How to Submit a Sitemap to Google Search Console: A Step-by-Step Guide

Google Seatch Console, Add New Sitemap page

In our previous post, we covered how many URLs you can submit using the Google Search Console (GSC) URL Inspection tool and why there’s a daily limit to keep in mind. While the URL Inspection tool is handy for checking and requesting indexing for individual URLs, submitting a sitemap is a powerful way to help Google discover, crawl, and eventually rank your website’s content at scale.

A sitemap acts like a roadmap for search engines, listing all the important pages on your site and signaling when they were last updated. This makes it easier and faster for Google to find your new or updated content.

If you’re using UltimateWB, creating your sitemap is the easy part – simply use the built-in Sitemap Generator tool. It automatically creates and updates your sitemap without any coding needed.

Now, here’s a straightforward, step-by-step guide to submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console:

Step 1: Create Your Sitemap

If you’re not using UltimateWB or a similar tool, you’ll need to create your sitemap manually or with a third-party generator.

However, if you’re on UltimateWB, just use the Sitemap Generator tool in your Admin Panel. It will automatically build your sitemap xml file and you can set it up to update automatically whenever you add or change content. Read our User Manual guide: How To Easily & Automatically Create A Sitemap For Your Website

UltimateWB Sitemap Generator Tool, settings
UltimateWB Sitemap Generator tool. Customize which pages/sections to include.

Step 2: Log into Google Search Console

Go to Google Search Console and sign in with your Google account. If you haven’t already, add and verify your website as a property in GSC.

Step 3: Navigate to the Sitemaps Section

Google Search Console, Sitemaps link in left side menu

On the left-hand menu, click on “Sitemaps”. This is where you can add new sitemaps or manage existing ones.

Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap URL

In the “Add a new sitemap” field, enter the URL path of your sitemap. This is usually something like:

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
or
similar

If you’re using UltimateWB’s Sitemap Generator, the generated URL for your sitemap will be provided to you there.

Click the Submit button.

Step 5: Check Submission Status

After submitting, Google will process your sitemap. Refresh the page after a few moments, and you should see your sitemap listed along with the number of URLs discovered and any errors detected.

Step 6: Monitor Your Sitemap in Search Console

Keep an eye on your sitemap reports in Search Console over time. They’ll tell you how many pages Google has indexed and if there are any issues preventing some pages from being crawled.

Why Submitting a Sitemap Matters

While Google will eventually crawl your website even without a sitemap, submitting one helps ensure your newest and most important pages get noticed faster. It’s especially useful if your site has lots of pages, is frequently updated, or has pages that are hard to find via internal linking alone.

Using UltimateWB’s Sitemap Generator takes the hassle out of maintaining your sitemap, letting you focus on creating great content.

Are you ready to design & build your own website? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.

Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.

This entry was posted in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *