You spend a lot of time crafting excellent content for your blog. However, it’s important to ensure that Google and other search engines read your site. Does Google know your content is there?
How to submit a Google Sitemap
This is where Sitemaps come in to play, and luckily, there is a quick process required to submit yours to search engines- especially Google. Essentially a list of pages on your site, Google explains, “sitemaps are a way to tell Google about pages on your site we might not otherwise discover.” While Google regularly crawls content, submitting a sitemap ensures that your content is not missed, or even crawled a bit sooner.
So how do you create a sitemap? Google gives you the format, that is also used for Yahoo and Bing, among other search engines, in their Creating Sitemaps help. Or, you can try an online generator like this one found here to create a specific one for you. Are you on WordPress? (Brownie points if you are!) There are several plugins that will generate sitemaps for you, like the Google XML Sitemaps plugin.
Once you create your sitemap in the manner that is comfortable to you, go to Google’s Webmaster Tools to submit it. Or, follow the alternate instructions from Google here. Just be sure to submit according to the guidelines- Google’s attention can determine whether everyone and their mother is reading your site— or if it is just your mother reading the site.
Have you submitted your sitemap yet?
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Twitter: Blended4Purpose
says:
Thank you for the information. I will begin working on this now. I don’t understand a lot of the analytics, uniquie visitors, etc. but I am striving to learn.
Blessings~
Alethea
Alethea recently posted..Respectfully Yours DMV – Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 9am
Twitter: thedosetweets
says:
Have been needing to do this FOREVER!! Thank you for the very helpful post! Doing it right now!
thedoseofreality recently posted..The Top 10 Movie Moments You Will Want To Play On a Loop
Twitter: winetoweights
says:
I love finding out new blog tips to help my blog be found and grow!! Thanks for the info!
jennifer recently posted..Stickitstrong: Review and Giveaway!
Twitter: ThriftShpComndo
says:
I am submitted. Now I just have to figure out the 12 broken link errors …
thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com
Twitter: lifeXthehandful
says:
Thanks for this post helping me to expand my audience of one. God bless my mama!
Twitter: Myne_Whitman
says:
Love this helpful post, and especially the last line
Myne Whitman recently posted..Holiday Cooking – With a Side of Brussels Sprouts
Twitter: juliejordanscot
says:
Excellent information. I looked up how to do it on typepad and now it is on my “hooray, I’m doing it!” list. :~)
Julie Jordan Scott recently posted..Words + Love + Creative Nudges = Nearly Free to Make Art
I really hope I have time to actually do this. Oh, and if I hear one more GREAT word about wordpress, I’ll just bang my head against the wall now. I SO want to switch over from blogger, but again, no time. Someday soon I hope to do my long laundry list of clean up and organizing my blog. the kiddos and the cake biz are taking every minute of everyday.
Twitter: kastanton01
says:
Thank you for posting about this! I never even thought about doing this, but it’s done now!
Kristen recently posted..Kristen’s award for the worst commercials
Twitter: greatfun4kids
says:
Brilliant info once again SITS girls! I had no such thing site maps even existed. Right, I’m off to go figure out how to do it. THANKS! (And happy New year)
xx
Simone @Greatfun4kids recently posted..Don’t Try This at Home, Folks
Twitter: caramelrell
says:
Awesome tip! I’m on my way to create a sitemap now! Thanks for this tip.
Sherelle recently posted..Fan By Association
Twitter: kidsyogateacher
says:
Thanks for the directions. I’m a little worried about the broken link comment. I’m sure I have a few.
Aruna – Young Yoga Masters recently posted..Kids Yoga Teachers of the World – Unite
Twitter: toysinthedryer
says:
We’ve been meaning to submit sitemap but we didn’t know how to do it. Thanks for the info!!
Jamie H recently posted..Why you should teach your child a second language now–Guest Post
Twitter: copilotmom
says:
Wow! I didn’t know about this. Thank you so much for this great tip!
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted..Super Boy!
Twitter: SweetMJ
says:
OMG…when I read this I was so excited. Thanks for the tip
Michael recently posted..I Am a Lazy Cook Part 2…or More Freezer Meals
Twitter: mrmubi2
says:
I was not expecting it will work for me because I think you only write for girls…!
lolz… Just Joking…
Now Google recieved my sitemap. Hope now my pages will index shortly…
Thank you Girls.
Twitter: Househoneys13
says:
Thanks Ashley, but I’m confused. I have WP, and just installed the recommended plug in. Now what? According to your instructions, I need to get the site map info from the plug in and submit to Google? Is that correct? If so, how do I do that? Thank you!
Doreen, I also have WP and just finished submitting mine. Yes, you do have to submit to Google after installing the plugin.You want to click the link above “instructions from google here” and go from there.
Twitter: Househoneys13
says:
Ok, I’ve done some more research and am more confused than ever. According to what I found out, if you’re going to verify your account you have to upload a file to your server, going in the back end and fttp files? Am I the only one who doesn’t know how to do this?? I’m thinking if everyone else did it and says it’s easy, I’m missing something here.
Twitter: ugojoloms
says:
Thanks for this very helpful tip.
Ugochi recently posted..PAYING ATTENTION
I’m proud to say I have submitted my sitemap!
