Website When you`re done creating a new WordPress website, you’ll want your content to appear in search results. One of the first steps in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is to create an XML sitemap for your WordPress site.

What is a WordPress Sitemap?

A Sitemap is a useful list of URLs to help Google understand the structure of a website and retrieve data on the main pages more quickly, even if the internal links of the site are not well organized. After successfully creating a sitemap, the contents of the sitemap will be automatically updated when you add or remove content. The sitemap also has information about the types of pages that will appear on Google. For example, pages marked with ‘noindex’ will not appear on the sitemap.

The difference between XML and HTML Sitemaps in WordPress

Sitemaps is divided into two categories i.e. XML and HTML, this is what each type of sitemap means. XML: Contains metadata, website URL, and other information like when the URL was last updated, etc. HTML: Provides easier navigation for website visitors. This type of sitemap shows a layout like Home or About, thus making the site more user-friendly.

The main difference between XML and HTML is their central point. While XML sitemaps focus on indexing web pages from the point of view of search engines like Google, HTML sitemaps are designed to improve the experience of website visitors.

How to create an XML sitemap in WordPress

The easiest way to create a sitemap in WordPress is to use a plugin. Here are some of the best plugins for creating XML sitemaps in WordPress.

Creating an XML sitemap using the YoastSEO plugin: Install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin on your WordPress site. After the plugin is active, look for the SEO menu. Then click the General menu to create a WordPress XML sitemap. Select the Features tab to create an XML sitemap for the Yoast WordPress sitemap. A page with a list of sitemap URLs for your site will appear.

GoogleXML Sitemap

The GoogleXML Sitemap plugin provides an easy way to create an XML sitemap for your WordPress site. Apart from that, you can also create sitemaps for all kinds of WordPress sites and custom URLs. When you add new content to your sitemap, Google XML also alerts various search engines. Below are the steps to create an XML sitemap using Google XML Sitemap.

Install and activate the Google XML Sitemap Plugin Open the plug-in settings in the Settings menu > XML Sitemap. You will see a link to a page containing the sitemap URL for your site.

How to submit an XML sitemap to Google

After successfully doing how to create a sitemap in WordPress above, the next step is to submit it to Google.
Before submitting a sitemap to Google, you need to verify ownership of your site in Google Search Console. Under
are the steps to submit an XML sitemap to Google.
From Google Search Console, go to the dashboard of the site you submitted
Select Index > Sitemap.
Submit sitemap
Enter the URL containing the WordPress sitemap
Submit an XML sitemap
Click [Submit] to register the sitemap with Google.