Sitemaps

  • Resolved andyward75

    (@andyward75)


    6 years, 9 months ago

    Hi,

    I have searched the forums and I can accept that the sitemap is “virtual” but after having viewed one of mine I note the following:

    1. Sitemap contains 5 sub sitemaps. These map to the Content Types, Taxonomies, Archives and so on in my Search Appearance.
    2. The last modified dates of the 5 subsidiary sitemaps differ but the most recent (page) is 19th July. This is puzzling as I updated several pages 2 days ago.
    3. The lines are sometimes in a greyed out font and other times in standard black. Both, however, are links.

    I have the following questions:

    1. How can I force an update to the Sitemap(s) if I have done some work that I believe materially affects them?
    2. What is the significance of the the different font display?
    3. How do I submit the sitemap to Google or Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and so forth?
    4. If I remove on of the sitemap items (for example, I now do NOT want Authors indexed as part of the sitemap) will it automatically remove the XML file? Currently if you click that file then you get a 404.

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Plugin Support amboutwe

    (@amboutwe)

    6 years, 9 months ago

    1. The sitemaps are updated automatically as you add, remove, or change your content. To force an update, please disable the sitemap feature and enable it again. https://kb.yoast.com/kb/enable-xml-sitemaps-in-the-wordpress-seo-plugin/#enable

    2. The gray links identify the URLs that your browser has recently visited. As this is browser specific, you may or may not see different gray URLs depending on the browser and computer you are using to view your sitemap.

    3. Learn how to submit the sitemap here: https://kb.yoast.com/kb/submit-sitemap-search-engines/

    4. Yoast SEO does not create physical files on your server so there is no need to remove a physical XML file when you modify sitemap items. When you disable a certain sitemap, Yoast SEO doesn’t run the code to display that sitemap which is why you’ll see a 404.

    Thread Starter andyward75

    (@andyward75)

    6 years, 9 months ago

    OK, thanks for that. If Yoast doesn’t create any physical files then how do I submit them to Google – if they don’t exist? Looking at the link you specify, I am submitting a file called “sitemap_index.xml” that allegedly exists on my domain and yet you say that Yoast doesn’t create a physical file. There is certainly no file of that name in the directory. I am puzzled?

    Assuming that something is submitted – do you have to do this every time you change anything or do you just submit it the once?

    Many Thanks

    Plugin Support amboutwe

    (@amboutwe)

    6 years, 9 months ago

    The sitemaps are virtual files; the same way posts and pages are not physical files on your site.

    After you have submitted the sitemaps to Google, each time a post/page is updated Yoast will automatically notify Google. This is called pinging a search engine and Yoast SEO also pings Bing when a sitemap is updated.

    Jerlyn

    (@jerparx)

    6 years, 8 months ago

    Closed. No further questions.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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