The Google Indexing API
In one line
The Google Indexing API tells Google the instant a URL changes — added, updated, or removed — so it gets crawled faster than waiting for passive discovery. It officially supports JobPosting and BroadcastEvent pages, and works as a strong crawl hint beyond that.
How the Indexing API works
- Authenticate — classically via a Google Cloud service account added to Search Console, or, with IndexerNow, your own Search Console OAuth (no service accounts).
- Call the publish endpoint with the URL and a type of
URL_UPDATEDorURL_DELETED. - Google schedules a crawl — usually within hours rather than days.
- Stay within quota — 200 URLs/day by default. Batch and schedule larger sets.
Indexing API vs. Search Console
| Indexing API | Search Console (manual) | |
|---|---|---|
| Submits in bulk / automatable | Yes | Manual, one URL at a time |
| Default daily quota | 200 URLs/day | ~10–15 manual requests |
| Officially supported content | JobPosting, BroadcastEvent | Any URL |
| Works as a strong crawl hint for other pages | Yes | Yes |
| Needs OAuth / API access | Yes | No |
| Notifies Bing & AI search too | No | No |
For the engines Google ignores, see IndexNow — and our explainer on whether Google supports IndexNow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Google Indexing API?
The Google Indexing API is Google's official API for telling Google that a URL has been added, updated, or deleted. Instead of waiting for Googlebot to rediscover a page, you send a request and Google schedules a crawl — usually much faster than passive discovery.
What content types does the Indexing API officially support?
Google officially supports the Indexing API for pages with JobPosting or BroadcastEvent structured data. In practice many sites use it as a strong 'please crawl this' signal for other content too, and it generally prompts a faster crawl — but only JobPosting and BroadcastEvent are officially sanctioned.
What is the Indexing API quota?
The default quota is 200 URL notifications per day and 600 requests per minute per project. You can request a higher quota from Google, but most sites stay well within 200/day. IndexerNow batches and schedules your submissions so you don't blow through the quota.
Indexing API vs Search Console — which should I use?
Use both. Search Console's URL Inspection 'Request indexing' is great for a handful of one-off URLs. The Indexing API is for bulk and automation — pushing many URLs, or wiring submissions into CI. IndexerNow uses the Indexing API with your own Search Console OAuth, so you get bulk submission without setting up service accounts.
Does the Indexing API work for Bing?
No. The Google Indexing API is Google-only. To notify Bing, Yandex, Seznam, and Naver you use IndexNow — a separate, open protocol. IndexerNow submits to both at once.
Do I need a service account to use the Indexing API?
The classic setup uses a Google Cloud service account added as an owner in Search Console. IndexerNow skips that: you sign in with Google and we use your own verified Search Console access via OAuth, so there are no service-account keys to manage.
Bulk-submit to the Indexing API without the setup
Sign in with Google, paste your URLs, and IndexerNow pushes them through Google's Indexing API on your own Search Console access — plus Bing's IndexNow in the same click. Free daily quota, then $9.99 packs.