Glossary
What is IndexNow?
IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website notify search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting to be crawled. Microsoft Bing and Yandex launched it in 2021; Seznam, Naver and Yep also take part. Google doesn't. One submission is shared with all participating engines.
How it works
- Generate a key and host it as a text file at your site root (for example
/abc123.txt) to prove ownership. - When URLs change, send them in an HTTP POST to
api.indexnow.org(or any participating engine), with your host, key and key location. Up to 10,000 URLs per request. - Participating engines share submissions, so one ping reaches all of them.
A 200 or 202 response means the submission was received; crawling still follows.
IndexNow vs sitemaps
| Sitemap | IndexNow | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Engines pull on their schedule | You push on change |
| Yes | No | |
| Speed | Hours to weeks | Often minutes to days on Bing |
Use both. Many CMS platforms and CDNs, including Cloudflare's Crawler Hints, can send IndexNow pings automatically.
Why Bing matters beyond Bing
Bing's index powers several other search and AI products, so faster Bing indexing can help visibility beyond bing.com.
Example
After publishing 373 new pages, we sent them in one IndexNow request; Bing Webmaster Tools listed all 373 as received the same day.
FAQ
Does Google support IndexNow?
No. Google hasn't adopted it; use sitemaps and Search Console for Google.
Is IndexNow free?
Yes. It's an open protocol.
How often can I submit?
Whenever content changes. Don't resubmit unchanged URLs repeatedly.