TS13Sitemaps and links

Does your sitemap contain the right URLs?

The sitemap contains only useful absolute canonical URLs.

Prepare evidence

In the app: Evidence import
You provide: Sitemap and URL responses
Allow for: Depends on evidence needed

Prepare evidence

Understand

The right URLs. Ready to be discovered.

The sitemap contains only useful absolute canonical URLs.

According to Google

Google recommends listing URLs you want to appear in search, usually the canonical URLs. A sitemap does not guarantee indexing.

Build and submit a sitemap Source accessed on 2026-10-26

Check

Inside the file. The expected URLs?

In TSEP Control

You import evidence for this control. The engine assesses it within the declared scope; missing items remain visible.

Your contribution

Define the scope and expectations before collection. Gather the items below and supply the requested reviews.

With your own tools

Download the sitemap and sample its URLs. Check responses, canonicals and directives, then consult Search Console’s Sitemaps report for reading errors.

Evidence to retain

Inventory without redirects, 4xx responses, noindex pages or duplicate canonicals.

What this result covers

Declared supplied file/page population; bounded HTML sources and unauthenticated supplied reviews. No inferred real audit, site completeness, whole TS15 result, Google-selected canonical, indexing or ranking.

Act

A useful sitemap. Relevant URLs.

Remove redirects, errors, duplicates and excluded URLs; retain useful references.

Recheck

A new file. URLs to check.

After correction, gather new evidence with the same scope and expectations. Retain both dated observations to compare what changed.

Your reference points

To go further.

Statuses, sources and method.

Understand the statusesC · NC · NT · NA

The same legend in guides, analysis and demo. Each status depends on the control’s evidence and rules.

C · Verified: The criterion is met within the assessed scope. Keep dated evidence for the next comparison.
NC · To correct: Remove redirects, errors, duplicates and excluded URLs; retain useful references.
NT · Not established: Evidence or confirmations are insufficient to conclude. Supply what is missing; this status does not establish an SEO error.
NA · Not applicable: The control does not apply to the scope under its rules, with a retained justification. Missing evidence alone does not make it non-applicable.

Sources and references1 reference

Build and submit a sitemapdevelopers.google.com · new tab

Detailed method and rules2 rules

Control method and criteria

Method
Apply TS13-A01/A02 to declared originals and supplied pages under sitemap-quality-v1.

Acceptance criteria
Each scoped entry resolves, is canonical under the strategy and is intended for indexing; exclusions and sample limits are explicit.

Non-applicability
No sitemap used, with inventory and decision provided.

Detailed rules

TS13-A01 · Qualified native population and absolute URLs.

Protocol assessment mode : automatic. App availability is shown on the control card.

Scope
Page entries in prior declared sitemap files, bounded supplied-sitemap-quality-v1 profile.

Evidence
Plan, dated XML/gzip originals and SHA-256, index/position/loc of each entry. Literal repetitions remain visible without automatic failure.

Method
Reconcile declared roots/children with complete originals; read each page loc, retain occurrences and check absolute HTTP(S) syntax.

Acceptance criteria
Pass requires all declared files and qualified locations. A relative loc, fragment, credentials or invalid port fails; missing coverage is inconclusive.

When the result remains inconclusive
Missing, ambiguous or out-of-profile plan, document, child, binding, capture or review; exceeded bound. Retain every independent fail and other unknowns.

Non-applicability
No atomic exemption; missing evidence is not NA.

Assumptions
Prior plan, literal URLs, supplied window of at most24hours and original integrity. Declared dates, context and judgments, without authentication.

Limitations
Declared supplied file/page population; bounded HTML sources and unauthenticated supplied reviews. No inferred real audit, site completeness, whole TS15 result, Google-selected canonical, indexing or ranking.

TS13-A02 · Referenced pages consistent with the supplied strategy.

Protocol assessment mode : assisted, with supplied evidence and declarations. App availability is shown on the control card.

Scope
Page entries in prior declared sitemap files, bounded supplied-sitemap-quality-v1 profile.

Evidence
File and HTTP request/response originals, per-page context/date, plan and review with SHA-256 of the examined evidence. No missing review generated by the tool.

Method
For each distinct native URL, check direct GET200, HTTP/HTML Googlebot directives and literal canonical; reconcile prior strategy and review bound to page and files.

Acceptance criteria
Pass requires qualified source, identical explicit canonical, useful/indexable/self-canonical intent and supported review, rendering source-only. Redirect, complete non200 status, noindex, different canonical or contradicted judgment fails. Required rendering, absent canonical/review or unsupported format is inconclusive.

When the result remains inconclusive
Missing, ambiguous or out-of-profile plan, document, child, binding, capture or review; exceeded bound. Retain every independent fail and other unknowns.

Non-applicability
No atomic exemption; missing evidence is not NA.

Assumptions
Prior plan, literal URLs, supplied window of at most24hours and original integrity. Declared dates, context and judgments, without authentication.

Rule version 0.3.0-draft.1 · Public protocol reference · Versioned source

Put it into practice

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