Does Google support IndexNow?

Google does not operate IndexNow the same way Bing and other partners do. Do not rely on IndexNow alone for Google discovery. Use Search Console, sitemaps, links, and quality content as your Google foundation.

The protocol itself is free to implement. Hosting a key file and sending HTTP requests has negligible cost. Third-party tools may charge for managed submission and reporting.

Should I still use a sitemap if I use IndexNow?

Yes. Sitemaps remain important for broad discovery and inventory. IndexNow is best for timely change notifications.

Education

What is IndexNow? A clear guide for SEOs

Last updated: June 10, 2026. About 7 min read

IndexNow is an open protocol that lets websites notify participating search engines when URLs are added, updated, or deleted, so crawlers can learn about changes sooner instead of waiting for a routine crawl.

If you publish often or run a large site, IndexNow reduces the lag between “we shipped it” and “engines know it exists.” It is not magic ranking juice. It is a discovery signal.

Which search engines support IndexNow?

Support has included (among others):

Microsoft Bing
Yandex
Seznam.cz
Naver
Additional partners that adopt the shared endpoint model

When you ping one supporting endpoint correctly, other participants can receive the same URL change notification. Always check current official documentation for the latest participant list.

How IndexNow works

You generate an API key and host a key file on your domain.
When content changes, you send an HTTP request with the key and one or more URLs.
Participating engines receive the notification and may prioritize crawling those URLs.

Engines still choose whether and when to crawl or index. IndexNow improves the odds of timely discovery; it does not guarantee inclusion.

Simple request example

POST https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "host": "www.example.com",
  "key": "your-indexnow-key",
  "keyLocation": "https://www.example.com/your-indexnow-key.txt",
  "urlList": [
    "https://www.example.com/new-page",
    "https://www.example.com/updated-guide"
  ]
}

Exact endpoints and payload fields can vary slightly by implementation. Validate against the official IndexNow specification before production use.

Benefits of IndexNow

Faster change awareness for Bing and other participants
Efficient for large sites that update thousands of URLs
Works well with automation (CMS hooks, deploy pipelines, indexing APIs)
Complements sitemaps rather than replacing them

Limitations (including Google)

Google does not fully support IndexNow as a primary submission channel the way Bing does. For Google, you still rely on:

Crawlable architecture and internal links
XML sitemaps
Google Search Console URL Inspection / sitemap reports
Overall site quality and demand

Other limits: over-notifying low-value URLs wastes crawl attention; key misconfiguration fails silently; and notifications never override spam or quality filters.

How BestIndexingTool uses IndexNow

BestIndexingTool includes IndexNow support as part of a broader indexing tool feature set. When you submit URLs or backlinks, we can notify IndexNow-compatible engines and combine that with status tracking and reports so you see what was queued, not just hope a ping worked.

For Google-oriented workflows, pair our tool with solid GSC hygiene. Read how to index a website on Google for the full playbook, and compare options in our best backlink indexer 2026 guide.

Should you implement IndexNow yourself or use a tool?

DIY: Best if you have engineering time and a single large property
Managed tool: Best for agencies juggling many domains, backlinks, and client reports

Check a URL with our free index checker, then review pricing if you need bulk submission and tracking.