What could be causing my CMS pages not to be indexed by Google in Webflow? Is the error message "Sitemap is HTML, Your Sitemap appears to be an HTML page. Please use a supported sitemap format instead" a possible reason?

Published on

September 22, 2023

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If your CMS pages in Webflow are not being indexed by Google, there could be several reasons for this. One possible reason is the error message "Sitemap is HTML, Your Sitemap appears to be an HTML page. Please use a supported sitemap format instead."

Indeed, having an HTML sitemap can prevent Google from properly crawling and indexing your CMS pages. To resolve this issue, you should ensure that your sitemap is in the correct format, which is typically an XML file. Here are the steps to fix it:

Check your sitemap format: First, confirm if your sitemap is indeed in HTML format. You can do this by opening your sitemap in a web browser and checking the file extension. If it is an HTML file (e.g., "sitemap.html"), you'll need to convert it to XML.
Generate an XML sitemap: Webflow has a built-in feature that can automatically generate an XML sitemap for you. To access this, go to your project settings, click on the "SEO" tab, and select the "Sitemaps" section. From there, enable the "Generate XML sitemap" option. This will create an XML sitemap for your entire website, including your CMS pages.
Submit the XML sitemap to Google: Once you have the XML sitemap generated, you need to submit it to Google for indexing. To do so, you can use Google Search Console. Access your Search Console account, navigate to the "Sitemaps" section, and add the URL of your XML sitemap. Google will then crawl and index the pages listed in the sitemap.
Confirm sitemap submission: After submitting the XML sitemap, it's crucial to check if Google has successfully processed it. In Google Search Console, go to the "Sitemaps" section again and ensure that your sitemap appears as "Submitted" and includes the correct number of indexed pages. If there are any issues with the sitemap, resolve them and resubmit it.
Optimize individual CMS pages: In addition to the sitemap, it's important to optimize the individual CMS pages for better indexing. Ensure that each page has unique and descriptive meta titles and descriptions, relevant headings (H1, H2, etc.), and keyword-rich content. This will help search engines understand the content and improve their visibility in search results.

In conclusion, the error message "Sitemap is HTML" can indeed be a reason why CMS pages are not indexed by Google in Webflow. By generating an XML sitemap and submitting it to Google, you can ensure proper indexing of your CMS pages in Webflow.

Additional Questions:

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