Rank Math Sitemap Returns a 404 Page Error after Addning New Post

#228689
  • Resolved Jacquas
    Rank Math free

    I am facing an issue related to Rank Math Sitemap. It is just annoying, Search Console often shows, could not fetch, and shows Generic HTML Error. And, when I open my website sitemap page it shows 404 pages. Obviously, it is solved by flushing my website permalink structure but again it happens. I have to flush the permalink structure, again and again, to make the sitemap working.
    I noticed that my sitemap page returns 404 pages when I publish a new post. Whenever I publish a new post, my sitemap starts showing 404-page error and GSC can not fetch it, and then I have to flush my permalink structure. It is so annoying and GSC does not index my sitemap now because there are too many issues over there. Maybe it is working when GSC index it and then shows a 404-page error after a couple of hours, this is really annoying.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • Hello,

    Thanks for contacting us and sorry for any inconvenience that might have been caused due to that.

    It seems like that your sitemap is getting cached. Can you please follow these steps?

    1. Flush the Sitemap cache by following this video screencast:
    https://i.rankmath.com/pipRDp

    2. Exclude the Sitemap files of the Rank Math plugin in your caching plugin. The cache could be via a plugin or from the server. For plugins or Cloudflare, please follow this article:
    https://rankmath.com/kb/exclude-sitemaps-from-caching/

    That should fix the issue. Please let me know if that does not. We are here to assist.

    Hi, Again I am getting the same error even after flushing the sitemap and adding that code to my .htaccess. Again sitemap was not found and GSC showed an error and I updated my permalink structure without making any changes and again it worked. But, I can not update the permalink structure every day just to have this working.

    Anas
    Rank Math business

    Hello,

    Please ensure that the sitemaps are excluded from caching in your caching plugin.
    The cache could be via a plugin or from the server. For plugins or Cloudflare, please follow this article:
    https://rankmath.com/kb/exclude-sitemaps-from-caching/

    Once done, clear the website cache.

    That should fix the issue.

    We look forward to helping you.

    Well, I have done everything. Excluding it by using .htaccess and Wp Rocket (I am using it). But, at last, I have to set page rules as described by the article for Cloudflare but I can not find any section in Page Rules to add a snippet code. There is only the option to paste the URL to set the page rule and the option to select Page Rule for that URL.

    Hello,

    In this case, we might need to take a closer look at the settings. Please edit the first post on this ticket and include your WordPress & FTP logins in the designated Sensitive Data section.

    Please do take a complete backup of your website before sharing the information with us.
    Sensitive Data Section

    It is completely secure and only our support staff has access to that section. If you want, you can use the below plugin to generate a temporary login URL to your website and share that with us instead:

    https://wordpress.org/plugins/temporary-login-without-password/

    You can use the above plugin in conjunction with the WP Security Audit Log to monitor what changes our staff might make on your website (if any):

    https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-security-audit-log/

    We really look forward to helping you.

    Thank you.

    Hello,

    I have updated the sensitive data as requested. Can you please check further?

    Thank you.

    Hello, I have added the URL to login. Kindly investigate the issue, GSC is not indexing my website posts properly. My new posts are not even being indexed just because of this Sitemap error. /sitemap_index.xml shows 404 page often (twice a day may be) and then I have to update permalink structure and it works like a charm.

    Ankit
    Rank Math business

    Hello,

    Sorry, but I can’t seem to replicate the issue on your website. Here is the screencast I have made for you:
    https://i.rankmath.com/wxckXO

    Please consider flushing your web browser cache or try a different web browser and you should be able to see the updated sitemap.

    Update: Could you please delete all the rules related to caching inside your .htaccess file? or you could just grab the default .htacess file from here (https://wordpress.org/support/article/htaccess/) Just to check whether these rules are causing it or not.

    Hope that helps and please do not hesitate to let us know if you need our assistance with anything else.

    Hi, It is again showing 404 pages on the sitemap. It is so annoying that it is making me delete the RankMath. My posts are not being indexed properly just because of this issue. How poor coded it is, every 2nd day it’s sitemap_index.xml throughs 404 error and GSC can not index it due to HTTP General Instance Error.
    I do not want you guys to fix this simply by flushing its permalink structure because I know it will fix it temporarily. Currently, I did not flush the permalink structure just to let you see the original error.
    P.S: I think it causes after publishing a new post. Yesterday I published a new post and after almost 10 hours I am seeing this error. I do not know whether it happened suddenly after publishing a post or after some time.
    And, during investigation please do not publish any new dummy website on the original website because there are thousands of subscribers and they will get the notification of that post, also instant indexing is enabled. A link to login is added also. I want a really quick and solid solution that does not cause it to happen again.

    Is there any support for my ticket? Urgent means “A bit in hurry”. This issue has been ruining my website for the last 2 months and you guys just have some old solutions listed in KB which do not work anymore.

    Ankit
    Rank Math business

    Hello,

    I’m sorry for the delay and for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you.

    To troubleshoot the issue further, please kindly provide the staging site with us, Since your website is live and you have said not to make a new post, Since the issue is occurring after adding a new post. It would be impossible to test things out on live site.

    Looking forward to helping you. Thank you.

    Well, I have disabled the instant indexing so that dummy posts do not get indexed automatically and also have disabled the push notification plugin. Kindly Go forward with it now.

    And, I did not say it always happens suddenly after publishing the new post. I published a new post right now but the sitemap is still working. I replied to this ticket again today when there was an issue and the sitemap was throwing 404 page. And, I shared the access to my website, one of your support team members just went there (It showed one login activity at that time) and again flushed the permalink structure and obviously it was fixed up. I know it works after flushing the permalink structure, but it is a temporary solution. I already asked you to investigate the root cause not to flush the structure because I know it works for some time and then again sitemap throws 404 page. And, now do not please ask me to wait till the issue again appears because I already opened a ticket when the 404-page error started and now again I can not wait more just to wait and see when the issue is going to happen.

    Hello, is there anyone from the support team who can respond to my ticket and investigate the issue? As long as I said it is an urgent one you replied quite late and now are not responding at all.
    Kindly do consider it and investigate the issue which is causing it.

    Ankit
    Rank Math business

    Hello,

    I’m sorry for the delay and for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you.

    I have made changes to your wp-rocket setting and disabled the preload feature, and then I published a new post. Now it looks like the issue is resolved. Could you please check on your end?

    Here is the working screencast:
    https://i.rankmath.com/59fkAc

    I hope that helps. Thank you, and looking forward to your update.

    Hello,

    Since we did not hear back from you for 15 days, we are assuming that you found the solution. We are closing this support ticket.

    If you still need assistance or any other help, please feel free to open a new support ticket, and we will be more than happy to assist.

    Thank you.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

The ticket ‘Rank Math Sitemap Returns a 404 Page Error after Addning New Post’ is closed to new replies.