If your website pages are not appearing in Google search results, there is a good chance Google has not properly discovered or indexed them. This is more common than most business owners realize, and it often has nothing to do with the quality of your content or the design of your site. The issue is simply that Google does not know those pages exist yet.
Submitting a sitemap to Google Search Console is one of the most direct actions you can take to fix that. It tells Google exactly which pages live on your site and signals that they are ready to be crawled and indexed. Think of it like handing Google a complete map of your website instead of waiting for it to find its own way around.
For small and mid-sized business owners, this is not a technical task reserved for developers. It is a foundational SEO step that most people can complete in under 30 minutes, even without any prior technical experience.
This guide walks you through the entire process: from locating your sitemap file to confirming Google has accepted it. You will also learn what to do if errors appear and how to keep your sitemap working as your site grows over time.
Whether you are setting this up for the first time or troubleshooting a submission that did not go as expected, each step below is written to be clear, practical, and immediately actionable. Let's get started.
Step 1: Locate or Generate Your Sitemap
Before you can submit a sitemap, you need to know where yours is. A sitemap is an XML file that lists all the URLs on your website. It gives search engines a structured overview of your site's pages so they know what to crawl and index. The file itself looks like code, but you do not need to read or edit it manually. If you want a deeper understanding of what this file actually does, the guide on what an XML sitemap is and why it matters covers the fundamentals clearly.
Start by checking the most common sitemap locations. Open a browser and type your domain followed by one of these paths:
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml is the most common location for single sitemaps used by platforms like Shopify and Squarespace.
yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml is typical for WordPress sites using Yoast SEO or Rank Math. This is called a sitemap index file, which links to multiple individual sitemaps covering posts, pages, products, and other content types. This is completely normal for larger sites.
If you see a page of XML content when you visit one of those URLs, you have found your sitemap. If you get a 404 error or a blank page, your sitemap may not exist yet or may be located elsewhere.
Here is how major platforms handle sitemaps automatically:
WordPress with Yoast SEO or Rank Math: Both plugins generate a sitemap index automatically. You can find it at /sitemap_index.xml. Make sure the plugin is active and sitemaps are enabled in the plugin settings. If you need a full walkthrough, the step-by-step guide on creating an XML sitemap for WordPress covers each setting in detail.
Shopify: Sitemaps are generated automatically at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. No setup is required.
Squarespace: Sitemaps are automatically created at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml for all published pages.
Wix: Wix generates sitemaps automatically. You can find your sitemap URL through the Wix SEO settings dashboard.
If your site does not have a sitemap, you can generate one using a free tool like XML-Sitemaps.com. Enter your domain, let the tool crawl your site, and download the resulting XML file. You will then need to upload it to your website's root directory, which your web host or developer can assist with.
Important pitfall to avoid: Do not submit a sitemap that includes pages with noindex tags, redirected URLs, or pages with canonical tags pointing to other URLs. Including these can waste crawl budget and send mixed signals to Google. Most CMS plugins handle this automatically, but it is worth checking if you built your sitemap manually.
Step 2: Set Up and Verify Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool provided by Google that lets you monitor how your website performs in search results, identify indexing issues, and communicate directly with Google's crawlers. If you do not have an account yet, this step covers everything you need to get started.
Go to search.google.com/search-console and sign in with a Google account. If you already have one set up for your site, skip ahead to Step 3.
When you add a new property, Google will ask you to choose between two types:
Domain property: This covers all versions of your site, including http, https, www, and non-www. It requires verification through your DNS settings, which means logging into your domain registrar (like GoDaddy or Namecheap) and adding a TXT record. This is the more comprehensive option but slightly more involved.
URL-prefix property: This covers only the specific URL you enter, such as https://www.yourdomain.com. It offers more verification options and is generally simpler for most small business owners to set up.
For most SMB owners using a single https:// version of their site, the URL-prefix property is the easier starting point. Just make sure you enter the exact version of your URL that visitors use, including the https and any www prefix.
Once you select your property type, Google will prompt you to verify ownership. The most practical methods are:
HTML tag: Google gives you a small snippet of code to paste into the head section of your website. Most CMS platforms like WordPress allow you to do this through an SEO plugin or a header settings field without touching raw code.
