Submit and check a SEOPress sitemap in Google Search Console

Give Google the sitemap index that SEOPress already creates for your WordPress site, then record whether Google could read it. A sitemap lists page addresses; a sitemap index links to the separate lists for your pages, posts, or products. Submission does not guarantee that those pages will appear in search results.

• Outcome: SEO delivery
• Tools: Google Search Console, WordPress, Web Browser, Seopress
• Responsible: WordPress site owners or site assistants who need to submit an existing SEOPress sitemap and read its Google Search Console status.
• Estimated time: 10 minutes

Scope

This SOP covers:

• Find the sitemap index URL generated by SEOPress
• Submit that sitemap index to the matching verified Search Console property if it is not already listed
• Read and record the sitemap processing status and any reported details

This does not cover:

• Installing, activating, migrating, or configuring SEOPress or changing its XML sitemap settings
• Creating or editing sitemap files, robots rules, or other website settings
• Repairing sitemap errors or requesting indexing for individual pages
• Promising that submitted or listed pages will be indexed or appear in Google Search results

Requirements

• Access to this site’s WordPress dashboard with permission to view SEOPress settings.
• SEOPress Free is already active on the site, and its XML Sitemap feature is enabled.
• Owner access to a verified Google Search Console property that covers the site and sitemap URL.

Related SOPs

• SOP 031: Submit and check a Rank Math sitemap in Google Search Console

01. Find the sitemap SEOPress generated

An XML sitemap is a computer-readable list of pages for search engines. Its sitemap index is like a contents page that links to the smaller sitemap files. Open the address SEOPress provides so you do not have to guess the URL.

1. Open the sitemap index SEOPress generated for the site.

   1. Sign in to the WordPress dashboard. Open SEO > XML - HTML Sitemap, then select the General tab.

   2. Under This is the URL of your index sitemaps to submit to search engines:, click the sitemap address. If your version shows View your sitemap instead, click that. If no link is available or it will not open, ask the site maintainer to check the sitemap setup.

   3. Create a temporary note titled Sitemap submission check. Add these labels: Website, Sitemap index URL, Search Console property, Date submitted, Report status, Details, and Next action. Copy the full sitemap index address from the browser address bar into Sitemap index URL. In Website, write the site address before the sitemap filename. For example, if the sitemap URL is https://www.example.com/sitemaps.xml, write https://www.example.com/.

02. Submit or review the sitemap in Google Search Console

Google Search Console is Google’s dashboard for a website. A property is the site or site section shown in that dashboard. Choose a verified property that covers the full sitemap URL, then check its Sitemaps report before submitting anything.

1. Open Google Search Console and select the verified property that covers the sitemap URL.

   1. Open Google Search Console. Use the property selector at the upper left to choose your website.

      • Resource: Google Search Console Help: Add a website property (See what a URL-prefix or Domain property covers.)

   2. Compare the selected property with your sitemap address. A URL-prefix property appears as a full address; the sitemap URL must start with that entire address. For example, a property ending in /blog/ only covers that folder. A Domain property, such as example.com, covers the whole domain, including www.example.com.

   3. Write the matching property beside Search Console property in your note. If none of the available properties covers your sitemap, ask a property owner for access to the right one before continuing.

2. Open Sitemaps and either inspect the existing report row or submit the sitemap index once.

   • Resource: Google Search Console Help: Sitemaps report (See how to submit a sitemap and read its report.)

   1. In the left menu, open Indexing, then Sitemaps. Look for the exact sitemap index URL from your note. If its row is already listed, open that row and check its status; do not submit it again.

   2. If the sitemap index is not listed, use Add a new sitemap. If Search Console has already filled in part of the address, enter only the rest so the complete URL matches Sitemap index URL in your note. If the field is empty, paste the full address. Select Submit once. If no row appears, refresh once; if it is still missing, record No result yet in your note and check the same report later.

      • Warning: Submitting tells Google where to find the sitemap; it does not promise that Google will index its pages.

3. Record the current report status and details in your note, or record that no result is visible yet.

   • Warning: A successful sitemap read does not prove that its pages are indexed.
   1. If the report row is visible, copy its Submitted date and exact Status into your note. If the date is not shown, write Not shown. If the row has error details, open it and copy the exact message into Details; if no extra message or error is shown, write None shown. If there is no row after one refresh, enter the date you selected Submit, write No result yet under Report status, and write Not shown under Details.

4. Write the next action in your note. Follow the option below that matches the status you recorded.

   1. If you recorded No result yet, write Check the same report again later beside Next action.

   2. If the status is Couldn’t fetch or Has errors, write Ask the site maintainer to review this beside Next action. Include the exact error message and Sitemap index URL so they know what to check.

   3. If the status is Success, write Google read the sitemap beside Next action. Whether each page is indexed is a separate check.

   4. If a different status appears, copy it exactly and write Ask the site maintainer what this status means beside Next action.