| Benefits | Drawbacks | |
|---|---|---|
| Indexing speed | Allows faster indexing, reducing the time between content updates and appearance in search results. | Limited to search engines that support IndexNow (e.g., Bing, Yandex), as Google has not fully adopted it. |
| Crawl efficiency | Reduces unnecessary crawls, saving server resources and bandwidth. | Search engines may deprioritize future requests if a site frequently submits unchanged URLs. |
| User experience | Indexes fresh content quickly, improving search result accuracy. | No direct impact on rankings—just faster content discovery. |
| Competitive edge | Helps new content gain visibility faster, especially in competitive niches. | Competitors using the same method can also benefit, reducing exclusivity. |
| Implementation | Some CMSs (e.g., WordPress with plugins) offer easy integration. | Requires manual setup for platforms without native support, involving API key generation and hosting a file. |
| Third-party dependence | Some plugins and CDNs (e.g., Cloudflare) simplify implementation. | Dependence on plugins can lead to potential compatibility or maintenance issues. |
IndexNow Review: How it Works, Benefits, and Best Alternatives
Getting your website’s content indexed quickly is key to staying visible in search results. Traditionally, search engines take time to crawl sites and find new or updated pages, but IndexNow helps websites notify search engines directly.
In this IndexNow review, we’ll explain how it works, its benefits and drawbacks, and whether it’s the right solution for you. We’ll also compare it to other indexing methods, including XML sitemaps, Google’s Indexing API, and automated tools like IndexGuru.
If you’re looking for faster indexing and better crawl efficiency, keep reading to see if IndexNow is the right fit for your website.
What is IndexNow?
IndexNow is an open-source protocol developed by Microsoft Bing and Yandex that helps website owners keep search engines informed about content changes.
In other words, it’s a tool that helps search engines find and update website content faster. Normally, search engines take time to check websites for new or updated pages.
Website owners can use IndexNow to send quick alerts to search engines like Bing and Yandex whenever something changes.
This gets your content into search results faster, increasing visibility while reducing unnecessary bot visits.
How IndexNow works
Search engines do two main things:
- Crawl: Bots scan websites to find new or updated pages.
- Index: Search engines store page details (content, media, tags, categories) in their database.
Traditionally, search engines pull updates by periodically crawling websites.
IndexNow shifts to a push model, where websites immediately notify search engines instantly when content changes. This speeds up indexing and reduces unnecessary crawling, easing server load.
The key features of this process are:
- Instant notification: When a website’s content is modified, IndexNow sends a ‘ping’ to search engines immediately.
- Shared notifications: Submitting a URL to one IndexNow-enabled search engine automatically notifies all participating search engines.
IndexNow benefits and drawbacks
IndexNow is a great option for website owners who want their content indexed faster. However, it has limitations, including search engine adoption (Google hasn’t fully implemented it) and potential setup complexities for platforms without built-in support.
The table below breaks down the key advantages and disadvantages of using IndexNow.
How to use IndexNow
It’s easy to implement IndexNow on most platforms. Below, we’ve outlined the different steps to implement IndexNow on your website, depending on the platform you use.
1. Check for built-in support
Many platforms already support IndexNow, making integration easy. These platforms have built-in support:
- WordPress: Install plugins like IndexNow Plugin, RankMath, or Yoast SEO.
- Cloudflare: Enable Crawler Hints in your Cloudflare settings.
- Other CMS or CDNs: Some platforms, like Duda and Wix, have IndexNow built in.
2. Manually implement IndexNow
If your platform doesn’t support IndexNow, follow these steps:
Generate an API key
Visit Bing’s website to create a unique key.
Host the API key
Save it in a text file (your-key.txt) and upload it to your website’s root directory (https://yourwebsite.com/your-key.txt).
Submit URLs to search engines
There are two ways to notify search engines of new or updated content:
- Single URL submission: Used when notifying about one page at a time.
Example: https://www.bing.com/indexnow?url=https://yourwebsite.com/new-page&key=your-key
This sends a simple ping to tell search engines the page has changed.
