Table of Contents

1. Why Your Blog Needs a Sitemap
2. What Is a Sitemap and Why It Matters
3. Types of Sitemaps (XML vs HTML)
4. How to Create a Sitemap for Your Website
   • WordPress Method
   • Non-WordPress (Manual) Method
5. How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google
6. After Submission: What Happens Next?
7. Tips for New Bloggers After Sitemap Submission
8. Common Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid
9. Final Thoughts (And What You Should Learn Next)

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Up Next on Linkspanner:    👉 How long does Google take to index my website, and how can I make it faster?

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Why Your Blog Needs a Sitemap

If you’ve just launched your first blog or new website, congratulations!
You’ve taken the first step toward building your online presence.

But here’s the truth — creating a website alone isn’t enough.
To get traffic from Google, your pages must be discovered and indexed by search engines.

That’s where the sitemap comes in.
A sitemap is like handing Google a neat list of all your website’s pages so it can explore and index them faster.

Without it, your site might exist but stay hidden from the world — like a shop without a signboard.

In this guide, we’ll go through how to create and submit a sitemap to Google, plus smart SEO tips for new bloggers to get indexed faster.

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What Is a Sitemap and Why It Matters

A sitemap is a simple file (usually named sitemap.xml) that lists all the URLs of your website.

Think of it as a roadmap for search engines.
It helps Google bots find your pages quickly, understand your site’s structure, and know which pages are important.

For new blogs, this is especially useful because:

• You don’t yet have backlinks from other sites
• Google might take longer to find your pages on its own
• You keep adding new posts regularly, and Google needs to keep up

So, your sitemap basically tells Google:

“Here’s everything I’ve published — please visit and index these pages.”

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Types of Sitemaps (XML vs HTML)

There are mainly two types of sitemaps:

1. XML Sitemap

This is the one made for search engines.
It looks technical but is meant for bots, not humans.
Example:

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml

2. HTML Sitemap

This is made for human visitors — usually a simple page that lists all your articles and categories.
Example:

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap/

For SEO purposes, we focus on the XML sitemap because that’s what Google Search Console accepts.

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How to Create a Sitemap for Your Website

Method 1: If you’re Using WordPress

Good news — WordPress automatically creates a sitemap for you!

If you use Yoast SEO, the sitemap URL is:

        https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml

If you use Rank Math, it’s the same:

        https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml

You can simply open that link in your browser — if you see a structured list of pages and posts, it’s ready to go.

🔧 Tip:

Yoast and Rank Math automatically update your sitemap whenever you publish new content. No manual work needed.

 Method 2: If you’re Not Using WordPress

You can generate it manually using free tools:

• XML-Sitemaps.com
• Seoptimer Sitemap Generator

Steps:

1. Enter your website URL.
2. Let the tool crawl your site.
3. Download the sitemap.xml file.
4. Upload it to your website’s root directory (main folder).

Now your sitemap will be live at:

https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml

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How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google

Once your sitemap is live, let’s connect it to Google Search Console.

Step 1: Go to Google Search Console

Sign in with your Google account and select your website property.
If your site isn’t added yet, click “Add Property” and verify ownership.

Step 2: Find the “Sitemaps” Option

In the left sidebar, click Sitemaps under the “Indexing” section.

Step 3: Add Your Sitemap URL

In the “Add a new sitemap” box, enter your sitemap link:

sitemap_index.xml

Or

wp-sitemap.xml

Or

sitemap.xml

Then click Submit ✅

Step 4: Wait for Google to Fetch It

Google will show one of these statuses:

• Success — sitemap submitted and fetched correctly.
• Couldn’t fetch — check your URL or fix your sitemap format.

Once it says Success, Google will start discovering and indexing your pages.

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After Submission: What Happens Next?

Submitting a sitemap doesn’t mean instant indexing.
It just tells Google,

“Here’s what to look at.”

Google still decides:

• Which pages to index
• In what order
• How often to revisit them

Usually:

• Discovery happens within 1–3 days
• Indexing takes anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks

You can check progress in Search Console under Indexing → Pages or use the URL Inspection tool to see if your page is indexed.

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Tips for New Bloggers After Sitemap Submission

Getting your sitemap accepted is just the beginning.
Here are a few powerful tips that help new websites grow faster:

1️.       Post Consistently

Google loves active sites. Even 1 quality post every few days helps bots revisit more often.

2️.       Use Internal Links

Every time you publish a new article, link it from your older posts.
It helps both users and Google discover your content faster.

3️.       Improve Your Site Speed

A fast site = better crawl rate.
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or Cloudflare for optimization.

4️.       Write Original, Helpful Content

Avoid copying content. Focus on solving specific problems for readers.
Google rewards helpful, unique articles.

5️.       Request Indexing for New Posts

Use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console → click Request Indexing after publishing new content.

6️.       Share on Social Media

When you share links on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, Google often follows those URLs to crawl them faster.

7️.       Keep Your Sitemap Clean

If you delete old posts or pages, update or regenerate your sitemap to avoid broken links.

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Common Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid

1. Submitting the wrong sitemap link
   e.g., https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin/sitemap.xml (that’s wrong — sitemap should be public).
2. Submitting multiple times unnecessarily
   Once is enough; Google automatically re-checks it.
3. Ignoring indexing issues
   Always monitor Search Console “Coverage” reports — they show errors and excluded pages.
4. Thin or duplicate content
   If pages have low-quality or duplicate text, Google may skip indexing them even if sitemap is correct.
5. Forgetting HTTPS or www consistency
   Always use a single preferred version of your site (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).

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Final Thoughts (And What You Should Learn Next)

Submitting your sitemap to Google is one of the first big steps in your blogging journey.
It tells Google your website exists, organizes your content neatly, and helps your new blog gain visibility faster.

But remember — a sitemap is just the start of your SEO path.
Real growth comes when you understand how Google discovers, indexes, and ranks your pages.

So now that your sitemap is live, the next question is:

“How long does Google take to index my website, and how can I make it faster?”

That’s exactly what we’ll explore in Part 2 — a deep dive into Google’s indexing timeline, hidden crawl factors, and practical tips to speed up your blog’s visibility.

Stay tuned — your next big SEO step is just around the corner.