Yes, Google Search Console does accept sitemaps in the .xml.gz format. The .xml.gz file is simply a compressed version of the standard XML sitemap using the gzip compression method, which reduces the file size and helps improve loading efficiency. This can be particularly useful for large sitemaps and when you want to save bandwidth. When submitting a sitemap in Google Search Console, you can upload your sitemap in .xml or .xml.gz formats. Google will automatically decompress the .xml.gz file to read its contents, ensuring the sitemap entries are properly indexed and crawled by Google’s search bots. This capability allows webmasters to efficiently manage sitemap submissions without worrying about uncompressed file sizes.
Does Google Search Console support the .xml.gz format for sitemaps?
One response to “Does Google Search Console support the .xml.gz format for sitemaps?”
Thank you for this insightful post! It’s great to see the emphasis on the efficiency gains that come with using the .xml.gz format for sitemaps. I’d like to add that utilizing compressed sitemaps not only helps with reducing file sizes but can also lead to quicker indexing times, especially for sites with a large number of URLs. This is crucial for websites undergoing frequent content updates or those that rely on timely indexing to remain competitive.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that while .xml.gz sitemaps are beneficial for large websites, webmasters should also ensure that their sitemap structure is well organized and that the URLs are up-to-date. Google recommends certain protocols for sitemaps, so following these best practices will maximize the effectiveness of the submitted sitemaps.
Lastly, beyond just submitting the sitemap through Google Search Console, regularly monitoring the report section for any errors or warnings can also help maintain a healthy site architecture, which in turn can contribute to better SEO performance.