IndexNow

Instantly notify search engines about content changes using IndexNow integration

IndexNow is a protocol that lets website owners push notifications directly to search engines when content changes. Instead of waiting for search engines to discover updates on their own, IndexNow ensures new or updated pages are indexed in minutes rather than days.

KopplaHQ's SEO Manager integrates IndexNow to help maintain a real-time presence on supported search engines.

Supported Search Engines

IndexNow is currently supported by:

Microsoft Bing
Yandex
Seznam.cz
Naver

Google does not currently support IndexNow. For Google indexing, use the Sitemaps and URL Inspector tabs within the SEO Manager.

Setting Up IndexNow

To start using IndexNow, domain ownership needs to be verified by hosting a unique API key file.

Generate the API Key

Navigate to SEO Manager > IndexNow tab
Click the Generate Key button
The unique API key will be displayed on screen

Host the Verification File

Search engines need to verify domain ownership before accepting indexing requests.

Click Download verification file to get a .txt file named after the key (e.g., 8f2e...9a1b.txt)
Upload this file to the root directory of the website (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/8f2e...9a1b.txt)
Once uploaded, the IndexNow status in KopplaHQ will turn green, indicating everything is ready

The verification file only needs to be set up once. After that, IndexNow submissions can be made at any time.

Submitting URLs for Indexing

Once the key is verified, search engines can be notified whenever a page is added, updated, or removed.

Selecting URLs

Choose a Sitemap: Select one of the sitemaps from the dropdown menu to view the site's URLs
Find Recent Changes: Use the "Select recent" button to automatically highlight URLs modified in the last 7 days
Filter and Search: Use the search bar to find specific pages or paths to prioritize

Submitting

Click Submit to IndexNow. KopplaHQ will transmit the selected URLs to the IndexNow API. A notification will confirm once the submission is successful.

Pro tip: Submit URLs immediately after publishing a new blog post or updating service pages for the fastest indexing.

Best Practices

To ensure optimal performance and avoid being flagged for spam, follow these guidelines:

Only submit changes: Only submit URLs that have been newly created, significantly updated, or deleted. Submitting unchanged URLs repeatedly may result in search engines deprioritizing requests.

Batch requests: When updating many pages at once, select them all and submit in a single batch rather than one at a time.

Sync with content updates: The best time to submit is immediately after publishing or updating content. This ensures search engines receive the most current version.

Don't replace sitemaps: IndexNow works alongside sitemaps, not as a replacement. Keep sitemaps up to date for comprehensive coverage, and use IndexNow for time-sensitive updates.

Troubleshooting

Common issues that may come up when using IndexNow:

Error	Cause	Solution
403 Forbidden	API key not valid	Ensure the `.txt` verification file is accessible at the domain root and its content matches the key
422 Unprocessable	Domain mismatch	Ensure the submitted URLs belong to the same domain where the key file is hosted
429 Too Many Requests	Rate limiting	Too many requests were sent in a short window. Wait a few minutes before trying again
Pending Status	Key validation in progress	The search engine received the request but is still verifying the hosted key file. This usually resolves on its own

If the verification file is not loading when visited directly in a browser, double-check that it was uploaded to the correct directory and that the hosting provider isn't blocking .txt files.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to resolve them