IndexNow is a protocol that allows websites to instantly notify participating search engines about content changes (additions, updates, deletions), aiming to speed up indexing. However, it has important limitations and misconceptions regarding what it can and cannot do.
What IndexNow Can Do:
- Instant Notification: It enables websites to push URLs of changed content directly to search engines, reducing the time between content update and search engine awareness from weeks to hours in some cases.
- Reduce Redundant Crawling: By signaling only changed URLs, it helps search engines avoid unnecessary crawling of unchanged pages, potentially saving bandwidth and resources.
- Support Bulk Submissions: Websites can submit up to 10,000 URLs per request, facilitating efficient notification for large sites.
- Improve Indexing Speed on Participating Engines: For search engines that support IndexNow (notably Bing, Yandex, Seznam), it can accelerate indexing and crawling of new or updated pages.
- Free and Easy to Implement: It is an open-source, cost-free protocol that can be integrated via plugins, CMS, or manual API calls.
What IndexNow Cannot Do:
- Guarantee Indexing: Sending a notification does not guarantee that a search engine will crawl or index the page. Search engines may ignore signals based on their own algorithms or policies.
- Replace Traditional SEO Practices: Internal linking, sitemap submission, and other SEO fundamentals remain essential. IndexNow only gets crawlers to the page faster but does not replace site structure or discovery mechanisms.
- Work Without Search Engine Support: Its effectiveness depends entirely on which search engines adopt and properly handle the protocol. Google, which controls over 90% of global search traffic, currently does not support IndexNow, limiting its impact for many sites.
- Provide Detailed Feedback: After submission, websites receive only basic HTTP response codes (e.g., 200 accepted, 400 error) with no detailed reporting on whether pages were indexed or crawled.
- Bypass Technical and Usage Limits: There are limits on submission frequency, requirements for API key authentication, and compatibility issues with some CMSs. Also, improper URL submissions (e.g., staging or noindex pages) can cause errors or inefficiencies.
Common Misconceptions:
- IndexNow instantly indexes all submitted pages: It only notifies search engines; actual crawling and indexing depend on the search engine’s discretion.
- IndexNow replaces sitemaps and internal linking: It complements but does not replace these SEO essentials.
- IndexNow works equally well for all search engines: Currently, it is supported mainly by Bing, Yandex, and Seznam, but not by Google.
- No need to monitor submissions: Because there is no detailed feedback, ongoing monitoring via other tools (e.g., Bing Webmaster Tools, Google Search Console) is necessary to ensure pages are indexed properly.
Summary Table
| What IndexNow Can Do | What IndexNow Cannot Do |
|---|---|
| Instantly notify search engines of changes | Guarantee crawling or indexing |
| Reduce redundant crawling on supported engines | Replace internal linking or sitemap usage |
| Support bulk URL submissions (up to 10,000) | Work effectively without Google support |
| Free and easy to implement | Provide detailed indexing feedback |
| Help speed up indexing on Bing, Yandex, Seznam | Bypass submission limits or technical issues |
In essence, IndexNow is a valuable tool for speeding up indexing on supported search engines but should be used alongside traditional SEO practices and with realistic expectations about its limitations and current search engine adoption.