- Bulk URL submission: Used when notifying about multiple updated pages at once.
JSON Example:
{
"host": "yourwebsite.com",
"key": "your-key",
"urlList": [
"https://yourwebsite.com/new-page",
"https://yourwebsite.com/updated-page",
"https://yourwebsite.com/another-updated-page"
]
}
This method saves time when updating multiple pages.
3. Verify and monitor submissions
- Use Bing Webmaster Tools to confirm that URLs are being indexed.
- Check for errors in your implementation and resubmit URLs if needed.
6 alternatives to IndexNow
IndexNow isn’t the only way to get your pages discovered faster. Here are six solid alternatives—each with its own strengths, depending on your site’s setup and needs.
1. XML Sitemaps
An XML sitemap is like a roadmap for search engines, listing all the pages on your site so they can be crawled and indexed efficiently. Regularly updating and submitting your sitemap ensures search engines know about new or changed content.
- Why it’s a good alternative: It works with all search engines, is widely supported, and doesn’t require extra setup beyond creating and maintaining the file.
- Best for: Website owners who want a reliable, low-maintenance way to help search engines find their content.
2. Google Indexing API
Website owners can instantly notify Google about content updates with Google’s Indexing API, reducing the wait time for pages to appear in search results. However, it’s officially designed for specific content types, like job postings and live streams.
- Why it’s a good alternative: It’s the fastest way to get Google to recognize changes—if your site falls into the supported categories.
- Best for: News sites, job boards, or sites publishing time-sensitive content that qualifies for Google’s API.
3. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) with indexing features
Some CDNs, like Cloudflare, have built-in indexing tools like Crawler Hints. These automatically signal search engines when content changes, reducing the need for them to crawl your site blindly.
- Why it’s a good alternative: It helps search engines focus on what actually changed instead of re-crawling unchanged pages, improving efficiency.
- Best for: Websites using a CDN that want to optimize search engine crawling without additional manual work.
4. Third-party plugins and extensions
If you’re using a CMS like WordPress or Joomla!, SEO plugins can handle indexing for you.
WordPress
Plugins like Yoast SEO and RankMath manage sitemaps and integrate with indexing protocols.
Joomla!
Extensions like Aimy Sitemap and Aimy IndexNow automate sitemap updates and notifications.
- Why it’s a good alternative: Many SEO plugins include sitemap management and search engine notification features, reducing manual effort.
- Best for: CMS users who want a simple, plugin-based approach to keeping their content indexed.
5. Manual URL Submission
Most search engines offer webmaster tools where you can manually submit URLs for indexing. This makes sure that important updates are processed, though it requires extra effort.
- Why it’s a good alternative: It provides direct control over what gets indexed and when, without relying on automated processes.
- Best for: Smaller websites or businesses that update content occasionally and want to ensure key pages get indexed quickly.
6. IndexGuru
IndexGuru automates Google indexing by detecting unindexed pages and submitting them, reducing wait times by up to 75%—often getting content into search results within 24-48 hours. It supports bulk submissions (up to 200 URLs), offers analytics, and allows multiple domain management.
- Why it’s a good alternative: Saves time with automated indexing and speeds up Google’s response.
- Best for: SEO professionals, content creators, and webmasters managing multiple site, who are only interested in Google indexing.
Final thoughts on IndexNow
IndexNow is a solid option if you want search engines to pick up your content faster. Instead of waiting around for bots to crawl your site, you’re giving them a heads-up the moment something changes. That means quicker indexing and less strain on your server—pretty handy, right?
That said, Google still hasn’t fully adopted it, so if most of your traffic comes from there, IndexNow won’t be the best option. You’ll still need to rely on XML sitemaps, manual submissions, or Google’s Indexing API to make sure your content gets noticed.
Ultimately, IndexNow is a great tool to include in your SEO toolbox, but it’s not the only one you’ll need. If you’re targeting Bing and Yandex, it’s ideal. But for Google, you’ll want to pair it with other indexing strategies.
At the end of the day, the best approach is the one that keeps your content showing up exactly where—and when—you need it.