IndexNow

How it works

• Launched in 2021 by Microsoft Bing and Yandex. Naver, Seznam and Yep also take part.
• Google does not use it, so it does not replace a sitemap for Google.
• One ping reaches every participating search engine.
• Many website platforms and hosts can send the ping automatically when you publish.

How it relates to Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing Webmaster Tools is where you see how Bing reads your site. IndexNow is the fast lane that tells Bing about changes as they happen. Because Copilot answers come from Bing, a fresh page can reach Copilot sooner.

What can go wrong (example scenario)

A restaurant changed its holiday hours on its website, but Bing did not visit the page again for two weeks. People who asked Copilot got the old hours. With IndexNow, the update would have been sent the same day.

How WILDCARD handles it

Managed Hosting can send IndexNow pings when pages change, and Managed Search checks that the pings arrive in Bing Webmaster Tools.

• A shop updates a price and Bing hears about it within minutes.
• A firm publishes a blog post and it reaches Bing the same day.
• A clinic removes an old service page and the ping tells search engines it is gone.

A question owners ask

If Google doesn't use IndexNow, is it worth it?

Yes. It is free, it runs on its own once it is set up, and it speeds up Bing, which Copilot depends on.