In short. Ghost publishes its sitemap index at /sitemap.xml under the publication base URL, with links to generated content sitemaps.
Definition: As of October 2026, Ghost publishes its built-in XML sitemap index at
/sitemap.xmlunder the publication's base URL. A sitemap index lists other sitemap files; Ghost's generated content sitemaps cover pages, posts, authors, and tags.
Key facts
- Ghost's SEO documentation describes automatic sitemap creation and updates as built-in functionality.
- Ghost's Resources sitemap index links to separate
sitemap-pages.xml,sitemap-posts.xml,sitemap-authors.xml, andsitemap-tags.xmlfiles. - Ghost's post settings documentation states that setting a custom canonical URL automatically excludes the post's URL from the sitemap.
- Google's July 2026 sitemap submission documentation allows submission of a single sitemap index and provides a Sitemaps report for access and processing checks.
Which URL opens the sitemap index?
The publication's base URL determines the location. Ghost's XML Sitemaps announcement points to its own Resources publication at https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap.xml. This example retains the publication's /resources/ path before the sitemap filename.
The live index provides a concrete set of addresses to inspect:
https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap.xml
https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap-pages.xml
https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap-posts.xml
https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap-authors.xml
https://ghost.org/resources/sitemap-tags.xml
For a publication served directly from its domain, the corresponding index path is /sitemap.xml. For a publication under a subdirectory, the sitemap address follows that publication's base path, as the Resources example shows.
What do the generated content sitemaps contain?
Ghost's Resources index uses a sitemapindex element, with a loc element identifying each child sitemap's address. Opening a child file is the next step when checking the URLs for a particular content type. The index groups these files by pages, posts, authors, and tags.
Ghost's index generator source constructs filenames from the resource type and adds a numeric suffix for subsequent files. For example, the next posts file follows the pattern sitemap-posts-2.xml. The actual index supplies the list of files generated for the publication, including any additional numbered files.
A missing post can also reflect an editorial setting. Ghost's post settings documentation describes the Canonical URL field, which overrides the post's automatic canonical address for republished or duplicate content. The same documentation explicitly connects that custom setting with exclusion from the sitemap.
How can the sitemap be checked and submitted?
A practical check starts at the publication's /sitemap.xml address, then follows the child sitemap for the relevant content type. Searching the child file for a post's address checks whether that URL appears in the generated output.
Google's Build and submit a sitemap guide permits submitting a single index file to Google. Its Sitemaps report shows when Googlebot accesses the sitemap and identifies potential processing errors. Submission is a hint to Google about crawling; inclusion in Ghost's output and Google's processing are separate checks.
Related terms
- XML sitemap
- robots.txt Sitemap field
- How do I set a custom canonical URL in Ghost?
- Does Ghost require an SEO plugin for basic metadata?
FAQ
Do I need a plugin to generate Ghost's sitemap?
Ghost's SEO documentation lists automatic XML sitemap creation and updates among its built-in features. You can begin by opening your publication's sitemap index.
Why is my post absent after I set a custom canonical URL?
Ghost's post settings guide states that this setting automatically excludes the URL from your sitemap. You can check the Canonical URL field in the post settings when investigating an omission.
Can I submit the index instead of each child sitemap?
Yes. Google's sitemap guide permits submitting a single sitemap index. You can then use the Sitemaps report to review access and processing errors.
Sources
- Ghost, "SEO in Ghost", n.d.
- Ghost, "Resources sitemap index", live XML
- Ghost, "XML Sitemaps", 16 December 2014
- Ghost, "SiteMapIndexGenerator", source snapshot
- Ghost, "Preparing posts for publishing", n.d.
- Google Search Central, "Build and submit a sitemap", 8 July 2026
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