What Is XML Sitemap?
An XML sitemap is a file that lists all the important URLs on your website, helping search engines discover and crawl your content more efficiently. It's typically located at example.com/sitemap.xml.
Why It Matters
XML sitemaps help search engines understand your site structure. While not directly related to domain forwarding, understanding sitemaps helps when planning brand migrations and domain consolidation. Sitemaps also help search engines use their crawl budget efficiently by pointing them to important pages.
XML Sitemap Structure
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://example.com/</loc>
<lastmod>2024-01-15</lastmod>
</url>
<url>
<loc>https://example.com/pricing</loc>
<lastmod>2024-01-10</lastmod>
</url>
</urlset>Sitemaps and Domain Migration
When migrating from old-domain.com to new-domain.com:
- Set up 301 redirects from old to new domain (using Domain Forward)
- Update the sitemap on
new-domain.comwith all final URLs - Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console
- Keep the old domain redirecting — don’t add old URLs to the sitemap
| Action | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemap location | new-domain.com/sitemap.xml | old-domain.com/sitemap.xml |
| Sitemap URLs | https://new-domain.com/page | https://old-domain.com/page |
| robots.txt | Reference sitemap on new domain | Reference old domain |
Related Terms
Frequently
asked questions
No. A forwarded domain redirects all traffic — there are no pages to list in a sitemap. The destination site should have a sitemap that includes the final URLs.
No. Your sitemap should only include the final, canonical URLs. If old.com redirects to new.com, only new.com URLs should be in the sitemap. Including redirect source URLs causes confusion for crawlers.
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