IndexNow is a simple and efficient API that allows website owners to instantly notify search engines like Bing, Yandex, and others about URL updates. This guide covers everything from generating and verifying your API key to submitting single and bulk URLs using IndexNow.
What is IndexNow?
IndexNow is a protocol that helps search engines quickly discover new or updated content on your website. Instead of waiting for search engine crawlers to find your pages, you can proactively submit URLs for faster indexing.
Supported Search Engines:
1. Bing
2. Yandex
3. Seznam.cz
4. Naver
Step 1: Generate Your IndexNow API Key
Method 1: Manually Create a Key File
The content of the file should be the same key (e.g., abcdef123456).
Create a text file named {your-key}.txt (e.g., abcdef123456.txt).
Place the file in the root directory of your website (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/abcdef123456.txt).
Method 2: Generate Key via IndexNow Website
- Visit https://www.indexnow.org.
- Click on “Get your API Key”.
- Enter your website URL and click “Generate Key”.
- Download the key file and upload it to your website’s root directory.
How to Verify the Key?
- Ensure the file is accessible at:
https://yourdomain.com/{key}.txt - Search engines will check this file to authenticate your submissions.
Step 2: Submit a Single URL via IndexNow
Option 1: Using GET Request (Browser or CURL)
Simply call this URL:
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https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow?url=YOUR_URL&key=YOUR_API_KEY |
Example:
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https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow?url=https://example.com/new-page&key=abcdef123456 |
Option 2: Using POST Request (Postman or Script)
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POST https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow Content-Type: application/json { "host": "example.com", "key": "abcdef123456", "keyLocation": "https://example.com/abcdef123456.txt", "url": "https://example.com/new-page" } |
Expected Response:
- Success:
200 OK(URL submitted successfully). - Error:
400 Bad Request(invalid parameters).403 Forbidden(key verification failed).
Step 3: Submit Bulk URLs via IndexNow (Using Postman)
For bulk submission, send a POST request with a JSON payload.
Steps to Submit Bulk URLs in Postman:
- Open Postman → Create a new request.
- Set Request Type:
POST - Enter URL: https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow
- Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
- Body (Raw – JSON):
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{ "host": "example.com", "key": "abcdef123456", "keyLocation": "https://example.com/abcdef123456.txt", "urlList": [ "https://example.com/page1", "https://example.com/page2", "https://example.com/page3" ] } |
- Click Send.
Expected Response:
- Success:
200 OK(All URLs submitted). - Partial Success:
207 Multi-Status(Some URLs failed). - Error:
400 Bad Request(Invalid JSON).403 Forbidden(Key verification failed).
Video Tutorial: Bulk URL Submission
For a detailed walkthrough, check out my step-by-step video:
👉 How to Submit Bulk URLs to IndexNow Using Postman
💡 Key Takeaways
✔ Single URL Submission: Simple GET or POST request.
✔ Bulk Submission: POST request with JSON payload.
✔ Key Generation: Manually or via IndexNow.org.
✔ Instant Indexing: Faster crawling by search engines.
💬 Your Thoughts?
Have you tried IndexNow? Did this guide help you? Let me know in the comments! 🚀
🔗 Helpful Links
Happy indexing! 😊