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IndexNow is a free, open protocol that lets your site tell Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam, Yep and Amazon the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted — one ping reaches them all, and Google is the one engine that does not participate.
- Push beats pull: engines learn about changes in seconds instead of on their next crawl.
- Scale is real: Microsoft reported 1.4 billion URLs submitted daily and 17% of newly clicked URLs in Bing arriving via IndexNow.
- Setup on WordPress is one plugin; the key file is generated and hosted for you.
- It is a notification, not a guarantee: a thin page pinged a hundred times is still a thin page.
- Because Bing’s index feeds Copilot and much of ChatGPT search, faster in Bing can mean faster in AI answers.
IndexNow is a free, open protocol that lets your site tell search engines the moment a URL is added, updated or deleted — instead of waiting for them to notice on their next crawl.
One ping reaches every participating engine: Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yep and Amazon share submissions with each other.
Google does not use IndexNow. For Google you still rely on your sitemap, internal links and Search Console. IndexNow is a fast lane for everything else — including Bing, whose index feeds Microsoft Copilot.
How IndexNow works
Who uses it (and who doesn’t)
Set it up in 5 minutes
Rules that keep you out of trouble
FAQ
How IndexNow works — push instead of pull
Classic crawling is pull: a search engine visits your site on its own schedule and discovers changes eventually. IndexNow flips that to push: when you publish or update a page, your site sends a tiny notification containing the URL and a key that proves you own the site.
Wait to be noticed
What happens: engines find changes on their next crawl — hours, days or weeks later, depending on how often they visit.
Tell them instantly
What happens: the engine learns about the change within seconds and can prioritise a crawl. One submission is shared with all participants.
Important nuance: IndexNow is a notification, not a guarantee. It gets your URL in front of the crawler fast; whether the page is indexed still depends on quality — exactly as with Google. A thin page pinged a hundred times is still a thin page.
Who uses IndexNow — and who doesn’t
- Participating: Microsoft Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yep and Amazon (IndexNow FAQ); by 2023 over 60 million websites were using the protocol (Wikipedia). Submit to any one endpoint and the URL is shared with the others.
- Not participating: Google. Google tested the protocol years ago but still relies on its own crawling, sitemaps and Search Console. Don’t let anyone tell you IndexNow speeds up Google indexing.
- Why it still matters in 2026: Bing’s index powers Bing search and Microsoft Copilot, and it’s one of the web indexes AI assistants draw on. Faster in Bing can mean faster in AI answers — see how to get cited in AI search.
| IndexNow | Google Indexing API | Sitemap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engines | Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam, Yep, Amazon | Google only | All |
| Allowed content | Any page | Job postings & livestreams only | Any page |
| Speed | Seconds to notify | Fast, but restricted | Next crawl |
| Risk | None when used as intended | Spam warning on misuse | None |
Set up IndexNow in 5 minutes
On WordPress (easiest)
- Official plugin: install IndexNow (by Microsoft Bing) from Plugins → Add New. It generates the key, hosts the key file and automatically submits every new, updated or deleted post. That’s what this site uses.
- Or your SEO plugin: Rank Math (Instant Indexing module), All in One SEO and Yoast SEO Premium include IndexNow support. Use one method, not several, to avoid duplicate pings.
- On Cloudflare? Its Crawler Hints feature can send IndexNow signals for you.
Any other site (manual)
- Create a key of 8–128 characters (letters, numbers, hyphens).
- Host it as a text file named {your-key}.txt in your site root, containing the key.
- Submit changed URLs to api.indexnow.org/indexnow — one URL via a GET request, or up to 10,000 URLs in a single JSON POST.
Add your site to Bing Webmaster Tools. Its IndexNow section shows which URLs were received and when — the fastest way to confirm your setup is live.
Rules that keep you out of trouble
- Only submit real changes. New pages, meaningful updates and deletions. Re-pinging unchanged URLs wastes your quota and signals nothing.
- Keep the key file reachable. If a security plugin or firewall blocks it, every submission fails verification.
- Don’t replace the basics. IndexNow complements your XML sitemap and internal links — it doesn’t replace them. Bing still uses both.
- Deleted a page? Submit it too, so engines drop it faster instead of showing a dead result.
IndexNow is the rare SEO tactic that’s free, official and zero-risk. Turn it on and forget it. Just don’t confuse it with Google: for Google, the path is still allowed → reachable → worth keeping.
FAQ
Does IndexNow work for Google?
No. Google does not participate in IndexNow. For Google, use an XML sitemap, strong internal links and — sparingly — URL Inspection’s “Request indexing” in Search Console.
Is IndexNow free?
Yes. The protocol is open and free. The official WordPress plugin is free, and submitting URLs to the API costs nothing.
How fast does Bing index a page after an IndexNow ping?
Bing usually receives the notification within seconds and can crawl soon after, but there’s no guaranteed timeframe. Whether it indexes the page still depends on the page’s quality and your site’s trust.
Can IndexNow hurt my site?
Not when used as intended. Submitting only new, updated or deleted URLs is exactly what it’s for. The only “risk” is wasted effort from spamming unchanged URLs.
Do I need IndexNow if I already have a sitemap?
You don’t need it, but it helps. A sitemap waits to be read; IndexNow announces changes immediately. Use both.
Which engines share IndexNow submissions?
Submitting to any participating endpoint shares the URL with all others: Microsoft Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam.cz, Yep and Amazon, per the IndexNow FAQ.
How many URLs can I submit via IndexNow?
Up to 10,000 URLs per POST request; the engines set their own daily thresholds. Normal sites never get near the limits.