XML sitemaps explained: what they do and how to check them
What an XML sitemap does, what belongs in it, how to find and submit yours in Search Console, and the common sitemap mistakes to avoid.
An XML sitemap is a file that lists the URLs on your site you want search engines to know about. It helps them discover pages, especially new pages and ones that aren't well linked. It doesn't force indexing or improve rankings directly, but it's a simple, low-effort part of good technical SEO.
Do you need one?
Google says small, well-linked sites may not strictly need a sitemap, but it's rarely a bad idea. Most platforms, including WordPress, Shopify, Wix and Squarespace, generate one automatically. Sitemaps matter more for new sites, larger sites and sites where pages aren't all well linked.
How to find yours
- Try yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml
- Check robots.txt, which often contains a "Sitemap:" line
- Look in your CMS or SEO plugin settings
What belongs in it
- Indexable pages you want to appear in search results
- The canonical version of each URL only
- Pages that return a 200 status, not redirects or errors
What to leave out
- Noindexed pages
- Redirected or deleted URLs
- Duplicate or parameter versions of pages
- Thank-you pages, admin pages and internal search results
Submit it in Search Console
In Google Search Console, open Sitemaps, enter your sitemap URL and submit it. The report shows whether Google could read it and how many URLs it found. Bing Webmaster Tools has an equivalent. Adding a Sitemap line to robots.txt also helps other crawlers find it.
Common sitemap mistakes
- Listing URLs that redirect, 404 or are noindexed, which sends mixed signals
- Mixing http and https, or www and non-www, versions
- Stale sitemaps that don't update when pages are added or removed
- Expecting a sitemap to fix pages Google has chosen not to index for quality reasons
A quick sitemap check
Open your sitemap, pick a handful of URLs and confirm each one loads, isn't redirected and is the version you want indexed. Then compare the number of submitted URLs with the number of indexed ones in Search Console. A large gap is worth investigating with the Pages report.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sitemap improve rankings?
Not directly. It helps discovery, which supports indexing.
How often should my sitemap update?
Ideally automatically, whenever pages are added or removed.
Can I have more than one sitemap?
Yes. Large sites often use a sitemap index that links to several sitemaps.
Do lastmod and priority matter?
Google says it ignores priority and uses lastmod when it's consistently accurate.
Why are submitted pages not indexed?
Being listed doesn't guarantee indexing. Check the Pages report for the reasons Google gives.