Why These Settings Matter
The sitemap URL and blog URL pattern are crucial components of your IndexPilot configuration that directly impact how effectively your content gets indexed and discovered by search engines.
Sitemap URL: Your Content Roadmap
What is it?
Your sitemap URL is the location of your XML sitemap file - a structured list of all the important pages on your website that you want search engines to discover and index.
Why is it critical?
Content Discovery: Search engines use your sitemap as a guide to find all your content, especially new articles that might not have many internal links yet
Indexing Priority: It helps search engines understand which pages are most important and how often they're updated
SEO Performance: A properly configured sitemap ensures your articles get discovered faster, improving your site's overall search visibility
IndexPilot Integration: IndexPilot uses your sitemap to verify that published articles are properly accessible and to monitor their indexing status
Common sitemap locations:
WordPress:
https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xmlorhttps://yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml
Webflow:
https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
Custom CMS: Varies, but typically
/sitemap.xml
Blog URL Pattern: Content Organization
What is it?
The blog URL pattern defines the URL structure where your blog posts are published. This tells IndexPilot where to expect your articles to appear on your site.
Why is it important?
Proper URL Generation: IndexPilot uses this pattern to generate the correct URLs for your articles
Content Validation: It ensures articles are published to the right location on your site
SEO Consistency: Maintaining a consistent URL structure helps search engines understand your site architecture
Integration Accuracy: When pushing content to your CMS, IndexPilot needs to know the exact URL pattern to construct proper links
Common blog URL patterns:
/blog/- Standard blog subdirectory
/articles/- Alternative naming for blog content
/news/- For news-focused sites
/insights/- For thought leadership content
/resources/- For educational content
How to Update These Settings
Updating Your Sitemap URL
Navigate to your site settings in IndexPilot
Locate the "Sitemap URL" field
Enter your complete sitemap URL including https://
Click "Save Changes" to update
Tips for finding your sitemap:
Try accessing yoursite.com/sitemap.xml in your browser
Check your SEO plugin settings (Yoast, RankMath, etc.)
Look in your CMS documentation
Use Google Search Console to verify your sitemap location
Updating Your Blog URL Pattern
Go to your site settings
Find the "Blog URL Pattern" field
Enter your blog's URL pattern (e.g., /blog/, /articles/)
Include the forward slashes (/) at the beginning and end
Save your changes
Important considerations:
The pattern should match exactly how your CMS structures blog URLs
Don't include your domain name - just the path pattern
Ensure consistency with your existing content structure
Best Practices
For Sitemap URLs:
Verify accessibility: Ensure your sitemap is publicly accessible (not behind authentication)
Check format: Confirm it's a valid XML sitemap, not an HTML page
Update regularly: If you change your sitemap location, update it in IndexPilot immediately
Multiple sitemaps: If you have multiple sitemaps, use your main index sitemap
For Blog URL Patterns:
Be consistent: Don't change your pattern frequently as it can break existing links
Keep it simple: Shorter, cleaner URLs perform better in search results
Avoid special characters: Stick to letters, numbers, and hyphens
Match your CMS: Ensure the pattern matches what your CMS actually uses
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sitemap not found:
Double-check the URL for typos
Ensure the sitemap is not blocked by robots.txt
Verify your CMS is generating a sitemap
Check if you need to enable sitemap generation in your CMS
Articles not appearing at expected URLs:
Confirm your blog URL pattern matches your CMS configuration
Check if your CMS adds additional URL segments (dates, categories, etc.)
Ensure there are no redirects changing the final URL
Verify the pattern includes proper forward slashes
💡 Pro Tips
Test before saving: Open your sitemap URL in a new browser tab to ensure it loads correctly
Monitor changes: If you redesign your site or change CMS platforms, remember to update these settings
Use canonical URLs: Ensure your sitemap contains the canonical versions of your URLs
Regular audits: Periodically check that your sitemap is updating with new content
By properly configuring these settings, you ensure that IndexPilot can effectively manage your content publication and indexing, leading to better search engine visibility and faster content discovery.