SEO Technical: IndexNow

Guides IndexNow protocol integration for faster search engine indexing (primarily Bing).

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Scope (Technical SEO)

• IndexNow: Submit URLs to Bing/Yandex for faster indexing
• URL notification: Notify search engines of new or updated URLs

Initial Assessment

Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for site URL.

Identify:

1. Site URL: Base domain
2. URL source: Config file, sitemap, CMS, etc.
3. Deployment: CI/CD, manual, or both

Overview

IndexNow notifies search engines (mainly Bing) of new or updated URLs to speed up indexing.

Implementation Steps

1. API Key and Verification

• Generate API key (e.g., UUID)
• Create verification file: https://example.com/{key}.txt
• File content: the API key string
• Configure key and URL in your IndexNow client

2. Submission Methods

| Method | When to use | |--------|-------------| | Single URL | New or updated page | | Batch | Many URLs at once (e.g., after deploy) | | Relative paths | Convert to full URLs before submitting |

3. Best Practices

| Practice | Note | |----------|------| | When to submit | New pages, major content updates, meta changes | | When not to | Minor edits; let natural crawling handle | | Frequency | Once per deploy; avoid excessive submissions | | Priority | Submit high-value commercial pages first |

4. CI/CD Integration

npm run build
npm run indexnow:all

5. Single Source of Truth (URL List)

• Use same config as sitemap: Import URL list from central config (e.g., site-pages-config.ts) or sitemap generation logic.
• Avoid: Separate hardcoded URL lists for IndexNow—leads to inconsistency and missed URLs.
• Feed: If you have RSS/feed, it can also consume from the same config to stay in sync.

Supported Search Engines

• Bing: Primary support
• Yandex: Supports IndexNow
• Google: Does not use IndexNow; use Sitemap + Search Console

Verification

• Check Bing Webmaster Tools for indexing status
• Monitor submission logs for errors

Common Issues

| Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | Domain verification fails | Ensure URL uses correct domain | | API key error | Verify key and verification file match | | Network errors | Retry; API can be intermittent |

Output Format

• Setup steps: Key generation, verification file
• Submission flow: Single vs. batch
• Integration: CI/CD or manual script
• References: IndexNow docs

Related Skills

• xml-sitemap: Share same URL list from central config
• indexing: Broader indexing strategy