About indexnow
indexnow is an SEO skill for projects integrating the IndexNow protocol to notify search engines about new or updated pages. It covers key verification, URL submission methods, and deployment workflows.
Key features
- 01Generate and verify an API key
- 02Submit single or batched URLs
- 03Reuse URL lists from sitemap config
- 04Plan CI/CD submission flows
- 05Troubleshoot submission and verification
Use cases
- 01Notify search engines after publishing pages
- 02Submit updated URLs after deployment
- 03Add submissions to CI/CD
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/After installing, type/indexnowin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Details
From the project READMESEO 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
Project context: Read root contextus.md when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.
Identify:
- Site URL: Base domain
- URL source: Config file, sitemap, CMS, etc.
- 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