The location and naming of a sitemap file are important to consider when creating and submitting a sitemap. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
Location: The sitemap file should be located in the root directory of your website, i.e., the same directory where your homepage is located. For example, if your homepage is at https://www.example.com, then the sitemap should be located at https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml.
Naming: The sitemap file should be named sitemap.xml for consistency and to make it easily recognizable by search engines. If you have multiple sitemaps, you can add a number or letter to distinguish each file, e.g., sitemap1.xml, sitemap2.xml, etc.
Format: The sitemap file should be in XML format, and it should conform to the sitemap protocol defined by the Sitemaps.org organization.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your sitemap is easily accessible and understandable to search engines, and that it provides the information needed for them to effectively crawl and index your website.