Hello,
I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing a 404 error with your sitemap link. When the sitemap_index.xml file returns a 404 error, it means that Google won’t be able to find all the pages on your site, which can impact your site’s visibility in search results.
To resolve this issue, you can follow these steps:
- Flush the Sitemap Cache: Try flushing the sitemap cache.
- Fix Sitemap Issues on Nginx or Apache Server: Check and fix any server-related issues.
- Exclude the Sitemap Files in the Caching Plugin: Exclude sitemap files from caching plugins.
- Add Filter to Enable/Disable Sitemap Caching: Add filters to manage sitemap caching.
- Ensure Pages Are Set to Index: Make sure that your pages are set to index.
For detailed instructions on how to fix the 404 error with the sitemap_index.xml in Rank Math, you can refer to our knowledgebase article here.
If you need further assistance or have any other questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for reaching out!
Closing spiel
Sources:
Why the Sitemap_Index.xml is Throwing a 404 Error » Rank Math
How to Monitor 404 Errors with Rank Math SEO Plugin
How to Configure Sitemaps in Rank Math – Best Settings and Tips
How to Fix 404 Errors with Rank Math SEO Plugin
How to Find Out Where 404 Errors Are Coming From » Rank Math
Hello,
Thank you for contacting us and sorry for any inconvenience that might have been caused due to that.
Could you please share the sitemap URL with us so that we can check the issue further for you?
Meanwhile, please try to follow the steps below and see if that works for you.
1. Flush the Sitemap cache by following this video screencast:
https://i.rankmath.com/pipRDp
2. Exclude the Sitemap files of the Rank Math plugin in your caching plugin. The cache could be via a plugin or from the server. For plugins or Cloudflare, please follow this article:
https://rankmath.com/kb/exclude-sitemaps-from-caching/
Let us know how it goes. Looking forward to helping you.
Thank you.
Hello,
Since we did not hear back from you for 15 days, we are assuming that you found the solution. We are closing this support ticket.
If you still need assistance or any other help, please feel free to open a new support ticket, and we will be more than happy to assist.
Thank you.
