How to Create and Submit a Sitemap in Webflow

What Is a Sitemap and Why Is It Important?

A sitemap is an XML file that lists all the essential pages on your website. Search engine crawlers use it to identify which pages to index and how your site is structured.

Key Benefits of a Sitemap

• Improves SEO: Helps search engines prioritize your content and index it efficiently.
• Enhances Visibility: Ensures new or updated content is discovered faster.
• Boosts Accessibility: Aids in compliance with accessibility standards by improving site structure.
• Error Detection: Identifies and resolves crawl errors through tools like Google Search Console.

Whether auto-generated or custom-built, a sitemap is essential for optimizing your site’s performance and visibility.

How to Auto-Generate a Sitemap in Webflow

Webflow’s auto-generate sitemap feature automatically creates a sitemap.xml file for your site and updates it each time you publish. This ensures your sitemap is always up-to-date, reflecting any structural changes or new content.

Steps to Enable Auto-Generated Sitemaps

1. Navigate to Site Settings:
   Open your Webflow project and go to the SEO tab in Site Settings.
2. Enable Auto-Generate Sitemap:
   Toggle the Auto-Generate Sitemap option to “Yes.”
3. Save Changes:
   Click Save Changes to confirm your settings.
4. Publish Your Site:
   Publish your website, and your sitemap will be live at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml.

Note for Localization Users

If Localization is enabled, the auto-generated sitemap will include hreflang tags, helping search engines understand the language and regional variations of your site.

Important Tips for Auto-Generated Sitemaps

• Set a Default Domain: Ensure your sitemap reflects the correct URLs by setting a default domain in Site Settings. Without this, search engines may encounter 301 redirects, which could lead to indexing issues.
• Non-Editable Sitemap URL: Once created and published, the /sitemap.xml page cannot be deleted.

How to Add a Custom Sitemap in Webflow

For those needing greater control, Webflow allows you to upload a custom sitemap. This is particularly useful for websites with unique SEO needs or complex structures.

Steps to Add a Custom Sitemap

1. Disable Auto-Generated Sitemap:
   In the SEO tab of Site Settings, toggle Auto-Generate Sitemap to “No.”
2. Paste Your Custom Sitemap:
   Paste your custom sitemap.xml content into the Custom Sitemap field.
3. Save Changes:
   Click Save Changes to confirm your custom sitemap.
4. Publish Your Site:
   Publish your site to activate the custom sitemap.

Reminder for Localization Users

When using a custom sitemap with Localization enabled, you’ll need to manually add hreflang tags for each page.

Submitting Your Sitemap to Google

Once your sitemap is live, you’ll need to submit it to Google to ensure it’s indexed. While Google may automatically discover your site through links, manually submitting a sitemap can speed up the process.

How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google Search Console

1. Open Google Search Console:
   Log in and select the property (website) you want to manage.
2. Enter the Sitemap URL:
   Type sitemap.xml into the input field.
3. Submit Your Sitemap:
   Click Submit to notify Google about your sitemap.

Customizing the Root Domain for Your Sitemap

For Webflow Enterprise customers, the platform provides additional options to manage sitemap settings for multiple sites connected to a single domain via reverse proxies.

Steps for Enterprise Customization

1. Go to Site Settings > SEO Tab > Indexing Section.
2. Toggle Remove Sitemap from robots.txt to “Yes.”
3. Enter your custom sitemap URL in the robots.txt field.
4. Save and publish your site.

This ensures search engines recognize all your connected sites as part of the same domain.

Why Every Website Needs a Sitemap

1. Streamlined Crawling:
   A sitemap ensures search engine crawlers can efficiently discover and index your content.
2. Content Visibility:
   Newly added or updated pages are highlighted in the sitemap, ensuring they’re indexed quickly.
3. Error Resolution:
   Submitting a sitemap to Google Search Console helps identify and resolve crawl issues, ensuring your site is healthy.
4. Improved SEO Rankings:
   By helping search engines prioritize your content, a sitemap directly contributes to better search engine performance.
5. Enhanced Accessibility:
   A well-structured sitemap supports assistive technologies, promoting inclusivity and compliance.

Conclusion

Creating and submitting a sitemap in Webflow is a simple but powerful step to boost your website’s SEO and visibility. Whether you opt for an auto-generated sitemap or upload a custom one, having a sitemap ensures your content is accessible to search engines and users alike.

Take advantage of Webflow’s built-in tools to manage your sitemap effectively and submit it to Google Search Console for optimal indexing. With a sitemap in place, you’ll enjoy better rankings, increased traffic, and a stronger online presence.

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