Google's time to index

My Google Sitemap submission was accepted but I can't find (all) my Web pages with a site:example.com search. Why doesn't Google index my Web site (completely)?

Google Sitemaps KB · Index · Expand · Web Feed

Google Sitemaps Stylesheets make XML Sitemaps human readable

Google doesn't index all pages from a Sitemap

The most common misunderstanding of the Google Sitemaps program is, that a successful download of a sitemap leads to instant indexing. Although exactly that happens with Web sites in good standing, in many cases a sitemap submission alone will not result in (more) indexed Web pages. To understand why Google doesn't owe sitemap submitters unverified instant listings (of possible bulk junk), please read these quotes from the Google Sitemaps Homepage:

...Google Sitemaps is an experiment in web crawling. By using Sitemaps to inform and direct our crawlers, we hope to expand our coverage of the web and speed up the discovery and addition of pages to our index...
...A Sitemap provides an additional view into your site (just as your home page and HTML site map do). This program does not replace our normal methods of crawling the web...
...A Sitemap simply gives Google additional information that we may not otherwise discover...
...This is a beta program, so we cannot make any predictions or guarantees about when or if your URLs will be crawled or added to our index. Over time, we expect both coverage and time-to-index to improve as we refine our processes and better understand webmasters' needs... [cited 2005-12-19]

It helps to refine your expectations back to the reality outlined above. A Google Sitemap is not a free ticket to the search index. Every URL submitted via XML sitemap has to pass the same quality checks as every URL found in links on the Web. All URLs Google knows about are treated equally.

The Google Sitemaps program is based on a revolutionary concept (for a major search engine), but didn't yet unfold its pioneering approach completely. However, it has helped many many Web sites to gain greatly improved search engine visibility. It is a good idea to provide Google with sitemaps, but don't rely on your sitemaps alone, because such a single-edge approach will not work.

About Google Sitemaps
Program description and goals from the Google Sitemaps (BETA) Help pages.
The anatomy of a Google Sitemap submission
Step by step: submission, crawling, indexing, ranking, time table.
When Google doesn't index all pages from a Sitemap...
Outlines a concept to enhance crawling and indexing of poorly performing Web pages, and provides more links related to this topic.
How long does it take to get indexed by Google
Explains the prerequisites w.r.t. crawling and indexing, and which factors have impact on the time to index.
About Google's probation period
Explains why not all (new) sites can gain instant search results.
How to make a crawler friendly Web site
Explains what a Webmaster can to to enhance crawl-ability.
How to get trusted links
Trusted links from reputable authority sites are the key to Google's search index.
Web links on link building
Outstanding original content attracts natural inbound links, which do boost rankings. Google outsmarts link spamming, but there are additional ways to round off the natural mixture of related inbound links, without bought links and participation in artificial link schemes.
Improving your site's indexing and ranking
Vanessa Fox from Google explains the prerequisites to indexing and ranking at Google.