Create google news sitemap

A Google News sitemap is a special type of sitemap that helps Google News understand the structure and organization of your news website or publication. Here's a step-by-step guide to create a Google News sitemap:

Prerequisites:

  1. You have a news website or publication with a clear hierarchy of categories and articles.
  2. You have a Google News account and are familiar with the Google News Publisher Center.

Step 1: Create a Google News sitemap

  1. Log in to your Google News Publisher Center account.
  2. Click on the "Sitemaps" tab.
  3. Click on the "Create a sitemap" button.
  4. Choose "Google News sitemap" as the sitemap type.
  5. Enter a name for your sitemap (e.g., "My News Sitemap").

Step 2: Define your sitemap structure

  1. In the "Sitemap structure" section, define the hierarchy of your news website or publication. This includes:
    • Categories: List the main categories of your news website or publication (e.g., Sports, Politics, Entertainment).
    • Subcategories: List the subcategories under each main category (e.g., Sports > Football, Politics > Elections).
    • Articles: List the individual articles under each subcategory.
  2. Use the "Add category" and "Add article" buttons to create the structure.

Step 3: Add articles to your sitemap

  1. In the "Articles" section, add each article with the following information:
    • Title: The title of the article.
    • URL: The URL of the article.
    • Publication date: The date the article was published.
    • Categories: The categories and subcategories that the article belongs to.
  2. Use the "Add article" button to add each article.

Step 4: Submit your sitemap to Google News

  1. Once you've created and structured your sitemap, click on the "Submit" button.
  2. Google News will review your sitemap and may ask you to provide additional information or make changes.

Tips and best practices:

  1. Use a consistent naming convention for your categories and articles.
  2. Make sure your sitemap is up-to-date and reflects the current structure of your news website or publication.
  3. Use the "Last updated" field to indicate when each article was last updated.
  4. Consider using a sitemap generator tool to help you create and manage your sitemap.
  5. Regularly review and update your sitemap to ensure it remains accurate and relevant.

By following these steps and tips, you can create a Google News sitemap that helps Google News understand your news website or publication and improve its visibility in search results.