This error message is very common when submitting your sitemap index for the first time. You will see no date under the “Last read column.” Normally, the error will disappear after Search Console has treated the sitemaps. Wait an hour and revisit your Search Console.

But if the error remains, visit your sitemap in your browser or check your news sitemap in an online XML validation tool like https://www.xml-sitemaps.com/validate-xml-sitemap.html. This may already provide you with some clues about what could be going wrong.

If there are errors reported that you do not understand or know how to fix, you can ask public support on https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/xml-sitemap-feed/.
If you’re a Google News Advanced user with an active license, get priority support on our Support Forum or Your account (after login) or create a support ticket via Priority support (provide your license key).

What’s needed?

Assuming you have your WordPress site and the XML Sitemaps & Google News free plugin installed and activated, there are a few more prerequisites to address:

1. You need an account on Bing Webmaster Tools. In case you do not already have a Bing Webmaster account, sign up using any Microsoft, Google or Facebook ID.
2. Your site property needs to be set up in Bing Webmaster Tools. If you have not already done that, follow the instructions on https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/add-and-verify-site-12184f8b.

The connection between your site and Bing Webmaster Tools will be created in 2 stages.

Stage I. Create an API key

An API key¹ can be generated from Bing Webmaster Tools by following the steps below:

1. Sign in to your account on Bing Webmaster Tools.
2. Click on Settings button on top right corner and then go to API Access section.
3. If you are using API Access for the first time, please read and accept the Terms and Conditions displayed and then click on API Key. 
4. Click on Generate API Key to create an API Key. Only one API key can be generated per user.
   
5. Click Copy to copy the API key and paste it in the API Key field in your WordPress Bing Webmaster Tools Connection admin page.
6. Hit Save Changes in WordPress to finish stage 1.

Lost or compromised API key

  Warning
Do not give out your API key to any 3rd party or anyone you do not trust.

If you feel that your API key has been compromised or is being used by an unauthorized party, you can create a new key after deleting your current one. Please go to Webmaster API page in Bing Webmaster Tools and click on Delete. Then, click on Generate to create a new API key. Note that on deleting your old API key, all applications tied to that key will no longer function and will have to be updated with the new API key.

Stage II. Test and activate the connection

After saving the API key in the previous stage, the connection will be tested for you. If an error is encountered, you will see this on the next page load. If the connection test is successful, you will see a short message:

The connection test was successful and the connection was activated!

You will be automatically redirected back to the plugin settings page.

Possible errors

1. The API key is generated for a user and not a site and hence a user can use the same API key for all their verified sites on Bing Webmaster Tools. ↩︎

What’s needed?

Assuming you have your WordPress site and the XML Sitemaps & Google News free plugin installed and activated, there are a few more prerequisites to address:

1. Your site property needs to be set up in Google Search Console. If you have not already done that, follow the instructions on https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/34592. It does not matter if you choose an URL-prefix or a Domain property.
2. You’ll need a Google Cloud account. If you’re new to Google Cloud, go to https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/get-started and create an account from there.

Note: Although not strictly necessary, it is will be easiest when both Google Cloud account and your site in Google Search Console are fully accessible with the same Google account.

The connection between your site and Google Search Console will be created in 3 stages.

Stage I. Create a Google Cloud Project

1. Go Google Cloud Console and Create a new Cloud project.
2. Go to API & Services > OAuth consent screen and Get started with basic setup of your project:
   • Give it a nice Name and select a Suport email address.
   • At Audience choose Internal if you have that option available (Workspace users) and if a member account of the same organization can/will be used for connecting to Google Search Console. Otherwise choose External.
   • Then finish until you hit Create.
3. If you chose External during step 2 above, then go to API & Services > OAuth consent screen > Audience to Publish app. Note: Without that published status, you’ll run into an “Access Blocked” error later.
4. Go to API & Services > Library, search for Google Search Console API and Activate.

