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Sitemap Generator Pro — documentation

Install and run on your own Linux hosting (for example cPanel shared hosting, reseller, or VPS). For pricing and trials, see the Sitemap Generator Pro product page.

What you need

  • Hosting: Linux-based hosting with PHP (cPanel-style shared hosting is typical).
  • PHP: Version 8.0 or newer on the account where you install the software (8.2+ recommended).
  • Access: cPanel File Manager and/or FTP/SFTP to upload files; ability to set folder permissions.
  • HTTPS on the site you are mapping (recommended for both the tool URL and the URLs in the sitemap).
  • Optional: Google Search Console access to submit the finished sitemap URL.

Installation on cPanel / Linux hosting

  1. Download the product archive from your purchase or trial email, or from the link on the product page.
  2. In cPanel, open File Manager and go to your domain’s document root (commonly public_html). Alternatively connect with your FTP client to the same location.
  3. Create a folder for the app if you want it isolated (for example public_html/sitemap-tool/) or unpack into the root if your package is designed that way—follow any folder layout supplied with your download.
  4. Upload the ZIP (or extracted files). If you upload a ZIP, use File Manager Extract in place.
  5. Set permissions: directories are often 755; PHP files 644. If the installer or docs ask for a writable directory for cache, logs, or generated sitemap.xml, set that folder to 755 or 775 only if your host recommends group-writable deploys (never use 777 unless the host explicitly requires it).
  6. Open the setup or install URL in your browser (for example https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-tool/install.php—use the path your package documents). Complete the wizard: database credentials if required, licence key, and your site’s canonical base URL.
  7. After a successful install, delete or rename install scripts if your package tells you to, so they cannot be run again from the web.

First-time configuration

  1. Site URL: Enter the homepage URL exactly as it should appear to search engines (choose either www or non-www and stay consistent).
  2. Crawl scope: Set maximum depth and path include/exclude rules. Narrower scope usually means faster, more predictable crawls on shared hosting.
  3. Respect robots.txt: Keep this enabled unless you have a deliberate reason to override—listing URLs that robots.txt blocks can confuse your own process even if you export them.
  4. Output path: Confirm where the app writes sitemap.xml (or a sitemap index). It must sit under a URL you will submit in Search Console.
  5. PHP limits: If crawls stop with timeout errors, raise max_execution_time and memory_limit in Select PHP Version → Options (or MultiPHP INI Editor) in cPanel, within your host’s allowed maximum.

How to use — daily workflow

1. Run a crawl

Log into the admin or generator screen in your browser (bookmark the HTTPS URL). Start a full or incremental crawl from your saved site profile. On shared hosting, run large crawls at quieter times if your host is strict about CPU time.

2. Filter and exclude

Use exclude rules for patterns such as tracking query strings, faceted navigation, admin paths, and duplicate content URLs. Re-crawl after changing rules.

3. Preview and validate

Review the URL list and any validation messages. Fix obvious redirect loops or excluded sections in your CMS before regenerating.

4. Publish sitemap.xml

Write or copy the generated file into your document root (or confirm the app already outputs to the correct path). Ensure the file is world-readable (644) and reachable over HTTPS.

5. Submit to Google Search Console

In Search Console → Sitemaps, submit the public URL (for example https://example.com/sitemap.xml). Add a Sitemap: line in robots.txt pointing to the same URL if you maintain robots.txt manually.

Optional: scheduled regeneration (cron)

If your package supports a secret URL or CLI command for unattended runs, add a cPanel Cron Job (for example nightly wget -q -O - https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-tool/cron.php?key=... or php /home/user/public_html/sitemap-tool/cron.php). Use the exact command from your product readme so authentication and load on the server stay safe.

Related guides

Support

If a step differs in your build, follow the readme inside your download first. Otherwise contact support with your PHP version (cPanel → Select PHP Version), hosting type, product version, and what you tried.

Frequently asked questions

Does Sitemap Generator Pro run on shared cPanel hosting?

Yes. It is PHP software you install on your own Linux hosting (including typical shared cPanel accounts). You manage crawls and exports from a browser; generated files stay on your server.

Where should sitemap.xml be stored on the server?

Usually in your site document root (often public_html) so it is reachable at https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml, or another path you declare consistently in robots.txt and Google Search Console.

How do I stop unwanted URLs appearing in the sitemap?

Use exclude rules for URL patterns, query parameters, and admin or duplicate paths. Re-run the crawl after changing rules and verify the preview before writing the XML file.

The crawl is slow, times out, or stops early—what should I check?

Ask your host to raise PHP max_execution_time and memory_limit if needed, reduce crawl depth or concurrency in the tool, exclude heavy URL patterns, and confirm the start URL uses the canonical HTTPS hostname you want indexed.

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