Sitemap improves the crawling of your site which means Google can easily understand the contents of your blog and index it. To rank well on Search Engine result page(SERP) you need to have one. But, What is Sitemap and How to create a sitemap for WordPress or Blogger Blog? Here are the Answers.

What is a Sitemap?

A Sitemap is a file that contains information about the pages, post, images, etc on your site and the links between them. Search Engine Crawler like Google, Yahoo! read this file and crawl your site. Also, it gives information about what to index or not, alternate language, or when the page was last modified or revised.

Does your blog need a sitemap?

Yes, Definitely you need one if you want that your blog post always appears on the first page of Google Search. Even if, your blog is properly linked and has a well organized link structure you need a sitemap to improve crawling.

So, Let’s get Started!

I will tell you 3 easiest way to create a sitemap for your blog. 

Benefits of having a Sitemaps on your Blog

A sitemap is a simple and fast way to get index by Search Engine Crawlers. If your blog doesn’t have a sitemap then Google treats your website as scrap or blog having duplicate contents. As it is not Good for SEO.

Have a look on these benefits that an XML-Sitemap will provide:

• An XML-Sitemap provides information on what to crawl on your blog.
• It tells Google what kind of Information your blog is providing.
• It tells Google when your content was last updated.
• It tells Google How often your Blog’s Contents are updated.
• It helps Google crawler to organize and index your blog’s contents more effectively.
• It tells Google how much your Blog’s contents are important.
• It is an easier way to create a strong internal linking structure.

Types of Sitemaps that a blog can have.

There are two types of Sitemaps XML-Sitemaps and HTML Sitemaps.

XML Sitemaps: These are the only format of sitemaps that are used by Big Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing. There are so many tools and software which can create an XML- sitemap for your blog. Some of the best ways are listed below to create one for your blog.

HTML Sitemaps: This is the easiest and simple way for the audience to navigate a Blog. These are basically a webpage where your structure of blog contents are shown and linked to each other. One can easily add CSS to organize it more effectively.

How to create a Sitemap for your WordPress Blog?

For the WordPress users, you can create a sitemap using Plugin for your WordPress Blog.

If you use Yoast or All in SEO plugin for SEO purpose on your blog then you can create it using these plugin.

Follow these instructions:

• Log in to your Dashboard.

• At the left Corner, you will see “SEO” written, click on it.

• Now, you’re in the dashboard of your Yoast plugin.
• Click on the features tab.

• Click on the “On” Button for XML-Sitemap.
• Save the Changes.

If you use All in one SEO then Click on feature Manager and hit activate button below XML Sitemap.

Now, you can check your sitemap through typing this www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml and hit enter.

How to create a Sitemap for your Blogger Blog?

You can create a Sitemap for your Blog using Screaming Frog SEO Spider or XML-Sitemap generator(recommended).

It’s your Choice which you want to choose.

Let’s create a Sitemap for Blogger Blog using XML-Sitemap generator.

• Follow the above link.

[Image->Sitemap for Blogger blog]

• Enter your Blogger blog URL to create a sitemap and click on the generate button.

Note: Paste your full blogger blog URL as shown below and blog must contain posts or pages.

For example: https://yourdomain.blogspot.com/

• Now, copy the robot txt which will appear after the successful completion of your blogger blog sitemap and paste it.

Need help in configure the robot txt? Follow this link.

• Now you can Go to Google Search Console to submit your sitemap.

Are you new to Google Search Console? Let’s Setup Google Search Console Account

Don’t have Google Search Console account?

It’s fine! It can be created easily. Just follow the instructions given below.

• Go to Google Search Console.
• Now, click on add property and enter your domain name and click on continue.
• Copy the code and add it to your header file for WordPress. For the blogger blog, you need to go to the theme section and edit your theme and add this code.
• Now, Click on the verify button.

You have successfully created your Google Search Console Account.

For more detail on Google Search Console refer this guide.

How to submit an XML- Sitemap to Google Search Console?

It’s so simple and easily!

Follow the instructions to submit your XML-sitemap to Google Search Console.

• Go to Google Search Console.
• Now, go to the sitemaps section and add URL of your sitemap.
• Click on the submit button.

That’s it!

Now, Google crawler will crawl your blog and index it.

Bottom Line

When it comes to improving your ranking in Google then an XML-sitemap is the best way to do that. As it helps Google to provide all the information related to your blog and makes it easy to understand.

As it easy to create a Sitemap for your Blog. I have given you all the information about the sitemap which is necessary and this guide will help you to create an XML-Sitemap for your Blogger blog or WordPress.

Nevertheless, I have provided the benefits of having an XML-Sitemap and its type.

It helps to boost your ranking in Google. If you don’t have one then I recommend to go through this guide and create one for your blog.

It helps to improve your SEO and overcome the limitation of weak internal linking.

So, let me know what do you think about having an XML-Sitemap? Please give me feedback about this Guide.