Switching between Internal and External + Published status may always be done afterwards, but it needs careful consideration. Internal is easiest but only available to Workspace users and only useful if both Cloud user and Search Console user are from the same organization. Otherwise use External, but do not forget to Publish the app or you won’t be able to finish the connection.

Stage II. Create OAuth Credentials

1. Go to APIs & Services > OAuth Consent Screen > Clients and click + Create client
2. Choose Application type Web application, give it a recognizable name (or leave the default name) and click + Add URI under Authorized redirect URIs.
3. In another browser tab, open your WordPress site, log in and go to Settings > Google News. Hit the Connect button on the right to open the Google Search Console Connection admin page.
4. Copy the URL that is shown in the instructions there for Authorized redirect URIs and paste it in your Cloud Console. Finish with Create.
5. From the confirmation popup window in Cloud Console, copy both the Client ID and Client Secret carefully to their corresponding fields in your WordPress Google Search Console Connection admin page.
6. Hit Save Changes in WordPress to finish the configuration. On the next page load, there will be appear a button Connect to Google Search Console.

Stage III. Connect your site to Google Search Console

This final step can be completed with the same Google account as was used for Google Cloud, or by another Google account. As long as it has at least Full rights for (or Owner of) the site property in Google Search Console. Go to Google Search Console, select the property and look under Settings > Users and rights to verify and change rights if needed.

1. In WordPress, go to Settings > Google News, hit the Connect button on the right to open the Google Search Console Connection admin page. If correctly configured per instructions above, there should be a Connect to Google Search Console button.
2. Hit the Connect to Google Search Console. You’ll be directed to a Google login screen. Login as or Select the user with full rights to the property in Google Search Console.
3. After possible extra verification (like code via text message) you should arrive at the consent screen with title “… wants access to your Google Account”
4. Grant the required access to View and manage Search Console data for your verified sites and hit Continue.
5. You’ll now be redirected back to your WordPress admin and your site should be connected.

Done!

Possible errors

If you encounter errors, some details in the setup process where likely skipped or gone wrong. Here are some possible errors and solutions.

Google Search Console connection

To allow automatic Sitemap Notification, a connection between your site and the Google Search Console API needs to be created. This is a one-time setup that should remain active as long as you regularly post news on your site. Only if the connection is left unused for a long time, you might need to refresh or reconfigure.

If you have not already created the connection, please follow the steps on Connect your site to Google Search Console

Activate automatic notifications

If all went well connecting your site, you can go to Settings > Google News > Advanced tab and activate the Sitemap notifier option. From then on, your news sitemap will get sent to Google on each news publication.

There is a Submit Now button for manual submission on the Google Search Console tab. You can keep track of the most recent notifications (successes and possible errors) in Log section.

Possible errors

If you encounter errors, some details in the setup process where likely skipped or gone wrong or your Google Cloud Project OAuth credentials expired or got corrupted. Here are some possible errors and solutions.

Possible errors at stage III, authorization

You may encounter the following error messages during your setup of the site connection to Google Search Console. Click the + to read about their possible cause and solution.

Access blocked (Error 400)+

Access blocked: Authorization Error
Error 400: invalid_request

or

Access blocked: This app’s request is invalid
Error 400: redirect_uri_mismatch

---

The Authorized redirect URI was not configured or not entered correctly.

Go to your Google Cloud Console project, APIs & Services > Credentials and select the OAuth 2.0 Client ID that was created for this site connection. Make sure that the URL that is shown after the text “The redirect URI for your Google Cloud Console OAuth 2.0 client configuration should be: …” in your WordPress admin (on the Google Search Console Connection page) is listed there under Authorized redirect URIs in Google Cloud Console.

It should match exactly, including http or https and www or non-www.

Unauthorized (Error 401)+

Failed to refresh Google access token (HTTP 401): Unauthorized

or

OAuth token exchange failed: Unauthorized

---

There was a mismatch between your Cloud Console Client ID and Client Secret or the Client Secret encryption/decryption went wrong. This can happen when the WordPress Salts were changed by you or by a security plugin.

