Simple News XML Sitemap Generator Reviews, Downloads & Maintenance

Simple News XML Sitemap Generator creates an XML sitemap optimized for news services like Google News, making it easier for your content to be indexed by news search engines.

The plugin is easy to use: once activated, the sitemap is automatically generated and updated every time you publish a new post.

Features

Generates an XML sitemap compliant with news service specifications
Automatically updates when new posts are published
Full support for standard WordPress posts
Automatically includes articles from the past 2 days
Automatically pings Google and Bing when new content is published
Optimized for performance and security

How to use the plugin

Activate the plugin
Go to the “News XML Sitemap” page in the dashboard menu
Copy the sitemap URL
Add the URL to your Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools panel

Pro Tip

After updating the plugin, it’s recommended to go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to ensure the sitemap works correctly.

External Services

This plugin automatically notifies Google and Bing whenever a new News XML sitemap is generated or updated.

Data sent: the URL of the News XML sitemap.
Data is sent via HTTP GET requests to the following addresses:
- https://www.google.com/ping?sitemap=
- https://www.bing.com/ping?sitemap=
This helps search engines discover newly published news content more quickly.

Service policies:
– Google: https://policies.google.com/terms, https://policies.google.com/privacy
– Microsoft Bing: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/servicesagreement/, https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement

Installation

No installation instructions available

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check if the sitemap is working correctly?

Just click the sitemap link in the plugin’s admin page. You should see an XML page with your recent posts.

How many articles are included in the sitemap?

The sitemap includes only articles published within the last 2 days, as required by Google News guidelines.

My sitemap is empty. What should I do?

Make sure you’ve published posts within the last 2 days. If the problem persists, go to Settings > Permalinks and click “Save Changes”.

Does the plugin support custom post types?

In the current version, the plugin only supports standard WordPress posts. Support for custom post types may be added in future releases.

Can I change the time range of the articles included in the sitemap?

In the current version, the period is fixed at 2 days, as required by Google News guidelines.

How can I check if my sitemap has been successfully submitted to search engines?

The plugin automatically pings Google and Bing when you publish or update a post. You can check the status in your Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

Does the plugin slow down my site?

No, the plugin is designed to be lightweight and efficient. The sitemap is generated dynamically only when requested, and search engine pings are non-blocking.

Review feed

No reviews available

Screenshots

Changelog

1.2

Set English as default language
Added Italian .pot translation file
Updated readme.txt structure and service documentation

1.1

Security and performance improvements
Added automatic ping to Bing
Minor fixes

1.0.0

First public release
Automatic sitemap generation for news services
Automatic ping to Google

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