How I Submitted My Sitemap in Google Search Console
Google Search Console Sitemap Indexing SEOAfter improving my website with blog pages, tools, services, about, contact, privacy policy, terms, and disclaimer pages, the next important step was helping Google discover these pages. Creating pages is only one part of the work. Search engines should also be able to find and crawl those pages properly.
For this, I used a sitemap.xml file and submitted it in Google Search Console. This gave Google a clear list of important URLs on my website and helped me monitor whether the sitemap was read successfully.
What Is a Sitemap?
A sitemap is a file that lists important pages of a website. It helps search engines discover URLs in a structured way. A sitemap does not guarantee instant ranking or instant indexing, but it is a useful signal for discovery.
For a small website, the sitemap can include important pages like:
- Homepage
- Blog page
- Tools page
- Services page
- About page
- Contact page
- Privacy Policy page
- Terms page
- Disclaimer page
- Individual blog articles
Why I Needed a Sitemap
My website was becoming more than a portfolio. I was adding real blog articles and useful static pages. Without a sitemap, Google could still discover pages through links, but a sitemap makes the structure clearer.
I wanted Google Search Console to show how many pages were discovered through the sitemap. This helped me understand whether my sitemap was working properly.
Creating the Sitemap File
My website uses a static setup, so I created the sitemap inside the public folder. The file path was:
public/sitemap.xmlOn the live website, this file becomes available at:
https://hiijoshi.in/sitemap.xmlThe basic sitemap structure looks like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://hiijoshi.in/</loc>
</url>
</urlset>The first line is important. I made sure the sitemap starts correctly with:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>A small mistake in XML format can make the sitemap invalid, so I checked it carefully before pushing changes.
Adding Blog URLs to Sitemap
Every time I publish a new blog article, I add its URL to sitemap.xml. For example:
<url><loc>https://hiijoshi.in/blog/google-search-console-sitemap-submission/</loc></url>I only add URLs that actually exist. I avoid adding coming soon pages or planned pages because that can create crawl problems and make the website look unfinished.
Checking the Live Sitemap
After pushing the sitemap file, I opened it in the browser:
https://hiijoshi.in/sitemap.xmlThis step is important because it confirms that the sitemap is live and accessible. If the sitemap URL gives 404, Google Search Console will not be able to read it.
I also checked that the sitemap does not contain spelling mistakes in URLs. A wrong slug or missing slash can cause broken links.
Opening Google Search Console
After confirming that the sitemap was live, I opened Google Search Console and selected my website property. The property should match the exact website domain.
Then I opened the Sitemaps section from the left sidebar.
Submitting the Sitemap
In the Sitemaps section, I entered:
sitemap.xmlGoogle Search Console automatically uses the domain, so the full sitemap URL becomes:
https://hiijoshi.in/sitemap.xmlAfter submitting it, I waited for Google to process the sitemap.
Checking Sitemap Success
After submission, Google Search Console showed the sitemap status. The most important thing I checked was whether the status was successful and how many pages were discovered.
When the sitemap status showed success, it confirmed that Google could read my sitemap file. This was an important step because it meant my technical setup was correct.
Discovered pages count helped me understand how many URLs Google found from the sitemap.
Requesting Indexing for Important Pages
Submitting a sitemap helps discovery, but I also used URL Inspection for important pages. URL Inspection allows checking a specific URL and requesting indexing.
I requested indexing for pages such as:
https://hiijoshi.in/https://hiijoshi.in/blog/https://hiijoshi.in/services/https://hiijoshi.in/tools/https://hiijoshi.in/about/https://hiijoshi.in/contact/- New blog article URLs
Requesting indexing does not guarantee immediate indexing, but it helps Google know that the page is ready to be checked.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While working with sitemap and Search Console, I noticed some mistakes that should be avoided:
- Submitting a sitemap before it is live.
- Adding URLs that do not exist.
- Adding coming soon pages in the sitemap.
- Using wrong XML syntax.
- Forgetting to update sitemap after publishing new blogs.
- Submitting sitemap under the wrong website property.
- Not checking whether pages return 200 OK or 404.
How I Maintain My Sitemap Now
My process is simple. Whenever I publish a new blog, I follow these steps:
- Create the new blog page.
- Add the article card on the blog index page.
- Add the article URL in sitemap.xml.
- Push the changes.
- Open the live URL and test it.
- Use URL Inspection in Google Search Console.
This process keeps the website organized and reduces the chance of broken links or missing pages.
What I Learned
Submitting a sitemap taught me that technical SEO is not difficult, but it needs attention to detail. A website should have clear URLs, real content, working links, and a valid sitemap.
I also learned that Google Search Console is not only for errors. It is a useful tool for understanding how Google discovers and processes website pages.
Conclusion
Submitting my sitemap in Google Search Console was an important step in improving my website. It helped Google discover my important pages and gave me a clear view of sitemap status and discovered URLs.
For any portfolio, blog, or business website, sitemap.xml and Google Search Console should be part of the basic setup. They help create a better foundation for search visibility and long-term growth.