IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a website tell participating search engines immediately when a page is added, updated or deleted, instead of waiting for them to crawl it. It was launched in October 2021 by Microsoft Bing and Yandex and is supported by several search engines, but not by Google. For AI search it matters mainly because Bing’s index feeds Microsoft Copilot and is one of the sources other AI products draw on.
How IndexNow works
- You generate a key, a string of letters and numbers.
- You host a text file containing the key at the root of your site, which proves you control the domain.
- When a URL changes, your site sends a request to an IndexNow endpoint with the URL and your key. One request can include up to 10,000 URLs.
- Participating search engines share the notification with each other, so one submission reaches all of them.
The notification does not guarantee indexing. It tells the search engine a page is worth checking; the engine still decides whether and when to crawl it.
Who supports it
| Search engine | IndexNow | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Bing | Yes | Also feeds Microsoft Copilot |
| Yandex | Yes | Co-founder of the protocol |
| Seznam.cz | Yes | Czech search engine |
| Naver | Yes | South Korean search engine |
| No | Relies on crawling, sitemaps and its limited Indexing API |
What about Google?
Google has not adopted IndexNow. Its Indexing API accepts only pages with job posting or livestream video structured data, and Google warns against using it for other content. For Google, the reliable methods are an accurate XML sitemap with honest lastmod dates, internal links from pages Google already crawls often, and the URL Inspection tool in Search Console for a handful of important pages.
Why it matters for AI search
AI assistants that search the web can only cite what their index knows about. Copilot uses Bing. Other assistants use their own crawlers alongside third-party search sources. When you publish a correction, such as a new price, a fixed company description or an updated guide, faster indexing in Bing shortens the time during which AI answers may repeat the old version.
How to set it up on WordPress
- Microsoft publishes an official IndexNow plugin for WordPress that submits URLs automatically when posts change.
- Several SEO plugins include IndexNow support, so check your current plugin before adding another.
- Cloudflare can send IndexNow notifications through its Crawler Hints feature for sites on its network.
- Bing Webmaster Tools shows which URLs were received through IndexNow.
Use only one method at a time, so the same change is not submitted repeatedly.
Frequently asked questions
Is IndexNow worth it if Google does not use it?
Yes, for most sites. Setup takes minutes, and Bing’s reach through Copilot and other products makes faster Bing indexing useful for AI visibility.
Should I submit every page every day?
No. Submit a URL when its content changes. Repeatedly submitting unchanged URLs wastes the signal and can be treated as noise.