IndexNow: How a Site Tells Search Engines About New Pages Itself
What the IndexNow protocol is, which search engines support it, how the key in the site root works and why projects that want fast indexing need it.
IndexNow is an open protocol through which a site notifies search engines about new and changed pages itself, instead of waiting for a crawl. It is supported by Bing, Yandex, Naver, Seznam and others; one notification is delivered to all participants.
How it works
- The site owner creates a key, a random string, and places it in a
<key>.txtfile in the site root. That confirms the notifications come from the site itself. - After a page is published or changed, the site sends a request to
api.indexnow.orgwith the list of addresses and the key. - Search engines connected to IndexNow receive the signal and queue the pages for crawling within minutes.
What it gives
- New pages reach Bing and Yandex faster than through the sitemap.
- Updates, such as prices, are picked up immediately.
- No load on the site: the search engine crawls only what it was told about.
What IndexNow does not do
It does not guarantee indexing: the page must be reachable, of decent quality and not blocked from the index. Google does not use the protocol; for it the sitemap and Search Console remain.
On this site IndexNow fires with every publication of guides, zone pages and glossary entries.
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FAQ
Do all pages of a site need to be sent to IndexNow?
No, only new and changed ones. Mass submission of the same addresses does not speed up indexing and may be ignored.
Is the IndexNow key a secret?
No, by protocol it is public: the key file sits openly in the site root. It confirms the source of notifications rather than protecting data.
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1,500+ zones, WHOIS privacy on request, crypto payment and DNS management — all inside the Telegram bot.