Let’s start with the most basic question people are usually too worried about sounding dumb to ask.
What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is simply a list of the important pages on your website that you want search engines to know about. That’s it.
It’s usually a single file that lives on your site and acts like a table of contents. It helps Google understand:
- What pages exist
- How your site is organized
- Which pages you actually care about
You do not need to be technical to find it.
And if you don’t have one yet, that’s not a failure. It’s just a missing piece.
Why Sitemaps Matter
Google can discover pages by following links.
But a sitemap:
- Speeds up discovery
- Reduces guesswork
- Helps Google notice new or updated pages
- Makes large or complex sites easier to understand
Think of it this way:
Links are how Google explores.
A sitemap is how you introduce yourself.
Both matter.
Step-by-Step: How to Find Your Sitemap
Step 1: Try the Obvious URLs First
Open your browser and try these URLs, replacing yourdomain.com with your actual domain:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml
One of three things will happen:
- You see a list of URLs or links to other sitemaps
Good. You have a sitemap. - You see a formatted page with dates and URLs
Also good. That’s still a sitemap, just nicely rendered. - You get a 404 or error
That usually means you don’t have one yet.
No judgment. Just information.
Step 2: Check Your robots.txt File
Next, go to:
https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt
You’re looking for a line that looks like this:
Sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
If it’s there, that’s your sitemap URL.
If it’s not there, that’s okay.
Many sites have sitemaps that simply aren’t referenced in robots.txt.
Step 3: Check Your CMS (If You Use One)
Most modern CMS platforms generate sitemaps automatically. You just need to know where to look.
WordPress
Try: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml
If you use plugins like Yoast, RankMath, or similar, it’s almost always there.
Drupal
Often uses: /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml
It depends on which sitemap module is enabled.
Webflow, Shopify, Squarespace
Usually auto-generate at: /sitemap.xml
If you’re unsure, search:
“[Your CMS] sitemap default URL”
That question has been answered many times before you.
What If You Don’t Have a Sitemap?
This is where people assume they messed up.
You didn’t.
Not having a sitemap is not a disaster. It just means Google has to work harder to discover and prioritize your pages.
What to do next:
- If you use a CMS
Enable or install the built-in sitemap feature. - If you don’t use a CMS
Use a sitemap generator. There are many free ones.
Note: When creating a sitemap make sure it includes only pages you actually want indexed.
That means:
- No thank-you pages
- No admin pages
- No test or staging URLs
- No junk you forgot existed
A sitemap is not a dump.
It’s a signal to Google to know what matters.
A little note from the author/professor/babbling buffoon
A sitemap does not make your site rank.
It does not guarantee indexing.
And it does not fix bad content.
What it does is remove ambiguity.
It tells Google:
“These are the pages that matter. Start here.”
If SEO feels unpredictable, it’s often because Google is guessing what you care about. A sitemap reduces that guessing. It’s not magic. It’s clear. And clear helps our robot overlords.
Quick Gut Check
Your sitemap is doing its job if:
- It loads without errors
- It lists your important pages
- It doesn’t include junk
- You can explain what’s in it and why
If that’s true, you’re in a good place.
What to Do After This Lab
Once you’ve found or created your sitemap:
- Upload it to Google Search Console
- Confirm it processes successfully
- Then move on