XML Sitemap & Google News
by Rolf Allard van Hagen · SEO
Also makes 7 other plugins · 109.5K+ installs across the portfolio →
Take control of your WordPress core XML Sitemap and add a Google News Sitemap.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 86/100
no flags
Active installs
100K+
≈190K estimated
Momentum
-4%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Support resolution scores 50/100. Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
86 health vs 65 average across 2,227 SEO plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.0%
of downloads still active
At least 100K of 4.9M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median SEO plugin keeps 1.2%, across 1,194 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other SEO plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 13 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 145 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.4★ over 85 reviews, smoothed to 4.29★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 2 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
49
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.9
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
43%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.5
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| news your tag | #2 | #1 | up 3 |
| google news sitemap | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| news sitemap | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| google news your tag | #4 | #4 | up 1 |
| xml your tag | #4 | #5 | up 2 |
| sitemap your tag | #5 | #6 | up 1 |
| google sitemap | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| google sitemaps | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| image sitemap | #3 | #4 | up 1 |
| xml sitemap | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| site xml | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| google news xml sitemap | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| google webmaster tools | #4 | #3 | up 1 |
| xml sitemaps | #5 | #6 | 0 |
| custom sitemap | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| google image sitemap | #3 | #4 | up 2 |
| sitemap for google news | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| xml image sitemap | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| webmaster tools | #5 | #3 | up 3 |
| robots your tag | #9 | #5 | up 1 |
272 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 231 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Your five tags are all earning their place. Each gets you onto page 1 of its own search, so none is worth giving up. “google webmaster tools”, “webmaster tools” and “xml sitemap” (#4, #5 and #5 untagged) would be the next worth testing if a slot frees up.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,490 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 271.7K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
13
releases in the last 12 months
5mo ago
latest release · v5.7.7 · 10 Jun 2026
49
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 58% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “100K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 5.7 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 26 Feb 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Jimmy Ahyari4mo ago
Thanks for making this cool XML Sitemap
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Alex Oreshkin6mo ago
This is probably the best sitemap plugin available.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ momocamel9mo ago
Didn’t work at first, the support offered to help and reinstalled it and it works. it has automatically submit to Google and Bing, that’s awesome feature. works perfectly now I guess. This topic was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by momocamel. This topic was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by momocamel.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kenfortune1.1y ago
Finally! A sitemap plugin that allows me to edit my sitemap with ease. This is the 6th sitemap plugin I’ve tried and my favourite by far. Very easy to exclude certain pages, posts, tags or categories from my sitemap.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kolniu2.0y ago
Google Error, # vorübergehender Fehler bei der Verarbeitung Ihrer Sitemap.Dieser Fehler tritt leider erst seid kurzem auf.Meine Website wurde seid dem nicht mehr von Google crawling aktualisiert. Verwendung:Webiste | WordPress (vers. 6.6.2) Verwendung:Plugin | XML Sitemap & Google News (vers. 5.4.9)◉my Optionen: Enable XML sitemaps |> XML Sitemap Index |> Server: (“Plugin”) Verwendung (Google Search Console)(1) Eingereichte Sitemaps:|> zuletzt gelesen, vor 3 Wochen (??)(2) Seitenindexierung: Seite ist indexiert (??)jedoch unter der Auffindbarkeit heißt es:|> Sitemaps: Keine verweisenden Sitemaps gefunden|> Sitemaps: Vorübergehender Verarbeitungsfehler my Sitemap:https://www.hausmeister-service-keuneke.de/sitemap.xml This topic was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by kolniu. This topic was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by kolniu. This topic was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by kolniu.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ncaross2.2y ago
I initially asked why it didn’t actually do Google News, but the prompt reply below shows that activating this feature was in a different place. This topic was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by ncaross. This topic was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by ncaross.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Krzysztof Busłowicz2.7y ago
I’ve been trying several plugins to generate a proper sitemap on our site. This one has a simple yet effective setup and really works like a charm with my CPT’s.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ RaHa3.3y ago
Editor?
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 5.7.7 Date: 20260610 * FIX Rank Math admin warning 5.7.7
- — Version 5.7.6 Date: 20260605 * Fix: invalid callback on news settings page 5.7.6
- — Version 5.7.5 Date: 20260519 * Fix: Bing report only returns sitemap number * Fix: Split by year no longer default after swichting server * Drop additional no-store for news sitemap nocache headers 5.7.5
- — Version 5.7.4 Date: 20260430 * Fix LPAD months, thanks @midwestdev * Fix settings fields: news notifier and stock tickers * Admin button styles 5.7.4
- — Version 5.7.2 Date: 20260129 * Fix Google Connect instructions text * Fix transients upgrade routine 5.7.2
- — Version 5.7 Date: 20260121 * Bing Webmaster Tools sitemap reports * Bing sitemap submission from admin * Priority tags dropped 5.7
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (5.7.7). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2024-05-07 CVE-2024-4441 Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program Affects <= 5.4.8 Patched in 5.4.9
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 31 languages, 6 at 90% or more
Plus 7 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names XML Sitemap & Google News when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 1 Nov 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- XML sitemap
Readme readiness
5 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Take control of your WordPress core XML Sitemap and add a Google News Sitemap."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Yoast, Rank Math, Google Search Console, WPML and 2 more.
- ✓ Headings and lists 5 headings and 6 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 4,590 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2021-02-26 90K+ → 100K+ up after 158 days in tier
- 2020-09-21 100K+ → 90K+ down after 1634 days in tier
- 2016-04-01 90K+ → 100K+ up after 168 days in tier
- 2015-10-16 80K+ → 90K+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Companion Sitemap Generator – Simple, Smart, and SEO-Ready 6K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags A -
Lightweight Newscast XML Sitemap For Google News 100+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags B -
GN Publisher: Google News Compatible RSS Feeds 20K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Dynamic XML Sitemaps Generator for Google 20K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Simple XML Sitemap Generator 3K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A - S Simple Google Sitemap XML 2K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for XML Sitemap & Google News into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/xml-sitemap-feed" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="XML Sitemap & Google News — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> XML Sitemap & Google News: 100K+ active installs, 4.4★ (85 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/xml-sitemap-feed
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