Wordpress Plugin for Submitting the Website to Google News

The PakSoft Sitemap Plugin is a WordPress plugin designed to generate and maintain XML sitemaps for content based websites, with particular suitability for news and technology publishing platforms. The plugin automatically creates a standard post sitemap and a Google News compatible news sitemap, enabling efficient crawling, indexing, and visibility within search engines.

This documentation provides a comprehensive guide to installation, configuration, sitemap structure, usage, and best practices in accordance with search engine indexing standards.

Plugin Purpose

The primary objective of the PakSoft Sitemap Plugin is to assist website owners and publishers in submitting structured XML sitemaps to search engines, particularly Google. By providing both a general sitemap and a news specific sitemap, the plugin ensures that newly published content is discovered and indexed in a timely manner.

Key Features

The PakSoft Sitemap Plugin includes the following core features:

Automatic generation of sitemap.xml for posts
Automatic generation of news-sitemap.xml for recent news articles
Real time updates when new content is published
Compliance with Google News sitemap guidelines
Lightweight architecture with minimal performance impact
No dependency on third party SEO frameworks

These features make the plugin suitable for news publishers seeking reliable sitemap management without unnecessary complexity.

System Requirements

To ensure proper functionality, the following requirements must be met:

WordPress version 5.5 or higher
PHP version 7.4 or higher
HTTPS enabled website
Publicly accessible permalinks

The plugin is compatible with most standard WordPress themes and does not require additional plugins to operate.

Installation Guide

Follow the steps below to install the PakSoft Sitemap Plugin.

Step 1: Download

Download the plugin file named paksoft-sitemap.zip from the official PakSoft website or authorized source.

Step 2: Upload Plugin

Log in to the WordPress Admin Dashboard
Navigate to Plugins and select Add New
Click Upload Plugin
Select the paksoft-sitemap.zip file
Click Install Now

Step 3: Activate Plugin

After installation, click Activate to enable the plugin.

Sitemap Files Generated

Once activated, the plugin automatically generates the following sitemap files:

Standard Sitemap

sitemap.xml
This sitemap includes all eligible posts published on the website and is intended for general search engine indexing.

Example URL format:
https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml

News Sitemap

news-sitemap.xml
This sitemap includes only recent news articles, typically those published within the last 48 hours, and is designed specifically for Google News indexing.

Example URL format:
https://yourwebsite.com/news-sitemap.xml

Sitemap Structure

sitemap.xml Structure

The standard sitemap contains:

Post URL
Last modified date
Priority and frequency (if applicable)

news-sitemap.xml Structure

The news sitemap contains:

Article URL
Publication date
Publication name
Article title

This structure aligns with Google News technical requirements.

Submitting Sitemaps to Google Search Console

To ensure effective indexing, sitemaps should be submitted manually to Google Search Console.

Submission Steps

Open Google Search Console
Select your verified property
Navigate to Sitemaps
Enter sitemap.xml and submit
Enter news-sitemap.xml and submit

Successful submission allows Google to crawl and index content more efficiently.

Best Practices for News Sitemap Usage

To maintain Google News compatibility, the following practices are recommended:

Publish original and news focused content
Display author names and publication dates clearly
Avoid duplicate or thin content
Maintain consistent publishing frequency
Ensure articles remain accessible for crawling

The news sitemap should only contain recent and relevant articles.

Troubleshooting

Sitemap Not Loading

Confirm the plugin is activated
Ensure permalinks are enabled
Check that robots.txt does not block sitemap URLs

Sitemap Shows No URLs

Verify that posts are published, not drafts
Ensure posts meet visibility requirements
Clear website cache if applicable

Security and Performance

The PakSoft Sitemap Plugin does not collect user data and does not interact with external servers. Sitemap files are generated dynamically using WordPress core functions, ensuring security and performance stability.

Plugin Updates

Regular updates may be released to improve compatibility, security, and performance. It is recommended to keep the plugin updated to the latest version.

Support

For documentation updates, usage guidance, or technical assistance, users should refer to the official PakSoft website support section.

WordPress Plugin for Submitting the Website to Google News