Resolved Indexing Issue

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about issues I was seeing with this blogger site not being found by Google. (Why Not Indexed).

After several days of digging thru Google discussions of the issue, I think I found the solution. My early searches kept pointing to an issue with the sitemap. At that point all I was finding for a sitemap url was one that placed

atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500

after the root of the URL. When I would try to use my Google Search Console to enter the site map, it acted like it was taking the site map. However, when I would return to the Search Console, no sitemap would be listed.

So I kept digging and finally came across a post indicating that Google had changed the site map URL. The new URL ending is much simpler:

sitemap.xml

Thus, I entered that into my Google Search Console and waited. Each time I've returned to my Google Search Console, the site map is listed with the word 'SUCCESS'. I've also been able to search Google for my blog posts and find them -- including very recent posts.

Thus, I think my issue is resolved!


Below is how one enters a sitemap for a Blogger site.

In Blogger settings, go to SEARCH PREFERENCES. In the CRAWLERS AND INDEXING section, Google Search Console will be listed with an EDIT link.

Clicking on the blue EDIT link will open the old version of SEARCH CONSOLE

Towards the upper right corner of the old version of SEARCH CONSOLE is a blue button link to USE NEW SEARCH CONSOLE. Click that button to open the new version of search console.

Look down the menu bar on the left for SITEMAPS. Click on that to open the SITEMAPS window. This is where the sitemap.xml ending of the URL can be pasted in the ADD NEW SITEMAPS section. Once submitted, the sitemap will appear in the list of submitted sitemaps.