IndexNow — quick URL submission for indexing

What Is IndexNow

IndexNow is an open protocol that allows website owners to instantly notify search engines about changes on their website: the appearance of new pages, updates, or deletion of old ones.
Instead of waiting for search engine bots to discover changes through crawling, you “push” URLs directly using our service — this speeds up indexing and makes interaction with search engines more efficient.

How IndexNow Works

1. Key Generation
   You create a unique API key (for example, via Bing) and place it as a .txt text file in the root directory of your website.
2. Sending Notifications
   When a page changes (added, edited, or deleted), the website sends an HTTP request (ping) to the IndexNow endpoint of the search engine (for example, https://www.bing.com/indexnow) with the following parameters: URL, key, and key location.
3. Bulk URL Submission
   You can submit up to 10,000 URLs per request.
4. Validation and Distribution
   The search engine validates the key and, if correct, processes the list of URLs. Then, thanks to the IndexNow ecosystem, information about changed pages may be distributed to other search engines that support the protocol.
5. Indexing
   After receiving the notification, search engines crawl the specified URLs and decide whether to index them.

Which Search Engines Support IndexNow

Currently, the protocol is supported by search engines such as Bing.
Other search engines may also join the protocol since it is open.

Benefits of Using IndexNow

• Faster indexing: notifications are sent immediately after changes, significantly reducing the time required for pages to be re-crawled.
• Resource efficiency: only changed URLs are sent, not the entire website — this reduces server load and minimizes inefficient crawling.
• Indexing control: you decide which URLs to submit instead of relying solely on crawling cycles.
• CMS compatibility: plugins are available for popular systems (for example, WordPress) that automatically send notifications when content is published or updated.
• Traffic growth: updated pages get indexed faster, which can lead to increased organic traffic — especially important for eCommerce websites, news sites, and blogs.

Limitations and Considerations

• No guarantee of instant indexing: although the notification is sent quickly, the final indexing decision is made by the search engine.
• Key requirements: the key must be between 8 and 128 characters, contain allowed characters (Latin letters, numbers, hyphens), and be placed correctly.
• Submission frequency: although there is no strict limit, you should avoid excessive requests — a reasonable frequency ensures stable performance.
• Does not replace traditional crawling: crawling is still required, especially for deep links, structured data, and content not submitted via IndexNow.
• Configuration errors: 403 errors may occur if the key file is not found or the path is specified incorrectly.

How to Start Using IndexNow on Your Website

1. Generate an API key (for example, via Bing Webmaster Tools).
2. Create a .txt file containing the key and place it in the website’s root directory (or another folder if the key is stored there).
3. Implement notification (ping) sending when content changes — manually or via a CMS plugin.
4. For bulk changes (for example, catalog updates), collect a list of URLs and submit them in batches (up to 10,000 at a time).
5. Monitor performance using webmaster tools (Bing Webmaster Tools, Yandex.Webmaster) — check submission statuses, errors, or successful response codes.
6. Analyze results: track how quickly new or updated pages appear in search results and adjust your submission strategy accordingly.

Who Benefits Most from IndexNow

• eCommerce websites — quickly notify search engines about new products, product updates, or availability changes.
• Blogs and news websites — new content can be indexed much faster.
• Websites with a large number of frequently updated pages — reduced resource usage and improved efficiency.
• SEO specialists and developers — the ability to manually control which pages should be “pushed” for re-crawling.

Frequently Asked Questions About IndexNow

1. What is IndexNow?

IndexNow is a protocol that allows instant notification of search engines about website changes: page additions, updates, or deletions.

2. Which search engines support IndexNow?

Currently, IndexNow is supported by Bing. Other search engines may also join since the protocol is open.

3. Why use IndexNow if traditional crawling exists?

Traditional crawling is slower. IndexNow speeds up indexing and reduces server load by ensuring that search engines crawl only changed pages.

4. Does IndexNow guarantee instant indexing?

No. It only guarantees message delivery to the search engine. The indexing decision is made by the search engine itself.

5. Can multiple URLs be submitted at once?

Yes, IndexNow supports bulk submissions — up to 10,000 URLs per single request.

6. How do I create an IndexNow key?

The API key is generated via services such as Bing Webmaster Tools and then placed in a .txt file in the website’s root directory.

7. Do I need to configure IndexNow manually?

Not necessarily. CMS platforms (WordPress, OpenCart, etc.) have plugins that automatically submit URLs when changes occur.

8. What should I do if a search engine does not accept the key?

Make sure the key file is located at the correct path, has the correct filename, is accessible via HTTP, and contains the same key used in the request.

9. Can IndexNow be used for eCommerce websites?

Yes, this is one of the best use cases. New products, price updates, or availability changes will reach search engine indexes faster.

10. Are there limits on URL submission frequency?

There are no strict limits, but it is recommended to submit notifications only when real changes occur to avoid errors and excessive requests.