What is IndexNow, and which search engines support it?

What is IndexNow?

IndexNow is a protocol designed to allow website owners to instantly inform search engines and web crawlers about the latest content changes on their website. In its simplest form, it functions as a direct notification, or "ping," to search engines, indicating that a specific URL and its content have been added, updated, or deleted.

This immediate communication helps search engines quickly reflect these changes in their search results. Without IndexNow, it can take days to weeks for search engines to discover content changes, as they do not crawl every URL frequently. With IndexNow, search engines know immediately which URLs have changed, helping them prioritize crawling for these specific URLs and limiting organic crawling to discover new content.

Which search engines support IndexNow?

IndexNow is supported by several search engines, including Microsoft Bing, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yandex, and Yep. The protocol is offered under the terms of the Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons License.

A key feature of IndexNow is that search engines adopting the protocol agree that submitted URLs will be automatically shared with all other participating search engines. This means a single submission can notify multiple search providers.

How does IndexNow work?

IndexNow works by sending an HTTP request to a search engine's specific IndexNow endpoint. This request includes the URL that has changed and a unique key. The key serves to prove ownership of the host for which URLs are being submitted.

To establish ownership, you must host at least one text file containing your key within the host. This file, named `{your-key}.txt`, should list the key and be placed in the root directory of your website. While other publicly accessible folders on the same host are possible, placing the key file at the root directory of your web server is strongly recommended. The key itself must be a hexadecimal string with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 128 characters. All URLs submitted must be encoded following RFC-3986 standards.

How do you set up IndexNow?

To get started with IndexNow, first check whether your Content Management System (CMS), hosting provider, or SEO plugin already supports it, as this can simplify the setup process. If not, you can implement it manually.

If your IndexNow key file is uploaded but not verifying, it usually means the file isn't named, placed, or accessible correctly. Ensure the file is named `{your-key}.txt`, contains only your key, and is in the root directory or a publicly accessible folder.

1. 01Generate a unique key, which must be a hexadecimal string between 8 and 128 characters long.
2. 02Create a UTF-8 encoded text file named `{your-key}.txt` (replacing `{your-key}` with your actual key). This file should contain only your key.
3. 03Host this key file in the root directory of your website, or any other publicly accessible folder on the same host.
4. 04Submit your URLs using an HTTP request. For a single URL, issue a GET request to the search engine's IndexNow endpoint, including the changed URL and your key. For bulk submissions of up to 10,000 URLs, use an HTTP POST request.
5. 05Monitor the response: a successful request will return an HTTP 200 response code; if you receive a different response, verify that you are not submitting too often, and that your key and URLs are valid before resubmitting.

When should you use IndexNow?

You should use IndexNow to notify search engines immediately whenever content on your website is added, updated, or deleted. This ensures that search engines are aware of the latest version of your content as soon as possible. By sending a notification each time a change occurs, you help search engines keep their index current and accurate.

What are the benefits of using IndexNow?

The primary benefit of IndexNow is the speed at which search engines discover content changes. Without IndexNow, it can take days to weeks for search engines to find out that content has changed, as they do not crawl every URL frequently.

With IndexNow, search engines are immediately informed about changed URLs. This helps them prioritize crawling these specific URLs, thereby limiting the need for extensive organic crawling to discover new content. This efficiency allows search results to reflect the latest version of your website's content more quickly.

What are the limitations of IndexNow?

While IndexNow provides an efficient way to alert search engines about content changes, it is important to understand its limitations. Submitting a URL with IndexNow notifies search engines that content has changed, but it does not guarantee that the content will be indexed. IndexNow is a signal for discovery, not a directive for indexing.

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