If you are looking for your website's Google Search Ranking If you want to improve your website and want all your pages to appear in Google quickly, then Google Search Console In Sitemap Submission is very important. Let us understand in simple language what a is Sitemap, how to submit it, and why it is beneficial for your website.
What is a Sitemap?
Sitemap is a kind of map, which lists all the pages of your website. This makes it easier for Google to find the pages of your website and all your pages get indexed. Meaning, that Google can quickly get complete information about your site and show it in its search results.
Benefits of submitting a Sitemap to Google Search Console
Let us now know what benefits we get by submitting Sitemap:
- Fast Indexing: With Sitemap, Google can easily find all the pages of your website, which makes indexing faster.
- Quick ranking of new pages: If you have added a new page or post to your website, then with the help of Sitemap it starts ranking quickly.
- Help in SEO: Ranking improves when Google gets a correct idea of your content and page structure.
Sitemaps comparison XML sitemap
XML sitemaps are the most versatile of the sitemap formats. It's extensible and can be used to supply additional data about images, video, and news content, as well as the localized versions of your pages.
Pros:
- Extensible and versatile.
- It can provide the most information about your URLs.
- Most content management systems (CMS) automatically generate sitemaps or CMS users can find plenty of sitemap plugins.
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Cons:
- Can be cumbersome to work with.
- Can be complex to maintain the mapping on larger sites, or sites where the URLs change often.
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RSS, mRSS, and Atom 1.0 Google Guide
RSS, mRSS, and Atom 1.0 sitemaps are similar in structure to XML sitemaps, however they are often the easiest to provide because CMSes automatically create them.
Pros:
- Most CMSes automatically generate RSS and Atom feeds.
- Can be used to provide Google information about your videos.
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Cons:
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Text sitemap
The simplest of sitemap formats, it can only list URLs to HTML and other indexable pages.
Pros:
- Simple to do and maintain, especially on large sites.
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Cons:
- Limited to HTML and other indexable textual content.
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Best practices for sitemaps
According to the Sitemaps protocol, there are some important rules for sitemaps, but often people's size limit, Sitemap location, And Correct use of URLs Let's ignore it. Here are some important things related to these are explained in easy language:
1. Sitemap size limits
- in a sitemap Max 50MB (uncompressed) data or 50,000 URLs Can be up to.
- If you have more URLs than this, you should be Splitting a sitemap into multiple parts.
- you one sitemap index file Can also be created in which multiple sitemaps can be added. this index file Google Search Console It will be easy to submit.
- It's also okay to submit multiple sitemaps and index files, especially if you want to track the search performance of each sitemap.
2. Sitemap file encoding and location
- of sitemap file UTF-8 Must be encoded in.
- you sitemaps host anywhere You can, but note that if you Google Search Console you don't submit it, it will only affect files inside that directory.
- Therefore, we would recommend that at site root (: https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml) Post a sitemap so that the entire content of the site is covered.
3. Correct use of URLs
- in sitemap Fully Qualified, Absolute URLs Use.
- For example, if your site https://www.example.com/ but if /mypage.html is like a Relative URL Instead of always giving, always full URL Write:
https://www.example.com/mypage.html
- Only include URLs in the sitemap that you want Google search results I want to see.
4. Proper use of mobile and desktop versions
- Google usually Canonical URL Gives priority. Through sitemap, you can tell Google which URL should appear in the search.
- if you have Mobile and desktop versions that have different URLs, it is better that only one version Include in the sitemap.
- If you want to keep both versions in the sitemap, make sure to use them correctly. annotated So that Google can understand which page is for which device.
By following these rules, you can ensure that Google understands your sitemap correctly and that your site ranks better in search results!
How to submit Sitemap? (Step-by-Step Guide)
Step 1: Log in to Google Search Console
First of all Google Search Console Login to your account and select your website.
Step 2: Go to the Sitemaps section
After login, from the left side of Sitemaps, Go to the section. Here you will get the option to submit Sitemap.
Step 3: Enter Sitemap URL
You have to enter the URL of your Sitemap, like - https://aapkiwebsite.com/sitemap.xml, after Submit Click on.
Step 4: Check Confirmation and Status
After submission, Google will process your Sitemap. Here you will also get the option to check its status.
Some things after submitting the Sitemap
After submitting the Sitemap, you will get access to Google Search Console. Coverage You should keep checking this section to see whether all your pages are getting indexed properly or not.
Some tips for Sitemap Submission
- Only include relevant pages: Keep only those pages that are necessary for Sitemap.
- Keep updating Sitemap: If you add new pages then also update the Sitemap.
- Check robots.txt: Note that Sitemap should not be blocked in the Robots.txt file.
FAQs (Your Questions, Our Answers)
Does Sitemap improve rankings?
Absolutely! Sitemap helps Google index all your pages, which improves ranking.
How often should a Sitemap be submitted?
Once submitted, there is no need to submit it again and again. But if new pages are added then update it.
Can there be more than one Sitemap for one website?
Yes, Sitemaps of different sections can be created for large websites.
Conclusion
So friends, Submitting a Sitemap to Google Search Console is necessary to improve the ranking of the website and better SEO. Hopefully, this guide has given you the right information. Now go ahead, submit your Sitemap, and make your website shine on Google!