A sitemap is essentially a "GPS" for Google’s search bots. While Google might find your content eventually through links, an XML sitemap ensures they find everything—including that post you wrote three months ago that hasn't received many clicks yet.
In this guide, we’ll clear up the confusion around sitemaps on Blogger and show you how to set one up in seconds.
Why Do You Need a Sitemap?
Think of your blog like a massive library. If a librarian (Googlebot) has to walk through every aisle to find a specific book, they might miss a few. A sitemap is a digital index that tells the librarian exactly where every book is located.
Faster Indexing: New posts get discovered in minutes, not days.
Deep Crawling: It helps Google find "orphaned" posts (articles you haven't linked to from other pages).
Metadata Updates: It tells Google when you’ve updated an old post so they can re-scan it for better rankings.
The Good News: Blogger Does It for You
Unlike WordPress, where you need a plugin, Blogger automatically generates an XML sitemap for you. You don't need to write a single line of code.
Your sitemap is always located at:
https://yourblogname.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml
If you have a custom domain, it’s simply:
https://www.yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
How to Submit Your Sitemap to Google (2026 Method)
Even though the file exists, you still need to "hand the map" to Google so they know where to look.
1. The Pre-Flight Check (Crucial)
Before submitting, make sure you haven't accidentally blocked Google.
Go to Blogger Dashboard > Settings.
Scroll down to Crawlers and indexing.
Ensure "Enable custom robots.txt" is OFF.
Note: If you turn this ON without knowing what you’re doing, you might accidentally tell Google to "Go away!" Blogger’s default settings are already optimized for sitemaps.
2. Submitting to Search Console
Log in to
Google Search Console On the left sidebar, click Sitemaps.
Under "Add a new sitemap," simply type:
sitemap.xmlClick Submit.
The "Secret" Second Sitemap: Static Pages
Blogger’s default sitemap.xml is great for your posts, but it sometimes ignores your static pages (like your About, Contact, or Privacy Policy pages).
To ensure these are also indexed, repeat the submission process in Search Console, but this time enter:
sitemap-pages.xml
Troubleshooting: "Could Not Fetch" Error
If you see a red "Could not fetch" status after submitting, don't panic.
Wait 24 Hours: Sometimes Google's dashboard lags behind their actual crawling.
Check Accessibility: Open your sitemap URL in a private browser tab. If you can see a wall of code, the file is working fine.
Try the Atom Feed: If the XML file persistently fails, you can submit this alternative URL which Google also accepts:
feeds/posts/default?orderby=updated
Summary Table: Which Sitemap for What?
| File Name | Purpose | Recommended? |
| sitemap.xml | The main index for all your blog posts. | Must-Have |
| sitemap-pages.xml | Index for static pages (About, Contact, etc.). | Highly Recommended |
| atom.xml | A "news ticker" feed for very recent updates. | Optional |
By submitting these two files, you are ensuring that Google never misses a single page of your hard work.