What IndexNow means
Bing and several other search engines support IndexNow. Many CMSs and SEO plugins can send pings automatically. Google does not currently use it, so keep your XML sitemap up to date as well.
Why it matters for your website
IndexNow can get new or changed pages discovered faster by search engines that support it, such as Bing. That helps with time-sensitive updates like sales, events or new listings. Since Google does not currently use it, it complements but does not replace sitemaps.
Example
A used car dealer's site pings IndexNow each time a vehicle is added or sold, so supporting search engines see inventory changes quickly.
Tips
- Turn on IndexNow in your SEO plugin or CMS if it is supported.
- Keep your XML sitemap updated for Google.
- Ping only real changes, not every page on a schedule.
Common mistakes
- Assuming IndexNow gets pages into Google faster.
- Losing or exposing the wrong key file, so pings fail.
Questions about IndexNow
What is IndexNow?
A protocol that lets your site notify search engines as soon as a page is added, changed or removed.
Does Google support IndexNow?
Google does not currently use IndexNow. Keep an up-to-date sitemap and use Search Console for Google.
Does IndexNow guarantee my pages will be indexed?
No. It tells search engines a URL changed, but they still decide whether and when to crawl and index it.
