Introduction to Sitemaps and Google Search Console
Google’s John Mueller recently answered a question about the best way to upload sitemaps to Google Search Console. A member of the r/TechSEO community on Reddit asked if it’s enough to upload the main sitemap.xml file, which links to more granular sitemaps, or if they need to upload each sitemap separately. This question was prompted by a recent change to their website’s page slugs, which are the file names of the website’s pages.
Understanding Sitemaps and Google Search Console
The person asking the question had submitted their "sitemap.xml" file to Google Search Console, but was unsure if this was sufficient. They also wanted to know how long it would take for Google Search Console to consider their updated sitemap after changing their website’s page slugs. Mueller responded that uploading the sitemap index file (sitemap.xml) is enough, and that Google will proceed from there. He also stated that it’s not necessary to upload the individual granular sitemaps.
How Sitemaps Work with Google
Mueller’s comments also highlighted that uploading sitemaps doesn’t guarantee that all URLs will be crawled immediately. He also mentioned that there’s no specific time for when Googlebot will crawl the sitemap URLs. Instead, he suggested using the Inspect URL tool to request crawling for individual pages. This tool allows SEOs to request that Google crawl a specific URL, but it can only be used for one URL at a time.
Is Uploading All Sitemaps Necessary?
According to John Mueller, it’s enough to upload the index sitemap file. However, many SEOs may still choose to upload all sitemaps that contain changed URLs, just to be safe. This approach can provide reassurance that Google will crawl the updated URLs. The URL Inspection tool is a useful alternative, but it has the limitation of only allowing single URL submissions.
Using the URL Inspection Tool
The URL Inspection tool is a solid approach for requesting crawling for specific URLs. However, it’s not suitable for bulk URL submissions. For this reason, SEOs may still prefer to upload all relevant sitemaps to ensure that their updated URLs are crawled by Google. This approach can provide peace of mind, especially after making significant changes to a website’s page structure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, uploading the main sitemap.xml file to Google Search Console is sufficient, according to John Mueller. However, there are no guarantees that all URLs will be crawled immediately. SEOs can use the Inspect URL tool to request crawling for individual pages, but this tool has limitations. Ultimately, the best approach will depend on the specific needs and preferences of the SEO. By understanding how sitemaps work with Google Search Console, SEOs can make informed decisions about how to manage their website’s page structure and ensure that their content is crawled and indexed by Google.