Google Sitemaps
Google Sitemaps was the programme Google launched in 2005 to let website owners submit XML sitemaps and make their sites easier to crawl
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
It allowed site owners to upload a file listing their URLs and to view statistics on how Googlebot crawled and indexed the site. In 2006 the programme was renamed Google Webmaster Tools, and the sitemap format became a common protocol supported by several search engines (sitemaps.org). In 2015 the tool was renamed Google Search Console.
Today the name is of historical interest: sitemaps are now submitted through Search Console. A sitemap helps search engines discover URLs, especially on large or new sites, but it does not guarantee that every page will be indexed.
Also known as
Google Webmaster Tools
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