Google Tag Manager: If you already use Google Tag Manager on your site, you can verify through that account with a single click.
Google Analytics: If Google Analytics is already installed on your site, this is often the fastest verification path.
DNS record: This is required for Domain properties and involves adding a TXT record through your domain registrar.
For most business owners, the HTML tag method through your CMS or the Google Analytics method is the fastest route. Once verification is complete, you will see a green checkmark and a confirmation message that reads "Ownership verified." That is your signal to move on. If your site is not yet appearing in search results at all, it is worth reviewing the common reasons your website is not showing up on Google alongside this setup process.
Step 3: Navigate to the Sitemaps Report
With your Google Search Console property verified, you are now inside the dashboard. The interface can look like a lot at first, but you only need one specific section to submit your sitemap.
Look at the left sidebar. You will see a navigation menu with several sections. Find the section labeled "Indexing" and click on it to expand the options. Within that section, click "Sitemaps."
This takes you to the Sitemaps report, which is your central hub for everything related to sitemap submission and status. Here is what you will see on this page:
Submitted sitemaps: A list of any sitemaps you have previously submitted, along with their current status, the last date Google read the file, and the number of URLs discovered.
Add a new sitemap field: A text input at the top of the page where you will enter your sitemap URL path in the next step.
If you have never submitted a sitemap before, the submitted sitemaps section will be empty. If you have previously submitted one, it will appear here with its current status, which we will cover in Step 5. Before moving forward, it is also useful to check whether your website is already indexed on Google so you have a baseline to compare against after submission.
Take a moment to bookmark this page in your browser. You will return here periodically to check that your sitemap is being read correctly and to catch any errors that may appear over time. Making it easy to access means you are more likely to actually check it.
Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap URL
This is the step most people are here for, and it is simpler than it looks. At the top of the Sitemaps report, you will see a field labeled "Add a new sitemap" with your domain already displayed to the left of it.
In the text field, enter only the path portion of your sitemap URL. Since Google Search Console already knows your domain, you do not need to type the full address. For example:
If your sitemap is at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml, you would enter: sitemap.xml
If your sitemap is at yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml, you would enter: sitemap_index.xml
Once you have entered the path, click the "Submit" button. Google will immediately add it to your submitted sitemaps list and begin the process of queuing it for crawling.
Here is what happens next: Google does not crawl your sitemap instantly. It adds the sitemap to a queue and processes it based on its own crawl schedule. For most sites, you will see a status update within a few hours to a couple of days. Understanding how long Google takes to index a new website helps set realistic expectations for what comes after submission.
It is important to understand that submitting a sitemap does not guarantee immediate indexing of your pages. What it does is signal to Google that these pages exist and are ready to be reviewed. Google still decides which pages to index based on quality, relevance, and other factors. Submission starts the process; it does not complete it.
Common pitfall: Submitting the wrong URL path or a path that returns a 404 error. Before submitting, paste the full sitemap URL into a browser tab and confirm that it loads actual XML content. The page should display structured code that begins with something like <urlset> or <sitemapindex>. If you see an error page instead, your sitemap URL is incorrect or the file does not exist at that location.
Double-checking this before you submit saves you from sitting with an error status in your dashboard for days before noticing something went wrong.
Step 5: Interpret the Status and Fix Errors
After submitting your sitemap, return to the Sitemaps report to check its status. Google Search Console will display one of three primary status indicators next to your submitted sitemap.
Success: This is what you want to see. It means Google successfully retrieved and processed your sitemap file and found URLs to add to its crawl queue. The number of discovered URLs will appear alongside this status. Note that "discovered" does not mean "indexed." It means Google found the URLs and will decide whether to index them based on its own evaluation.
Pending: Google has received your sitemap but has not yet processed it. This is normal, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours after submission. No action is needed. Check back after a day or two and the status should update.
Error or Warning: Something prevented Google from reading your sitemap correctly. This requires your attention. The specific error message will tell you what went wrong.