If you saved your credentials after the initial creation in Google Cloud Console, then carefully copy/paste them both into the form fields again and hit Save Settings. Then try connecting again.

If the problem persists, or if you did not save your Client Secret somewhere, then you will have to create new credentials. Go to your Google Cloud Console project, APIs & Services > Credentials and select the OAuth 2.0 Client ID that was created for this site connection. Hit + Add secret to create a new Client Secret. You may disable and delete the old client secret for safety.

Access blocked (Error 403)+

Access blocked: … has not completed the Google verification process
Error 403: access_denied

or

Access blocked: Project can only be used within its organization
Error 403: org_internal

---

In both cases, you are trying to finish the connection with another account than the one with which the Cloud project was created. This is possible but needs a little more tweaking and attention.

Go to the Google Cloud console, select the project and go to API & Services > OAuth Consent Screen and choose Audience.

• If the User type is set to Internal here, then Make external and choose In production.
• If the Publishing status is Testing here, then Publish app and Confirm.

Workspace users have the option to keep the app Internal if the account that will finish the site connection is a member of the same organization.

Google API Error (HTTP 403)+

Google Search Console API has not been used in project … before or it is disabled

In your Cloud Console, with the correct Project selected, Go to API & Services > Library, search for Google Search Console API and Enable it. If you enabled this API recently, wait a few minutes for the action to propagate to our systems and retry.

User does not have sufficient permission for site …

Go to Google Search Console, log in, go to the Settings > Users and rights under the relevant Property. Make sure the user that signed in during the Google Cloud Console authorization process is listed there and is either (Verified) Owner or has Full rights.

If you are not sure which user was used to finalize the connection, you can disconnect and reconnect your site, using an account that is listed with enough rights. Go to your WordPress admin Settings > Google News and click the button Disconnect from Google Search Console on the right. Then after the page reloads, click the button Connect and then follow the last step.

Google Search Console API has not been used in project … before or it is disabled.

Enable it by visiting the URL provided in the error description, then retry. If you enabled this API recently, wait a few minutes for the action to propagate to our systems and retry. Please ensure the connected Google account has full access to the Search Console property.

404. That’s an error+

The requested URL was not found on this server. That’s all we know.

---

You are trying to connect with an OAuth Client ID that does not exist (anymore) on Google Cloud Console. Verify your credentials and maybe create new ones and configure them in the plugin settings again.

To return to the Stage I and II descriptions in your admin, remove the faulty Client ID and save settings. You’ll then be able to follow the steps again. Make sure to copy/paste the complete Client ID and Client secret.

Did you encounter another error? Please let us know…

What’s the alternative?

Both Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools provide APIs that facilitate automated sitemap submission, effectively replacing the deprecated sitemap ping feature that was once a manual process. With these APIs, website owners and developers can programmatically inform search engines about updates to their sitemaps, ensuring that their content is indexed promptly and efficiently. This automation enhances the overall SEO strategy by streamlining the workflow for managing and submitting sitemaps, thereby improving site visibility and performance in search results.

The latest releases of the Google News Advanced and the XML Sitemap Advanced plugins for WordPress introduce an exciting feature: the Sitemap Notifier. This functionality re-establishes the possibility of XML Sitemap pings to Google and Bing via their respective API’s, enhancing how your site interacts with search engines.

Key Features of the Sitemap Notifier:

1. Automatic Pinging:
   The Sitemap Notifier allows your site to automatically ping Google whenever your XML sitemap is updated. This ensures that search engines are always aware of the latest content on your site, which can help improve visibility and indexing speed.
   
2. User-Friendly Setup:
   The setup process is straightforward with detailed description, providing a guided step-by-step approach to connect your site to the Google Search Console.
   
3. Real-Time Updates:
   Once activated, the Sitemap Notifier sends real-time updates to Google, ensuring that any new articles or changes are promptly communicated, potentially leading to faster indexing.
   
