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 manages SEO and indexing for translated pages via language-specific URLs and hreflang tags, so no separate sitemap is needed.
- Optional: create and submit custom sitemaps for language subdomains in Google Search Console for more control and visibility.
When using Weglot with Webflow, creating a separate sitemap for language subdomains is not necessary, but there are important steps to ensure proper indexing by Google.
1. Understand Weglot’s Language Subdomains
- Weglot automatically creates dedicated subdomains or subdirectories for each language (e.g.,
fr.yoursite.comoryoursite.com/fr/). - These translated versions are SEO-compatible and Weglot automatically adds hreflang tags to signal language and regional targeting to search engines.
2. Webflow Sitemap Behavior
- Webflow’s built-in sitemap only includes the default language URLs.
- It does not include the Weglot-generated translated URLs or subdomains.
3. Weglot’s Indexing Process with Google
- Weglot handles SEO through:
- Automatic creation of crawlable links.
- Auto-generated hreflang tags.
- Language-specific URLs accessible to search engines.
- Googlebot can discover translated pages via internal linking and hreflang annotations without needing entries in the main sitemap.
4. When to Create a Sitemap for Language Subdomains
- Optional: Create a custom sitemap if you want more visibility or control in Google Search Console (GSC).
- If using language subdomains (e.g., fr.yoursite.com):
- You can submit each subdomain as a separate property in GSC.
- Then submit a custom XML sitemap (manually generated) for that language version.
- For subdirectory setups, only one GSC property is needed.
5. Recommended Best Practices
- Ensure automatic hreflang tags are active in Weglot (enabled by default).
- Internally link between language versions (Weglot does this in the language selector).
- Submit your primary domain’s sitemap via Webflow.
- Monitor indexing status of other languages using tools like Search Console or site-specific Google searches (e.g.,
site:fr.yoursite.com).
Summary
You do not need a separate sitemap for Weglot language subdomains—Weglot handles SEO and hreflang tags correctly. However, creating and submitting one can give you more control and insights if you're using language subdomains and want to track them individually in Google Search Console.