Should I create a separate sitemap in Webflow that includes the language subdomains generated by Weglot, or will Google automatically index both languages without it?
TL;DR
- Weglot creates language-specific subdomains that act as separate websites for SEO, but Webflow’s sitemap only covers the main domain.
- Google can find subdomains via links and hreflang, but creating and submitting separate sitemaps for each language subdomain in Google Search Console is recommended for better SEO control.
You're asking whether you need a separate sitemap for Weglot language subdomains in Webflow and whether Google will automatically index them. Here's a precise explanation:
1. Understand How Weglot Works with Webflow
- Weglot generates language-specific subdomains (like fr.website.com for French, es.website.com for Spanish) if you've correctly set up multilingual subdomains.
- Each subdomain behaves like a different "website" as far as SEO and Google indexing are concerned.
2. How Webflow Handles Sitemaps
- Webflow auto-generates a sitemap (usually at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml) based only on your main domain pages.
- Webflow’s native sitemap won't include your Weglot subdomains, because these subdomains are managed outside of Webflow’s core logic.
3. Will Google Discover Subdomains Automatically?
- Google can discover subdomains if they are properly linked (e.g., via hreflang tags, navigation, footers).
- However, relying only on natural crawling is slower and messier. Explicitly submitting a sitemap is much better for SEO control.
4. Should You Create a Separate Sitemap?
- Yes, you should create a separate sitemap (or manually extend your existing sitemap) that includes the translated subdomains.
- This sitemap ensures that Google easily crawls and indexes all the language versions.
- You can either:
- Manually create a custom sitemap listing URLs for all versions (EN, FR, ES, etc.).
- Use Weglot’s sitemap generation feature if available (in Weglot’s settings).
5. Where to Submit the Sitemaps
- Submit each language subdomain separately in Google Search Console.
- Example in GSC:
- Add fr.website.com as a separate property and submit its sitemap.
- Add es.website.com likewise.
Summary
You do need to create and submit a sitemap that includes Weglot language subdomains. Webflow’s default sitemap does not cover them, and relying on automatic discovery alone is not optimal for SEO. Create sitemaps for each language version and submit them individually via Google Search Console.