Submitting a Google Webmaster Tools Sitemap to Hubpages

1. 76

   liladybugz26posted 9 years ago

   Hi Hubbers,
   
   After hours of exhaustive searches through webpages and attempting the steps on various HubPage articles that say how to add a HubPages sitemap to no avail, I finally found a service that hosts sitemaps, automatically submits it to Google Webmaster Tools, and updates it regularly. Unfortunately the tool costs $4.99 a month, but I found this to be pretty cost effective since it is the easiest and only way I've found to add a HubPage sitemap.
   
   I've heard people say they have added sitemaps to HubPages, but nobody has said how they've done it in the past two years. The old articles are no longer relevant. If anybody has new steps on a free way to complete this process that would be wonderful, but until then I thought it would be helpful to share my find.
   
   The website I am referring to is pro-sitemaps. The only option that hosts and submits the sitemap is the pro option.
   
   I hope this helps and saves others the hours of time that I have just lost searching for an answer.
   
   Best,
   Rachael
   
   
   
   

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   1. 71

      Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Sitemaps are made available for authors with 10 or more published Hubs and/or questions.
      
      The robots.txt file for your account has the full path for the sitemap. The path has changed a bit.
      http://USERNAMEHERE.hubpages.com/robots.txt

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      1. 76

         liladybugz26posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I know this, but it does not work for me, and has not worked for many others either. It seems to be a problem as of late.
         
         Everybody's hub robots.txt file is viewable in Google Webmaster tools.

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         1. 71

            Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            What is the full URL that you are using?

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            1. 76

               liladybugz26posted 9 years agoin reply to this

               My full sitemap URL is:
               
               http://liladybugz26.hubpages.com/sitema … z26.xml.gz
               
               That is according to the robots.txt Tester in Google Webmaster tool. It says access denied.
               
               
               You can see what I am viewing here: http://liladybugz26.hubpages.com/robots.txt

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               1. 71

                  Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  Thank you for the information.
                  I have confirmed a 403 HTTP code for both of the sitemap URLs listed in that ROBOTS.TXT file.
                  
                  We say in the FAQ "Sitemaps are automatically generated for authors who have 10 or more published Hubs and questions", but I am wondering if it is actually 10 Hubs or 10 questions and your having 9 Hubs means you do not have a sitemap. If this is the case, then you should be able to publish one more Hub and get a sitemap.
                  http://hubpages.com/faq/#sitemap
                  
                  I have passed this information on to our engineering team and will let you know what I determine.

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               2. 71

                  Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  I confirmed with our engineers that you need 10 published Hubs in order for the Hub sitemap to be available. The same is true for questions as well.
                  I updated the FAQ to accurately reflect this fact.

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                  1. 76

                     liladybugz26posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     Thank you Matthew. So it is not a combination as was previously thought to be - I have 9 hubs + questions. Bummer. I appreciate your investigating!

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                     1. 71

                        Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        Correct, it is not a combination.
                        There are two site maps.
                        One that is available when you have 10 or more published questions and another one for Hubs when you have 10 or more published Hubs.
                        If you publish one additional Hub for a total of 10 published Hubs, then the sitemap should be made available.

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                        1. 76

                           liladybugz26posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           Thank you so much! You are so very helpful.

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                           1. 71

                              Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              Glad to help!

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                        2. 86

                           moonlakeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           Do you have to submit each hub to sitemaps?

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                           1. 71

                              Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              No, just the 1 sitemap for all of your Hubs.

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                  2. 60

                     Bazaar Compassposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     Hi Matthew,
                     I received confirmation via email that I have 10 published hubs. When  I tested the sitemap submission in Google Webmaster, I received an error 403 stating that my sitemap submission was forbidden. I was under the impression from the FAQ page section pertaining to sitemaps that you are automatically able to submit a sitemap once you meet the minimum question or hub publishing criteria. When I look at my robot.txt, a "#" still appears in front of my sitemap URL. I looked up more established hubbers robot.txt and the "#" does not appear in front of their sitemap URLs so I am assuming that the sitemap accessibility is not "unlocked" automatically. Are you able to confirm this as well as direct me how to proceed with a sitemap submission?
                     
                     Thanks,
                     Mary Ellen

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                     1. 71

                        Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        I replied to your email.

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2. 96

   Bedbugabscondposted 9 years ago

   You don't have to pay for anything. Novel Treasure wrote a great set of instructions. I used them last night, and my sitemap is already approved in Google Webmaster Tools. I would link her article, but I'm not sure if it's allowed.

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   1. 76

      liladybugz26posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I followed her instructions to a T and for some reason it would map my hubs properly. WhydThatHappen and others hubbers have posted these steps, but it's been nearly two years since any of them have been updated. I don't know if this is why they are not working for me?
      
      The test sitemaps/hub/current/sitemap-hub-yournamehere.xml.gz, sitemaps/hub/current/sitemap-hub-yournamehere.xml.ga process did not work for me.
      
      The test failed using the end suffix gz and ga and trying to submit them as sitemaps.

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3. 77

   starme77posted 9 years ago

   I get a response from google webmaster tools robots that says The page may not render properly due to resources blocked by http://starme77.hubpages.com/robots.txt But I didnt block anything I dont think anyway

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   1. 71

      Matthew Meyerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Please check the Blocked Resources Report and share the detailed information with us via email to team@hubpages.com and we can look into it.
      http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot. … aster.html
      
      Thanks!

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