Sitemap Builder

Control which pages appear in search engines using the Sitemap Builder. Learn how to hide pages from Google or make them discoverable.

Where to find this: Dashboard → Website Builder → Settings (gear icon) → Sitemap Builder → View/Edit

What is a sitemap?

A sitemap is a file that tells search engines (like Google) which pages exist on your website. When Google crawls your site, it uses the sitemap to discover and index your pages.

Think of it as a table of contents for search engines - if a page isn’t in your sitemap, Google might not find it (or might take longer to discover it).

Why control your sitemap?

Not every page should appear in Google search results. You might want to hide:

• Thank you pages after form submissions
• Landing pages for specific ad campaigns
• Duplicate content pages
• Pages under construction that aren’t ready yet
• Private pages meant only for existing clients

Hiding a page from the sitemap doesn’t make it inaccessible - people with the direct link can still visit it. It just tells Google not to index it in search results.

Using the Sitemap Builder

1. Open Website Settings

   In the Website Builder, click the Settings gear icon in the left sidebar.

   
2. Open Sitemap Builder

   Scroll to Sitemap Builder and click View/Edit. A modal opens showing all your pages.

   
3. Toggle Page Visibility

   Each page shows:

   • Page title (what appears in search results)
   • URL slug (the page path like /about)
   • Eye icon (visibility toggle)

   Click the eye icon to toggle visibility:

   • Eye visible = Page IS included in sitemap (Google can index it)
   • Eye crossed out = Page is NOT in sitemap (hidden from Google)

   
4. Close and Publish

   Close the modal and click Publish to update your sitemap.

When to hide pages from sitemap

Page Type	Hide from Sitemap?	Why
Home, About, Services	No	Core pages should be indexed
Contact, Pricing	No	People search for these
Thank You pages	Yes	No search value, clutters results
Ad landing pages	Sometimes	Depends if you want organic traffic
Test/draft pages	Yes	Not ready for public
Duplicate pages	Yes	Avoid SEO penalties

Common questions

Does hiding a page from the sitemap make it private?

No. Anyone with the direct link can still visit the page. Sitemap visibility only affects search engine indexing. For truly private pages, you’d need authentication/login requirements.

How long until Google notices the change?

Google typically re-crawls sitemaps within days to weeks. You can speed this up by submitting your sitemap in Google Search Console.

Will my page disappear from Google immediately?

No. Removing a page from your sitemap tells Google to stop including it, but existing indexed pages may remain in search results for weeks until Google re-crawls your site.

Should I hide my blog posts?

Generally no - blog posts are great for SEO and bringing organic traffic. Only hide them if they’re outdated or no longer relevant.

Where can I see my actual sitemap file?

Your sitemap is automatically generated at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. You can visit this URL to see exactly what Google sees.

Pro tip: Submit your sitemap to Google

After making changes, submit your sitemap to Google Search Console for faster indexing:

1. Go to Google Search Console
2. Select your property
3. Navigate to Sitemaps in the left menu
4. Enter sitemap.xml and click Submit

See our Google Search Console guide for detailed setup instructions.

Related articles

• Google Search Console Setup
• Website SEO Basics
• URL Redirects
• Meta Titles & Keywords