Question: Why is a page indexed by Google but not in the sitemap?

Pages can be indexed by Google even if they are not included in a website's sitemap. This situation can arise due to several reasons:

1. Manual Submission

A webmaster might have submitted the page directly via Google's Search Console without adding it to the sitemap. This can be common for testing purposes or for pages that are not meant to be a permanent part of the site structure.

2. Discovery through Links

Google can discover URLs by following links from other pages, even if those URLs are not listed in a sitemap. If another page on your site—or any other site—links to the missing URL, Google's crawlers may find and index it.

3. Dynamic Content or Parameters

Pages with URL parameters or dynamically generated content can sometimes be indexed if Google determines they add value, even though they might not be explicitly listed in a static sitemap. For example, filter or sort parameters on an eCommerce site might result in URLs being indexed to show different product listings.

4. Sitemap Not Updated

The sitemap might not have been updated recently to reflect new pages added to the website. Regularly updating the sitemap is crucial to ensure it accurately represents the current state of the site content.

5. Exclusions in Robots.txt

If a sitemap is not updated, but a page is allowed to be crawled via robots.txt instructions, Google might index such a page as long as it discovers it, even though it's not listed in the sitemap.

Handling This Issue

To handle situations where pages are indexed but not in the sitemap, consider the following steps:

• Update Your Sitemap: Regularly update your sitemap to include all new pages unless there is a specific reason to exclude them.
• Review Internal Linking: Ensure important pages are appropriately linked from within your site, as this helps search engines discover content naturally.
• Check robots.txt: Make sure that your robots.txt file allows crawling of important URLs and that these URLs are included in the sitemap.
• Use Canonical Tags: Utilize canonical tags to help search engines understand which versions of similar pages should be indexed.

By ensuring consistency between your sitemap, the site’s actual content, and indexing status, you optimize your site's visibility and efficiency in search engine results.