What Is IndexNow and How It Works
IndexNow is a protocol that allows you to instantly notify search engines (Bing, Naver, Yandex, etc.) about added, updated, or deleted pages.
Instead of waiting for bots to crawl your site:
This is especially important for new and frequently updated websites.
The IndexNow URL submission service helps speed up how search engines discover changes on your site. It does not replace traditional SEO, but significantly accelerates indexing of new and updated pages when used correctly.
Quick Start
Enter your IndexNow API key
Add a list of URLs (one per line) or a link to an XML sitemap
Click “Submit”
Check the submission status (success / errors)
You can submit both individual pages and bulk URL lists.
IndexNow API Key: What It Is and How to Use It
An API key is a unique identifier that confirms you are the owner of the website and have permission to submit URLs for indexing.
How the API Key Works
When submitting URLs:
the key is sent with the request
the search engine verifies that the key belongs to the domain
if valid — the URL is accepted
This prevents unauthorized submissions for other websites.
How to Create an API Key
Generate a random string (e.g., UUID)
Create a file named after the key
Place the file in the root directory of your website
Example:
https://example.com/your-key.txt
The filename and its content must match exactly.
IndexNow Limitations
does not guarantee indexing
depends on page quality
up to 10,000 URLs per request
not supported by all search engines
Search Engines and IndexNow
Google does not support the IndexNow protocol.
Common Mistakes
Missing API key or incorrect configuration
Submitting all site URLs in bulk: it’s better to send only new or updated pages
Re-submitting URLs without changes
Submitting low-quality pages