Google Search Console doesn't list 'Pages' sitemap...on two different stores

[AquaLiv]

Search Console seems to have a problem with the 'Pages' sitemap listed in the sitemap index sitemap.xml. In Search Console, if I click on sitemap.xml, it lists '3 of 3' sitemaps (Products, Collections, and Blogs); No Pages! This is happening on two completely different stores on different Search Console accounts. I bet I'm not the only one.

I'm losing rank on Google search results, I believe because my Pages (landing pages) are no longer in my submitted sitemap.

Anyone else having this problem or found a solution? I need my traffic back.

I'm not using any SEO apps. This is the default Shopify sitemap.

Pages sitemap is missing in Search Console!

[d4nnyp]

Another here with the exact same issue. Search console is not fetching "sitemap_pages_1.xml" even though it is listed in my "sitemap.xml" . Tried adding manually and it just says "couldn't fetch".

Are there any ways to manually fix this problem? Apps? 

[Liquify]

I've been looking at this same issue on a Plus store right now. @d4nnyp @AquaLiv @C_Woodman @Denis_B @IAP 

The sitemap is valid but is not indexed and Google is not taking it. 

As noted before - the only apparent difference is the xmlns:image= which shouldn't be an issue.

Also inspecting raw headers you'll see that on all accepted sitemaps then you get

X-Shopify-Stage: production

but on pages_1.xml you get

X-Shopify-Stage: canary

Which is probably a code name for things which are bust or have been bust.  My guess is that possibly there was an error before here which means Google is now ignoring these.  From what I gather this can happen.

Anyway - If you try to submit /sitemap_pages.xml and not /sitemap_pages_1.xml - you're in business.

I'm guessing if you've got a tonne of pages then you'll be hit by a pagination limit but for my purposes today it's fine.

✌️

sidenote: it wouldn't be much work to build a new pages xml sitemap - if you need help give me a shout.

[Sberry]

Seeing the same issue. I was wondering why one of our top pages had dropped off over the past few months. Submitted /sitemap_pages.xml sub map for now but not sure how this hasn't been a more widely reported issue.

[C_Woodman]

This has been an ongoing issue since Feb/19.  I am starting to doubt the Shopify is even watching this thread.  If they are they don't seem to think it is an issue.  I would recommend you call support and report the issue.  The more people that they get reports from the more likely they'll do something about it.

[Matt-vv]

Having the same problem here.   

[Skuperman]

I have been wondering the same thing. I noticed that adding pages into the Search Console it takes them and says it will index, but all my pages that were supposedly in the sitemap that search console says it indexed are just no there. So if someone does know how to build a new sitemap I think it would be worthwile. I was thinking of changing to a Wordpress site as the cost is lower and probably does not have this issue. Certainly cannot stay in business if the largest search engine does not have your pages

[Liquify]

@Skuperman 
read my comment - job done. this line specifically.

Anyway - If you try to submit /sitemap_pages.xml and not /sitemap_pages_1.xml - you're in business.

[danielapke]

Anyway - If you try to submit /sitemap_pages.xml and not /sitemap_pages_1.xml - you're in business.

[George_C]

I just noticed this myself, same issue here. I did notice that Google indexed my Pages anyways, but my attention to the issue was raised when I was looking at the "Coverage" section in the Search Console, and saw all my Pages in the "indexed, not submitted" section. 

Thank you @Liquify for the workaround tip. 

[Jahangeer]

Why isn't Shopify addressing this issue? I just used the default sitemap for over a year and my pages were not indexed! 😞

Just added /sitemap_pages.xml manually. 

[Liquify]

I honestly don't think Shopify can actually do anything here as such else I would have escalated this. So let's not bury the answer in moaning about it (as most people will skip to the end looking for a solution and not find the actual solution).

The sitemaps are all technically valid.  Google is simply ignoring the page one.  So the issue is more with Google.  My guess is that for a time in the past these page sitemaps had an error and so Google stopped fetching them all. Either that or the big Google machine has decided that content under this sitemap is routinely not of value on Shopify sites.

Either way - just use my previous solution to solve it. End of.

Generally considered best to not continue forum threads if there's a solution as it kinda buries it .

[Roberto_López]

Same problem going on here. I submitted the "pages_sitemap" without the number "1" like: www.domain.com/sitemap_pages.xml and all seems to work fine.

[craigdiscover]

This fixed the issue for me - nice work! 😄

[KevinW]

@AquaLiv  - If your objective is to successfully submit your Shopify Page URLs to Google for indexing, our friend @Liquify has THE SOLUTION to your problem >>> remove the "-1" from the Pages sitemap and submit it separately, like this... 

From an SEO perspective, whether Shopify / Google ever fix the issue preventing the -1 version from being submitted is irrelevant. If you want Google to crawl and index your pages so they have the ability to rank, follow the advice above and move on to more important SEO tasks 🙂

And if you or anyone else is looking for more info about this issue and how it relates to your SEO, check out my reply in a similar Shopify Community thread. 

CC: @ThomasBorowski , @Ivanpr , @jaybee21 , @C_Woodman , @Denis_B , @d4nnyp , @Matt-vv , @Skuperman 

[C_Woodman]

Yes, removing the -1 in my sitemap has done the trick but, we shouldn’t have to do this. Shopify claims it’s a Google problem & Google claims it a Shopify issue. As always it’s always someone else’s issue.

[MickeyLlew]

Signed up to just say thank you to @Liquify 

His solution which sits on page (3) works perfectly.
‎(Posted at this time) 09-06-2019 05:25 AM 

Thanks again - I wanted to ensure others can find it.

[BaronBretelle]

Thanks Liquify!

Had the same problem for my suspenders website, but this sitemap did the trick to index my pages!

[Manuelgou]

In some cases add pages to the sitemap is not a good idea for SEO. 

If you want deindexing some pages like policy pages using a noindex tag it would be a conflict sending to the sitemap as well.