4. Enhanced SEO:
   By keeping search engines informed about your latest content, you can enhance your site’s overall SEO strategy, leading to improved rankings and increased traffic over time.
   

Conclusion

With the implementation of the Sitemap Notifier in the Google News Advanced plugin, WordPress users can take advantage of a significant enhancement to their site’s interaction with Google. This new feature promises to make managing your XML Sitemap more efficient and effective, ultimately contributing to better search engine optimization.

apply_filters( 'xmlsf_news_stock_tickers', array[] $stock_tickers, int[] $post_id )

Used in xml-sitemap-feed-advanced-news/inc/class-main.php

Parameters (2)

• $stock_tickers
  (array) The news stock tickers array.
• $post_id
  (int) The current post ID.

Return

• (array) The news stock tickers array.

The filter should return an array with stock tickers for the current post.

Usage example

function my_custom_stock_tickers( $stock_tickers, $post_id ) {
	$post_stock_tickers = get_post_meta( $post_id, 'stock_ticker' );

	return array_merge( (array) $stock_tickers, $post_stock_tickers );
}
add_filter( 'xmlsf_news_stock_tickers', 'my_custom_stock_tickers' );

Related

Troubleshooting

We encountered an error while trying to access your Sitemap.
Please ensure your Sitemap follows our guidelines and can be
accessed at the location you provided and then resubmit.

apply_filters( 'xmlsf_index_archive_data', array[] $data , string[] $post_type, string[] $archive_type )

Used in xml-sitemap-feed/views/feed-sitemap.php

Parameters (3)

• $data
  (array) The original set of sitemaps. An array of URL and lastmod date pairs.
• $post_type
  (string) The post type, one of:  post|page or a custom post type slug.
• $archive_type
  (string) The current archive type, one of: yearly|monthly|weekly

Return

• (array) An array of URL and lastmod date pairs.

Must return an array of URL and lastmod date pairs. When hooked before priority 10, the original $data will be empty.

Usage example

function my_remove_old_sitemaps( $data, $post_type = 'post', $archive_type ) {
	if ( 'post' !== $post_type || empty( $archive_type)  ) {
		return $data;
	}

	// Set year archive sitemaps to remove.
	$remove = array( '2009', '2010', '2011', '2012', '2013', '2014', '2015', '2016', '2017', '2018', '2019' );

	foreach ( $data as $d_key => $d_value ) {
		foreach ( $remove as $year ) {
			if ( strpos( $d_key, '.' . $year ) ) {
				unset( $data[ $d_key ] );
			}
		}
	}

	return $data;
}

add_filter( 'xmlsf_index_archive_data', 'my_remove_old_sitemaps', 11, 3 );

Related

apply_filters( 'xmlsf_entry_url', string[] $url , string[] $sitemap, obj[] $object )

Used in xml-sitemap-feed/views/feed-sitemap-taxonomy.php

Parameters (3)

• $url
  (string) The original entry URL.
• $sitemap
  (string) The sitemap type, one of:  post_type|taxonomy|author
• $object
  (obj) The current entry object, one of: WP_Post|WP_Term|WP_User

Return

• (string|bool) Entry URL or false

Must return a URL or false. Returning false will exclude the entry from the sitemap.

Usage example

function my_tax_term_entry_exclusion( $url, $sitemap, $object ) {
	// Skip if not in taxonomy sitemap context.
	if (  'taxonomy' !== $sitemap ) {
		return $url;
	}

	// In a taxonomy sitemap context, our $object is a WP_Term object.
    // Exclude term by ID.
    $term_ids = array( 9, 123,  556 ) ;
    if ( in_array( $object->term_id,  $term_ids ) ) {
        return false;
    }

	// Return original URL.
	return $url;
}
add_filter( 'xmlsf_entry_url', 'my_tax_term_entry_exclusion', 10, 3 );

Related