Custom Cross-Domain Automated Upload Setup

If you have websites on different domains and want to manage the XML site maps centrally for all of them Google allows, and encourages this, using Cross-Domain verification.

Using cross-domain verification enables one of the most efficient methods for managing your large HREFLand XML site maps. By adding all of the domains in a master Google Search Console account Google is able to verify your ownership of all and then allows for your HREFLang XML to be uploaded in a single set of files for all domains in the portfolio.

Leveraging this feature, many of our enterprise clients or those with complex IT challenges will create a separate domain outside of your technical stack such as “mysitexml.com” and host all of the XML site maps in this location. Since this domain does not impact the main website you can allow HREFLang Builder to automatically upload to this domain.  This adds significant flexibility to your overall management.

Setting Up Cross-Domain XML Hosting

1. Add the dedicated domain name to master Google Search Console account that has all the individual country domains.  [How]
2. Verify each of the versions in GSC by using one of the verification methods [How]
3. Give the HREFLang Builder team access to the upload location using FTP or SSH credentials or edit yourself using the New Data Storage Screen
4. Once the XML site maps are updated the system will automatically upload the index file and the country versions to the domain overwriting the previous versions.
5. The system will automatically “Ping Google” to let it know there is a new index file.
6. You will receive a system generated email letting you know the files were successfully uploaded and Google was notified.