Here are the most common errors and how to resolve them:
Could not fetch: Google was unable to access your sitemap URL. This usually means the URL is incorrect, the file does not exist at that location, or your server is blocking Google's crawler. Verify the URL in a browser, check that the file is publicly accessible, and confirm your robots.txt file is not blocking Googlebot from reading the sitemap.
No URLs found: Google accessed the file but found no URLs inside it. This typically means the sitemap is empty or was generated incorrectly. Regenerate the sitemap using your CMS plugin or sitemap tool and resubmit.
Sitemap could not be read: The XML formatting in your sitemap file is invalid. This can happen with manually created sitemaps or if a plugin generated a corrupted file. Use an XML validation tool to check the file, fix any formatting errors, and resubmit.
Alongside the Sitemaps report, use the Coverage report in Google Search Console to get a clearer picture of your indexing situation. The Coverage report shows which pages are indexed, which are excluded, and why. If you find pages that are excluded or not indexing as expected, the guide on how to fix pages not indexed in Google walks through the most common causes and solutions.
Catching errors early matters. A sitemap with an unresolved error can sit unnoticed for months while your pages go unindexed. Checking the Sitemaps report regularly is one of the simplest ways to protect your site's search visibility.
Step 6: Monitor and Maintain Your Sitemap Over Time
Submitting your sitemap is not a one-time task. It is the beginning of an ongoing process that should be part of your regular SEO routine. As your site grows and changes, your sitemap needs to reflect those changes accurately.
The good news is that most CMS platforms and SEO plugins handle sitemap updates automatically. When you publish a new blog post, add a service page, or create a new product listing, your sitemap plugin typically updates the file without any manual action on your part. This is one of the core reasons using a plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math on WordPress is worthwhile even for smaller sites. Knowing how often you should update your sitemap helps you decide when manual intervention is actually necessary versus when automation has it covered.
That said, there are specific situations where you should manually review and potentially resubmit your sitemap:
After a major site restructure: If you reorganize your URL structure, change your navigation, or migrate to a new domain, your sitemap needs to reflect the updated URLs. Resubmit after any significant structural change.
After adding a new content section: If you launch a new blog, a new product category, or a new service area, confirm that those pages are being included in your sitemap before assuming Google will find them.
After a domain migration: Moving from one domain to another requires setting up a new Google Search Console property and submitting your sitemap fresh for the new domain.
Set a recurring monthly reminder to open the Sitemaps report in Google Search Console and check that the status still reads "Success" and that the URL count looks accurate. A sudden drop in discovered URLs or a new error status can signal a problem worth investigating before it affects your rankings.
Use the URL Inspection tool within Google Search Console to check the indexing status of individual pages. This is especially useful for high-priority pages like your homepage, service pages, or key landing pages. You can also use it to request indexing for a specific page if you need Google to revisit it faster than its normal crawl schedule.
Here is a practical cross-check worth doing periodically: compare the number of URLs listed in your sitemap against the number of pages you have actually published on your site. If your sitemap shows significantly fewer URLs than you expect, some pages may be excluded by your plugin settings, set to noindex, or missing from the sitemap for another reason. Catching that discrepancy early keeps your indexing strategy aligned with your content strategy. Following XML sitemap best practices gives you a reliable checklist to run through whenever something looks off.
Sitemap health connects directly to broader SEO performance. Pages that are not indexed cannot rank. Indexed pages are the foundation that every other SEO effort, including content optimization, link building, and conversion strategy, is built on.
Putting It All Together
Submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console is one of the clearest signals you can send to Google about your website. It removes guesswork from the crawling process and gives you direct visibility into how Google sees your site structure.
The six steps above cover everything from finding your sitemap file to interpreting status messages and maintaining the process as your site grows. Once your sitemap is submitted and verified, the next priority is making sure your pages are structured and optimized so Google ranks them effectively.
A properly indexed site is only valuable if the content on those pages earns visibility in search results. Indexing gets you in the game. Optimized, relevant content is what wins the ranking.
If you want help building a search-optimized site that consistently attracts and converts the right visitors, North Valley Solutions works with businesses to create the full system: indexed content, high-converting pages, and automated lead capture that turns traffic into booked calls. Ready to rank higher and grow? Schedule a quick call and we will show you exactly how we can help.