How to Create and Submit a Sitemap.xml File

1. Generate Your Sitemap.xml File

There are several online XML Sitemap generators however we find this one to be very easy to use: XML Sitemap Generator. Download the sitemap after it has been generated. Upload the 'sitemap.xml' file to your website's root directory (the same location as your 'index' file).

2. Submit Your Sitemap.xml File to Google

1. Login to your Google account and go to Google webmaster tools.
   
2. Add your site to Google by clicking on the "ADD A SITE" button and enter the website's URL. We recommend verifying your website at this time.
3. Click on your site URL and then click on 'Optimization' then 'Sitemaps'.
4. Click on the 'ADD/TEST SITEMAP' button and fill in the URL path of your sitemap XML file. If uploaded to the root directory the path would be 'http://www.yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml'.
5. Finally select 'Submit Sitemap' and refresh the page to see your results.

3. Submit Your Sitemap.xml File to Bing

1. Login to your Windows Live account and go to Bing Webmaster Center.
   
2. Click 'Add A Site' and insert your URL (http://www.yourwebsite.com) and the URL of your sitemap (http://www.yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml). Click 'ADD'. We recommend verifying your website at this time.
3. Bing will check the sitemap and begin indexing your site as soon as it's determined that the sitemap has no errors.
   

4. Submit Your Sitemap.xml File to Yahoo

YAHOO! You're done! No action required because Yahoo and Bing have merged.

With the completion of algorithmic transition to Bing, Yahoo! Search has merged Site Explorer into Bing Webmaster Tools. Webmasters should now be using the Bing Webmaster Tools to ensure that their websites continue to get high quality organic search traffic from Bing and Yahoo!.