Short answer
To speed up indexing of your updates, implement the IndexNow protocol on your site. This sends an instant ping to Bing and other participating search engines whenever you publish or change a page, instead of waiting for crawlers to rediscover it. For manual control, use Bing Webmaster Tools' URL submission feature. This guide covers the exact steps, best practices, and limitations. Always verify current details with official Bing documentation because procedures and limits change.
What Is IndexNow and Why Use It
IndexNow is an open protocol that lets website owners instantly notify search engines about new or updated URLs. Instead of waiting for crawl cycles, you send a simple HTTP request. Bing and other engines support IndexNow, making it a multi-platform solution. It reduces the time between content changes and indexing and lessens server load from frequent crawls. However, IndexNow does not guarantee indexing; search engines still apply their own quality criteria.
- Faster discovery of new or updated pages.
- Reduces crawl demand on your server.
- Works alongside, not instead of, XML sitemaps.
- Participation is voluntary for search engines.
Set Up IndexNow on Your Website
First, generate a unique key (a GUID-like string) and place it in a text file at the root of your domain, for example https://example.com/your-key.txt. Then you can ping the IndexNow API directly from your backend or use a plugin that automates pings. A basic ping is an HTTP GET like: https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow?url=https://example.com/page&key=your-key. You can submit one URL or a batch, but fewer than 10,000 URLs per request is typical; verify current limits. Always test with a single URL before scaling.
- Create a key file at your domain root and keep it accessible.
- Choose API integration or a plugin (many CMSs have options).
- Send pings only when content changes, not on every view.
- Confirm your URL is reachable and not blocked by robots.txt.
Submit URLs in Bing Webmaster Tools
After verifying your site in Bing Webmaster Tools, you can manually submit URLs. This is useful for important pages like new products or articles. However, there are limits on how many URLs you can submit per day. Check the Bing Webmaster Tools interface for current limits. Manual submission is not efficient for ongoing updates; IndexNow is better for automation. Use Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor indexing status and diagnose issues.
- Verify site ownership first.
- Use 'URL Submission' under Sitemaps or 'Submit URLs' feature.
- Focus on high-value pages for manual submission.
- Combine with IndexNow for frequent changes.
Monitor Indexing in Bing Webmaster Tools
After pinging or manual submission, use the 'URL Inspection' tool in Bing Webmaster Tools to see if a page is indexed. It shows the last crawl date and any crawl errors. If a page isn't indexed, you can request indexing again, but don't overdo it. Also review index coverage reports to spot patterns: which pages get indexed quickly and which don't. This helps you adjust your content update strategy.
- Check individual URLs with URL Inspection.
- Review crawl errors and robots.txt exclusions.
- Track index coverage over time via reports.
- Use insights to prioritize changes.
Best Practices and Caveats
IndexNow is powerful but not a guarantee of indexing. Search engines assess content quality and relevance. Ping only meaningful changes; sending pings for trivial edits might be seen as spam. Keep your robots.txt open to allow crawlers. Ensure your site uses HTTPS and has a valid XML sitemap. Also, remember that IndexNow is not a replacement for good content. Use it as part of a solid SEO foundation. Always verify current specifications on the official IndexNow site.
- Ping for substantial updates, not minor tweaks.
- Maintain open access for both Bingbot and other crawlers.
- Combine IndexNow with XML sitemaps for broader discovery.
- Check official documentation for protocol changes.
What to verify
- IndexNow protocol usage and Bing Webmaster Tools features may change; always refer to official Bing documentation.
- IndexNow does not guarantee indexing; search engines use their own algorithms and quality standards.
- The cited sources provide general guidance, but specific implementation details may require checking current official documentation.
Questions and answers
Does IndexNow work for Google?
No, Google does not support IndexNow. It works with Bing and other participating engines. For Google, use its own URL inspection tool or sitemaps to request indexing. [3]
How often can I ping IndexNow?
There are no published rate limits, but best practice is to ping only when content actually changes. Excessive pings may be treated as spam and could slow down crawling. Check official guidelines for any recent changes.
Is IndexNow a replacement for XML sitemaps?
No. Sitemaps help search engines discover all your pages, while IndexNow sends instant notifications. Use both together for comprehensive coverage. [3]
Sources and verification date
- Official source: developers.google.comdevelopers.google.com · Checked
- Official source: nist.govnist.gov · Checked
- Official source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eudigital-strategy.ec.europa.eu · Checked