What’s Wrong with My Sitemap?
I’ve encountered an issue with my sitemap that I’m hoping someone can help me resolve. According to Google Search Console, Google recognizes that my homepage exists but indicates that it is not being referenced in any sitemap. You can view the screenshot of the message from Google Search Console here:
For those who would like to take a closer look, here’s the link to my sitemap:
View My Sitemap
I’m trying to understand what I might be doing wrong. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
P.S.: I’ll send a tip to the person who provides the most helpful answer.
2 responses to “What’s wrong with my Sitemap?”
To troubleshoot the issue with your sitemap not referencing your homepage, let’s systematically address several potential problems and solutions:
Step 1: Validate Your Sitemap
First, ensure that your sitemap follows the standard format and contains the necessary information. A sitemap should:
Step 2: Review Your Current Sitemap
To directly address the situation, inspect the contents of your sitemap available at https://tattooswizard.com/sitemap.xml. Ensure that your homepage (likely
https://tattooswizard.com/or similar) is explicitly included in the list of URLs in the sitemap. Here’s a basic example of how it should appear:“`xml
“`
Make sure your homepage URL is present and correctly formatted similar to the above.
Step 3: Check for Common Issues
Ensure Sitemap is Submitted Correctly: Verify within Google Search Console that the sitemap is submitted and processed correctly. Sometimes re-submitting the sitemap can solve indexing issues.
Verify Accessibility: Use an HTTP Status Checker tool to confirm that your sitemap can be accessed without any server errors or restrictions. It should load properly in a web browser without errors.
XML Formatting Issues: Validate your sitemap using an XML validator. Any syntax errors or invalid XML markup might prevent Google from processing it properly.
Use the Correct URL Version: Ensure you’re using the correct protocol (
httpvshttps) and consistent domain (withwwwvs without) across all entries and metadata like canonical links.Step 4: Monitor Google Search Console
Hi there!
It’s great that you’re seeking help with your sitemap issues. From what you’ve described, it sounds like Google Search Console is not detecting your homepage in the sitemap, which can sometimes happen due to a few common reasons.
First, ensure that your homepage URL is correctly included in your sitemap. You can check this directly by opening your sitemap URL (https://tattooswizard.com/sitemap.xml) in a browser and looking for the `` entry that lists your homepage. If it’s missing, you’ll need to update your sitemap generation settings, possibly within your SEO plugin settings if you’re using one like Yoast or All in One SEO.
Second, if your homepage is included in the sitemap but still not recognized by Google Search Console, consider clearing your cache and regenerating the sitemap to ensure the latest changes are reflected. Sometimes, cached versions of the sitemap can lead to confusion.
Lastly, while it’s good to see your homepage recognized, ensure that you’re also submitting the sitemap URL through the Google Search Console. Under the “Sitemaps” section, you can enter your sitemap’s URL and monitor for any crawl issues that might arise.
I hope these suggestions help! If you’re still having trouble, it might be worth checking for any plugin conflicts or even consulting with your hosting provider to ensure there are no underlying server issues affecting sitemap access.
Best of luck, and I hope you get this sorted out soon!