IndexNow Protocol

IndexNow is a protocol that allows participating search engines to be notified when website URLs are added, updated, or removed. A website administrator can configure a supported system to send change notifications rather than relying solely on eventual discovery. The participating search engine still decides whether and when to crawl or index each URL. Google does not currently participate in IndexNow, so it should not be sold as a way to force Google indexing. For a small service website, keeping pages accurate, internal links useful, and sitemaps maintained remains essential. IndexNow is a supplemental notification mechanism, not an alternative to quality content or search engine indexing rules.