How to Submit XML Sitemap to Google, Windows Live, Yahoo, and Ask (Major Search Engines)

Posted December 14, 2008

I pulled up Drupal's internal statistics system to view my top referrers in the past 16 weeks. The results are very interesting and inspired me to jot down how to submit XML sitemap to the three major search engines: Google, Windows Live, and Yahoo.

Drupal's Statistics Top Referrer Results

Since the top hits are coming from 4 major search engines, I decided to setup an automated method of submitting my sitemap to Google, Windows Live, Yahoo and Ask.com. After some research, I installed the Drupal XML Sitemap module, which automatically creates a site map that conforms to the sitemaps.org specification and submits them to Google, Windows Live, Yahoo and Ask.com search engines. This helps search engines keep their search results up to date.

Take a look at the auto-generated sitemap file for adastra.ca. In order for Drupal URL aliases to show in the sitemap, there are a few additional steps.

Drupal auto-generated sitemap.xml for AdAstra.ca

 

XML Sitemap does not show batch updated aliases created by Pathauto

  1. Go to admin/build/path and delete aliases;
  2. Go to admin/settings/pathauto
    • Under General settings, change the Maximum number of objects to alias in a bulk update to 1000 (or a large enough number to generate all your aliases);
    • Under Node path settings, check the box Bulk generate aliases for categories that are not aliased and click Save configuratiton to generate all paths.
  3. Go to www.example.com/cron.php to run cron job. Make sure to run cron twice!
  4. Go to www.example.com/sitemap.xml to generate the sitemap.
    • If this didn't work, go to your phpMyAdmin interface, go to the xmlsitemap_node table and empty the table. Then run cron twice and check the sitemap.xml again.

    * If you're not using Drupal, you can use this free online Sitemap Generator. Additional resources: sitemap protocol and free XML Validator.

Drupal auto-generated sitemap.xml with Pathauto URL aliasing

How to Submit Windows Live (MSN) Search Engine

  1. Sign up for Live Search Webmaster Tools at webmaster.live.com.
    • Click on the Add a site button and enter your Web Address
    • Copy the authentication code provided.
  2. Go to XML Sitemap module's settings page at admin/settings/xmlsitemap/engines.
    • Check the Submit site map to Windows Live box.
    • Paste the authenticatiton code provided by Live Search into the Authentication tag field.
    • Go to www.example.com/cron.php to run cron.
    • Wait a moment and your logs at admin/logs/watchdog will show Site map successfully submitted to Windows Live (if you've checked the Log access box under Submission settings.
    3. * If you are not using Drupal, you may download the LiveSearchSiteAuth.xml file provided by Live Search and upload it to your site's root folder www.example.com to authenticate ownership of your site.

How to Submit XML Sitemap to Google Search Engine

  1. Sign up for Google Webmaster Tools at google.com/webmasters/tools.
    • Enter your Web Address and click on the Add site button.
    • Click on the Verify your site link.
    • In the Chose your verification method drop-down menu, chose Upload an HTML file.
    • Copy the verification link http://example.com/googlexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.html.
Screenshot of copying authentication code from Live Search to Drupal
  • Go to XML Sitemap module's settings page at admin/settings/xmlsitemap/engines.
    • Check the Submit site map to Google box.
    • Paste the verification link into the Verificatiton link field.
    • Go to www.example.com/cron.php to run cron.
    • Wait a moment and your logs at admin/logs/watchdog will show Site map successfully submitted to Google (if you've checked the Log access box under Submission settings.
  • Go back to Google Webmaster Tools at google.com/webmasters/tools and click the Verify button.
    • * If you are not using Drupal, you may download the http://example.com/googlexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.html file provided by Google Webmaster Tools and upload it to your site's root folder www.example.com to authenticate ownership of your site. Then click the Verify button.

How to Submit XML Sitemap to Yahoo Search Engine

How to Submit XML Sitemap to Ask.com