixes.
d) Sitemaps section allows you to submit and monitor your XML sitemap. This helps Google discover and index your content more efficiently, especially for larger websites.
Mobile Usability identifies issues that might affect visitors using smartphones or tablets. Fixing these problems improves user experience and can positively impact search rankings.
Requesting Indexing for New or Updated URLs
When you add new content or make significant updates, you can request Google to crawl specific URLs rather than waiting for the next sitemap crawl.
In Google Search Console, use the “URL Inspection” tool at the top of the page. Enter the full URL you want Google to index.
After the URL loads, click the “Request Indexing” button. This tells Google to crawl and process that specific page. This feature is particularly useful for:
- New blog posts or product pages
- Pages with critical updates
- Time-sensitive content
Google limits the number of URLs you can submit this way, so use it for your most important pages. For bulk updates, rely on your sitemap instead.
Keep in mind that requesting indexing doesn’t guarantee immediate inclusion in search results. Google still evaluates the content against its quality guidelines.
Integrating Sitemaps with Website Platforms
Many website platforms offer built-in tools that make sitemap creation and submission much easier.
These integrations save time and ensure search engines can properly index your content.
Adding Sitemaps to WordPress Sites
WordPress doesn’t generate sitemaps automatically in its core version. Site owners need to either install a dedicated plugin or modify their theme files to create one. The easiest approach is using a plugin specifically designed for sitemap creation.
Popular options include:
- XML Sitemap & Google News: Creates basic XML sitemaps
- Google XML Sitemaps: Offers customization options for different content types
- RankMath SEO Plugin: Provides sitemap functionality along with other SEO features
After installing a sitemap plugin, it typically creates the file automatically at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.
Some plugins require configuration through the WordPress dashboard to specify which content types (posts, pages, media) should be included.
WordPress sitemap plugins usually update the sitemap automatically when new content is published. This ensures Google can find and index new pages quickly.
Using SEO Plugins for Sitemap Integration
SEO plugins offer comprehensive sitemap solutions alongside their other optimization features. These tools typically create more robust sitemaps than standalone options.
Rank Math SEO is among the most popular choices. It creates a sitemap index file that links to separate sitemaps for different content types.
The plugin settings allow users to:
- Control which post types appear in the sitemap
- Include or exclude media attachments
- Set priorities for different content sections
- Exclude specific posts or pages
After setting up Yoast SEO’s sitemap feature, users can find it at yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml, or yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml.
The plugin automatically pings search engines when new content is published.
Other effective SEO plugins with sitemap features include Rank Math and SEOPress. These tools offer similar functionality but may include unique features like visual sitemap builders or specialized indexing for WooCommerce products.