Drop in XML Sitemap Index Numbers Known Issue in Google Search Console

If you have noticed a huge decrease in the XML sitemap index numbers showing in your Google Search Console account, you are not the only one.  There is a reporting issue currently affecting the numbers.

The decrease began on July 13th and has continued to slide since then.  Glenn Gabe shared this image showing the dramatic drop he saw.

Gary Illyes confirmed that it is a reporting issue with the number, and they will be rolling out a fix within the next few days.

@jenstar Yes, there's a reporting issue with the number of indexed URLs from sitemaps. The fix will roll out the next few days.

— Gary Illyes (@methode) July 17, 2015

It doesn’t appear that all sites are affected, but if you have noticed the drop, it should show back to normal in a few days.

Update: The reporting bug has been fixed.

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Jennifer Slegg

Founder & Editor at The SEM Post

Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland. She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.

Latest posts by Jennifer Slegg (see all)

• Rethinking Affiliate Sites With Google’s Product Review Update - April 23, 2021
• New Google Quality Rater Guidelines, Update Adds Emphasis on Needs Met - October 16, 2020
• Google Updates Experiment Statistics for Quality Raters - October 6, 2020
• Analyzing “How Google Search Works” Changes from Google - July 8, 2020
• Google Quality Rater Guidelines Update: New Introduction, Rater Bias & Political Affiliations - December 6, 2019