Momfever recently posted..I see a rat!
Twitter: mrmubi2
says:
Hello,
I have a question girls. Is there any other search engine to submit our sitemap except above listed search engines?
Thanks
Mubashir recently posted..Win 500 Quality Backlinks Free Giveaway Sponsored Gift
Twitter: Househoneys13
says:
Ok, I’m still hoping to get some help with this. Since it seems like everyone but me is getting it done, I must not be ‘getting it’. If we have to go in the back end and upload a file, etc. that does not seem like something everyone would know how to do. At least I know I don’t! I tried to verify my account with godaddy, but it said something about not being able to do it because it didn’t have a DNS file?
Twitter: TheMomCafe.com
says:
This is such great info…TOTALLY need to do this!!!! Thank you for all the help!!!
Chris Carter recently posted..Coach Daddy Asks…
Just added this on my to do list. So if I add the plug in to wp do I still have to submit my site map? So much to learn… Thanks for the tips.
Julie @ Naptime Review
http://www.thenaptimereview.com
julie marling recently posted..Alice’s First Haircut
Twitter: foodiemtfitness
says:
Thanks for this article! I am not the best technologically and love reading about ways to better my blog. I starting following your instructions, hoping it wouldn’t take me forever to figure out, and I’m happy to say that I finished it within 20 minutes. WOOHOO!
Nicole recently posted..Conquering Mount Woodson
Twitter: TheLadiezLounge
says:
I’m a bit ashamed to say this but there is a ton of things I still know nothing about and I have researched for quite sometime. I am going to submit mine in a few…Thank you for the information, it is very helpful!!!
Shashee recently posted..Being a Student and a Parent…
Twitter: FitnWellMommy
says:
This is such great info! I have never heard of this, so I’m definitely going to check it out!
Melissa @ Fit ‘n’ Well Mommy recently posted..What I Ate Wednesday
Twitter: tricky_techno
says:
Just submitted Sitemap for my blog was not knowing this earlier and I think this was the only reason for no traffic to my blog from Google.
mohit recently posted..TricksTreat Launching Post
Twitter: racingtales
says:
Thanks so much! I had no idea how to do this, or even that I should do it. The instructions were easy to follow and I created and submitted my sitemap in no time. SITS Girls rock!
Alison @ racingtales recently posted..I Feel it in my Fingers, I Feel it in my Toes…Raynaud’s Disease
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Ooooh! I don’t know anything about this. I installed the WP plugin. Do I still need to submit the sitemap?
adrienne recently posted..Featured Blogger-The Dose of Reality
Adrienne, if you go to the settings for this plugin it will let you build the sitemap – make sure you’ve done that. It will tell you Google has been notified (and Bing) but I’m still trying to figure out if that means I need to submit…
Robin | Farewell, Stranger recently posted..Life Well Lived
Twitter: themommymess
says:
That’s where I’m at. It appears everything is in order b/c it says everybody’s tracking. But, I really have no idea what any of those settings mean! Or if I’m supposed to do anything else to make sure it’s working. I’m not techie.
adrienne recently posted..Featured Blogger-The Dose of Reality
Twitter: katekhronicles
says:
I didn’t know about this. Thank you for the tip. I will put this on my “must do” list.
kate burt recently posted..Plop..Plop..Fizz..Fizz….Oh What A Relief It is……
Woot! You’re hitting all the stuff I want and need to do. Happy new blogging year to me
Robin |Farewell Stranger recently posted..Life Well Lived
Twitter: TheLadyTrainer
says:
Thank you for explaining this so clearly
Paulin recently posted..45 Healthy Habits For Busy People
Twitter: laceysgarden
says:
all done… I’m going to sound like a real geek but knowledge is exciting..
Candi recently posted..Gray Necklace from Julep
Twitter: april_golightly
says:
I have to find out if I have one. I am clueless about this stuff.
Apri Golightly (Erhard) recently posted..CFDA Impact Fashion Event
Twitter: msinfoblog
says:
I was having trouble with this because I am on blogger, you can’t get to your root directory to put in the code so I found this, hope it’s helpful to others
http://www.labnol.org/internet/submit-blogger-sitemap-to-google/10149/
kelley @ Miss Information recently posted..DIY Wedding Wishing Tree
Hello to all, how is all, I think every one is getting more from this web site, and your views are fastidious for new visitors.
creating a blog recently posted..creating a blog
first i was using xml sitemap and now i am using yoast. still testing it
Nice tips as always. Keep posting .
Nojtaf Akyz recently posted..Linda Halimi lavderohet se e ka mashkullin me “hot” (FOTO)
Twitter: GlobalCraze
says:
Hey Ashley
hope you are well
and you are absolutely right about this topic. But i want to share one thing to you and all the readers that their are many wordpress plugins for generating xml sitemaps like google sitemap plugin by bestwebsoft. And i really liked a plugin which covers most of the requirement of seo that is ‘wordpress seo by yoast’. This plugin is for per post optimization and keyword submission. Speaciality of this plugin is that you can also create a xml sitemap using this plugin. I personally use this plugin. You don’t need to install extra plugin like google sitemap plugin and all that. And google webmaster tool is really a god gifted tool for the webmasters.
Chetan Gupta recently posted..Top 10 Resolutions of New Year