Microsoft Bing announced that the popular WordPress SEO plugin Rank Math is integrating the IndexNow instant indexing protocol. A publisher doesn’t even need to have an API key or a Bing Webmaster Tools account to enjoy the advantages of instant indexing. Getting started with IndexNow by using Rank Math SEO plugin is easy, especially with these step by step instructions.
Rank Math WordPress SEO Plugin
Rank Math is a popular SEO plugin that has over one million active installations. It is popular because it is easy to use and also because the plugin offers a generous selection of features absolutely free, including local SEO structured data and local search SEO optimizations, something that other SEO plugins charge extra for.
Rank Math User Interface
What makes Rank Math easy to use is that all of the features are organized in the form of a user interface (UI) that uses modules that can be toggled on or off, depending on your needs.
If you don’t require the local SEO optimization feature, then leave that module turned off.
If you want Rank Math to generate site maps for your website, then turn that module on.
Turning a module on (in order to access a feature) activates a “settings” button that when click takes you to another screen where the settings can be configured.
Screenshot of Rank Math Modules UI
IndexNow Integration into Rank Math
The module user interface (UI) method for using IndexNow makes it easy to set up. You only need to turn the feature on then click on the settings button to proceed to the final step to finalize getting IndexNow working for your website.
It’s a great user interface that simplifies something that is ordinarily very difficult.
Convenience of the IndexNow Module
The IndexNow feature is introduced as a new module that only needs to be turned on and then configured with a few easy choices.
Ordinarily, in order to participate in the IndexNow instant indexing program, a publisher would have to sign up on the Bing Webmaster Tools website to get an account and then obtain an API.
That’s no longer the case if you use the Rank Math SEO plugin.
Activating the IndexNow module within Rank Math is all you have to do. Rank Math handles obtaining an IndexNow API key without needing to fuss with a Bing Webmaster Tools account.
How to Set Up IndexNow Using Rank Math
Step 1: Navigate to the Rank Math Dashboard
To get started, first select Rank Math from the left hand WordPress menu then select Dashboard: Rank Math > Dashboard.
Screenshot of Rank Math WordPress Menu
Step 2: Select the IndexNow Module
The next screen shows you all of the available modules:
After selecting the IndexNow Module you will see the off/on toggle switch turn blue and a “Settings” button appear in the bottom left of the module.
Screenshot of IndexNow Module
Step 3: Configure the IndexNow Settings
After you click the settings button, another page will open and this will be the last page you have to deal with.
Configuration of the IndexNow module is easy. But the interface is not as clear as it could be, which is surprising considering how easy the rest of Rank Match is to configure.
In order to access the hidden IndexNow settings you have to click the little “gear” icon that is labeled “settings” which is located on the left side.
Screenshot of Settings Button
Once you have clicked the Settings button, you can now begin selecting which kinds of content you want to alert Bing to crawl and index.
The choices are:
- Posts
- Media
- Pages
- Plus an option to select MailPoet Pages (if you have MailPoet installed)
For most publishers, all you’ll have to select is posts, media and pages. That’s pretty much it.
Screenshot of Rank Math IndexNow Settings
What Happens Next
After selecting which pages to have Bing index, the Rank Math IndexNow module will take care of the API key and you are done.
From now on the IndexNow protocol will notify Bing any time a post or page is published, whenever a post or page is updated and any time a post or page is deleted.
If you have opted to have your media indexed then that content will also be a part of the notification.
IndexNow Instant Indexing
IndexNow is only used by Bing and Yandex at this time. Many SaaS site builders and content delivery networks like Cloudflare and Akamai support the new IndexNow indexing protocol.
The protocol not only speeds up the indexing of content that’s new or updated, it also helps to reduce bot traffic on your site, freeing up resources for site visitors.
On the search engine side it will reduce data center resources, which is another opportunity to reduce the data center carbon footprint, which is good for the environment.
The Rank Math implementation couldn’t possibly be any easier and frictionless.
Rank Math was already a great choice for an SEO plugin.
The addition of the IndexNow module makes Rank Math even more useful and attractive, especially because Yoast still refuses to provide IndexNow as an option.