How to Create an XML Sitemap and Submit It to Google

If you want to know how to create an XML sitemap and submit it to Google, the easiest starting point is often the tool your website already uses. In WordPress, a plugin such as Yoast SEO can generate the file for you. You then open the sitemap, check it, and submit its location inside of Google Search Console.

That gives Google a way to discover important URLs on your site. It does not guarantee that every page will be crawled, indexed, or ranked. You can treat sitemap setup as a practical discovery task, and check indexing and search performance separately.

For a full walkthrough on how to create an XML sitemap for your site and submit it to Google Search Console, watch this!

What an XML Sitemap Tells a Search Engine

Think of a sitemap as a table of contents for a search engine. It identifies pages on a website so the crawler has another way to find them. That can be useful when a site is new or when some important pages are difficult to discover through links.

First find your sitemap index in your WordPress site. Opening that index shows separate files for different kinds of content, such as posts and pages. Opening one of those files shows the URLs it contains. You do not need to write that XML by hand when your CMS generates it.

1. Create an XML Sitemap in WordPress

For our example we used the free Yoast SEO plugin. Once it is installed and active, open its settings and find the XML sitemaps feature. Make sure the feature is enabled, then use the option to view the XML sitemap.

The interface artwork and menu placement can change between versions. Look for the feature name to be sure you're in the right place. The outcome you need is a working sitemap file generated from the site’s content.

Check what your website already provides before changing the setup. WordPress and other CMS platforms may have their own sitemap functionality. If a suitable sitemap already exists, the next task is to find and verify that file rather than assume you need a new generator.

2. Open the Sitemap and Copy Its URL

Use the view option to open the generated file in the browser. In this Yoast example, the location ends with sitemap_index.xml. Copy the actual URL from your own site; the domain and file location need to match your installation.

Inspect the output before submitting it. Does the index open? Do its child files open? Do the URLs describe the important public content you expect a search engine to find? A file that fails to load needs investigation before you can rely on it.

3. Submit the Sitemap in Google Search Console

Open Google Search Console and select the correct website property. Open Sitemaps, then use Add a new sitemap to enter the sitemap’s location and select Submit. You need owner permission for that property to submit through this report.

Check how the input is presented. If Search Console already displays the site’s root address, enter only the remaining sitemap_index.xml portion. Avoid duplicating the domain when the field has already supplied it.

Google explains the process and report statuses in the official reference. A successful status means the sitemap was fetched and read. It does not mean every URL in the file has been indexed.

4. Review the Result Instead of Stopping at Submit

Return to the Sitemaps report and check the saved entry. If the status indicates a fetch or parsing problem, open the row and review the details. You can confirm the submitted address and the file’s availability before trying unrelated fixes.

Then review the site’s indexing information and, over time, its search performance. These are separate checks. A successful sitemap submission can coexist with pages that are not indexed or pages that receive few impressions.

Request Indexing for an Individual Page When Appropriate

As a part of this you can also utilize the URL Inspection feature in Google Search Console. Paste the URL of a newly published or significantly updated page into Search Console’s inspection field, review the result, and use the indexing request option when appropriate.

Aim to be precise about what that action does: it requests consideration for crawling and indexing. It does not force Google to index a page or guarantee a timeline. Repeated requests are not a substitute for fixing a page that has a substantive indexing problem.

The guide to helping Google discover and index your site provides broader background on the setup. Keep the distinction between requesting an action and confirming its outcome.

Do You Need to Resubmit after Every New Post?

You do not need to repeat the whole submission process after every content update. A CMS-generated sitemap can update as the site changes. Google periodically revisits successfully processed sitemaps.

You can check the report after a significant change or a reported error. If the sitemap location changes, make sure Search Console has the correct address. Otherwise, spend the time maintaining useful pages and making the website easy to navigate.

Optional Tools and Website Resources

For broader website work, optional resources include Semrush for SEO research and Bluehost for hosting. Neither purchase is required to generate a sitemap with the free Yoast SEO plugin or submit it through Search Console.

(If you make a purchase using these affiliate links, we may earn a commission.)

Keep the Website Itself Easy to Understand

A sitemap gives a crawler another discovery route, but it does not replace useful navigation or links between related pages. You still want visitors and search engines to understand how the site’s important content fits together.

The guide to website structure for SEO covers that part of the work. If you want practical instruction across these tasks, explore the SEO Digital Marketing Academy for SEO, content marketing, and digital marketing education.

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Frequently Asked Questions