Google news sitemap delivers error

A frustrating issue!

When Google News sitemap delivers an error, it can be challenging to diagnose and resolve. Here are some potential causes and troubleshooting steps to help you resolve the issue:

Common causes:

  1. Invalid sitemap: Check if your sitemap is well-formed and follows the Google News sitemap guidelines.
  2. Duplicate or missing URLs: Ensure that your sitemap contains unique URLs and that there are no duplicates or missing URLs.
  3. Incorrect sitemap format: Verify that your sitemap is in the correct format (XML) and that it's not compressed or encoded.
  4. Google News sitemap policy violations: Check if your sitemap violates any of the Google News sitemap policies, such as:
    • Not following the recommended sitemap structure.
    • Including URLs that are not news articles.
    • Including URLs that are not publicly accessible.
  5. Server or network issues: Check if there are any server or network issues that might be preventing Google from accessing your sitemap.

Troubleshooting steps:

  1. Check the Google News sitemap guidelines: Review the official Google News sitemap guidelines to ensure you're following the recommended best practices.
  2. Validate your sitemap: Use online tools like Sitemap Validator or Sitemap Generator to validate your sitemap and identify any errors or issues.
  3. Check for duplicate or missing URLs: Use a tool like Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Ahrefs to crawl your website and identify any duplicate or missing URLs.
  4. Verify sitemap format: Check the sitemap file format using a tool like FileZilla or a text editor. Ensure it's in XML format and not compressed or encoded.
  5. Test your sitemap with Google Search Console: Use Google Search Console to test your sitemap and identify any errors or issues.
  6. Check Google News sitemap policy compliance: Review your sitemap to ensure it complies with Google News sitemap policies.
  7. Contact Google News support: If you've tried all the above steps and still encounter issues, you can contact Google News support for further assistance.

Additional tips:

  1. Use a sitemap generator tool: Consider using a sitemap generator tool like Sitemap Generator or Sitemap Pro to help create and validate your sitemap.
  2. Monitor your sitemap errors: Use Google Search Console to monitor your sitemap errors and identify any recurring issues.
  3. Keep your sitemap up-to-date: Regularly update your sitemap to ensure it reflects the latest changes to your website.

By following these troubleshooting steps and tips, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue with your Google News sitemap delivering errors.