Think of an XML sitemap as a digital map of your website that leads Google directly to every important page you’ve created. Without one, you’re essentially hoping Google’s 'crawlers' stumble across your content by accident, which can lead to slow indexing and missed opportunities for your Brisbane business to show up in local search results.
In this guide, we’re going to walk through exactly how to create this file (even if you aren't a 'tech person') and how to hand-deliver it to Google so they can start ranking your pages immediately.
Why this actually matters for your business
If you’ve just launched a new service page—say, 'Emergency Plumbing in Indooroopilly'—you don't want to wait weeks for Google to find it. An XML sitemap tells Google, "Hey, I just updated this! Come take a look." It ensures that your most important content is prioritised and that Google understands the structure of your site.
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Prerequisites: What you’ll need before we start
Before we dive in, make sure you have the following ready to go:
- Administrative access to your website: You’ll need to be able to log in to the backend (WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, etc.).
- A Google Search Console account: If you haven't set this up yet, you'll need a Google account linked to your website. (Don't worry, we'll touch on this in Step 4).
- A few minutes of patience: This process is actually quite fast once you know where to click, but the first time can feel a bit technical. Stick with me!
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Step 1: Check if you already have a sitemap
Before we go making something new, let’s see if your website has already done the hard work for you. Many modern platforms (like Shopify or Wix) generate these automatically.
How to check: Open a new browser tab and type your domain name followed by/sitemap.xml. For example:
yourbusiness.com.au/sitemap.xml
What you should see:
If you see a page full of code or a list of links ending in .xml, congratulations! Your site already has one. You can skip straight to Step 4.
If you see a 404 Error:
No stress—that’s why you’re reading this. It just means we need to build one. This is very common for older WordPress sites or custom-built websites.
Pro Tip: Sometimes the URL is slightly different, like /sitemap_index.xml. If the first one doesn't work, try that one before giving up.
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Step 2: Creating your sitemap (The easy way)
How you create a sitemap depends entirely on what platform your website is built on. I’ve broken this down by the most common systems used by Australian small businesses.
Option A: WordPress (Recommended)
If you’re on WordPress, do not—I repeat, do not—try to write this code manually. It’s a nightmare. Instead, use a plugin.- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for "Yoast SEO" or "Rank Math". Both are excellent and free.
- Install and Activate the plugin.
- For Yoast: Go to General > Features and ensure 'XML Sitemaps' is toggled to 'On'. Click the small question mark icon next to it to see the link to your new sitemap.
- For Rank Math: Go to Sitemap Settings and it will show you your sitemap URL at the top of the page.
Option B: Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace
Good news! You don't have to do anything. These platforms create and update your sitemap automatically.- Shopify: Your sitemap is always at
yourstore.com.au/sitemap.xml. - Wix/Squarespace: They handle this in the background. You just need to find the URL (usually the same
/sitemap.xmlformat) to give to Google later.
Option C: Custom Built or Other Platforms
If your site was custom-coded by a developer or uses an older CMS, you can use a free tool like XML-Sitemaps.com.- Enter your full website URL.
- Click 'Start'.
- Wait for it to crawl your site (this might take a few minutes if you have hundreds of pages).
- Download the
sitemap.xmlfile it provides. - You will then need to upload this file to your website's root folder using FTP. (If this sounds like gibberish, you might want to contact us for a bit of help, as messing with root folders can be a bit risky!)
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Step 3: Reviewing your sitemap (The "Common Sense" check)
Before we hand this over to Google, take a quick look at the file. You don't need to understand every line of code, but look for the URLs listed.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Ensure your sitemap isn't including pages you don't want the public to find, such as:- Your login pages (e.g.,
/wp-admin) - Thank you pages (e.g.,
/enquiry-received) - Draft pages or "Test" pages
If you’re using a plugin like Yoast, you can easily exclude these in the settings. This is where most people get stuck—they accidentally tell Google to index their private staff portal! It’s worth double-checking.
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Step 4: Setting up Google Search Console
Google won't just "find" your sitemap immediately; you need to tell them where it is. To do this, you need Google Search Console (GSC). It’s a free tool that shows you how Google sees your site.
- Go to Google Search Console.
- Sign in with your business Google account.
- Click 'Add Property'.
- You'll be asked to verify ownership. The easiest way is usually the 'URL Prefix' method or via your Domain Provider (like VentraIP or GoDaddy).
Aussie Context: If you have an .com.au domain, you likely registered it through an Australian registrar. You might need to log in there to add a specific TXT record to prove you own the site. It’s a bit fiddly, but you only have to do it once.
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Step 5: Submitting your sitemap to Google
This is the most important step. This is the moment you officially "hand over" the map.
- In the left-hand sidebar of Google Search Console, look for the 'Indexing' section.
- Click on 'Sitemaps'.
- You will see a section titled 'Add a new sitemap'.
- Enter the last part of your sitemap URL. Usually, this is just
sitemap.xmlorsitemap_index.xml(the domain part is already pre-filled for you). - Click 'Submit'.
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Step 6: Verify the data
Once it says "Success," click on the sitemap entry. Google will show you exactly how many URLs it found in that file.
Pro tip from experience: If you know you have 50 pages on your site but Google only found 10, something is wrong with how your sitemap was generated. This is where the interface doesn't help much, as it won't always tell you why it missed the others. Usually, it's because some pages are set to "noindex" in your website settings.---
Troubleshooting: When things go wrong
Even for pros, sitemaps can be annoying. Here are the most common issues we see at Local Marketing Group:
- "Sitemap is HTML": This happens if your sitemap URL actually leads to a regular webpage instead of the XML code. Double-check your URL spelling.
- "Invalid URL": Ensure your website is using the correct protocol (
https://vshttp://). In 2024, every Australian business should be onhttpsfor security. - "Namespace error": This usually happens with custom-generated sitemaps. If you used a plugin, try deactivating and reactivating it to reset the file.
- Google hasn't crawled it yet: Google works on its own schedule. Sometimes it takes 24-48 hours for the data to populate. Go grab a coffee at your local Brisbane cafe and check back tomorrow.
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Summary Checklist
- [ ] Found your sitemap URL (usually
/sitemap.xml) - [ ] Verified the sitemap only contains public-facing pages
- [ ] Logged into Google Search Console
- [ ] Submitted the sitemap URL
- [ ] Confirmed the 'Success' status
Next Steps
Submitting your sitemap is a huge win for your SEO, but it's only the beginning. Now that Google can find your pages, you need to make sure those pages are actually worth ranking!
- Audit your content: Are your keywords relevant to your Brisbane customers?
- Check your mobile speed: Most Australians search on their phones while on the go.
- Set up Bing Webmaster Tools: Yes, people still use Bing! You can actually import your Google Search Console settings directly into Bing to save time.
If this all feels a bit overwhelming or you'd rather spend your time running your business than staring at XML code, we're here to help. You can contact our Brisbane team and we can handle your technical SEO setup for you.
Happy indexing!