Microsoft Bing has announced that its WordPress SEO search engine (rank math) plugin integrates the IndexNow instant indexing protocol. A publisher does not need to have an API key or a Bing Webmaster Tools account to enjoy the benefits of instant indexing. Getting started with IndexNow with the Rank Math SEO plugin is easy, especially with these step-by-step instructions.
Math classification WordPress SEO plugin
Rank Math is an SEO plugin with over 1 million active installs. It’s popular because it’s easy to use and also because the plugin offers a generous set of features that are completely free, including local SEO structured data and local SEO optimizations, something other SEO plugins charge extra for.
Rank Math user interface
What makes Rank Math easy to use is that all the features are organized in the form of a User Interface (UI) to use units which can be turned on or off, depending on your needs.
If you don’t need the local SEO feature, leave this module disabled.
If you want Rank Math to generate sitemaps for your website, run this module.
Turning on any unit (in order to access a feature) activates “settingswhich when clicked takes you to another screen where settings can be configured.
Screenshot of Rank Math Modules UI
Index merger is now in Rank Math
The modular user interface method for using IndexNow makes setup easy. Simply turn the feature on and then click on the Settings button to proceed to the final step to finish IndexNow working for your website.
It’s a great user interface that simplifies something normally difficult.
The index unit now fits
IndexNow is presented as a new module that just needs to be launched and then configured with some easy options.
Normally, in order to participate in the IndexNow online indexing program, the publisher has to register with Bing Webmaster Tools for an account and then get an API.
This is no longer the case if you are using the Rank Math SEO plugin.
All you have to do is activate the IndexNow module within Rank Math. Rank Math handles getting the IndexNow API key without having to fiddle with the Bing Webmaster Tools account.
How to set up the index now with Rank Math
Step 1: Go to the Rank Math dashboard
To get started, select Rank Math from the left WordPress menu and then select Dashboard: Rank Math > Dashboard.
Screenshot of Rank Math WordPress list
Step 2: Select the IndexNow module
The following screen shows you all available modules:
After selecting the IndexNow module, you’ll see the Off/On toggle switch turn blue and a Settings button appear on the bottom left of the module.
Screenshot of the IndexNow module
Step 3: Configure the index settings now
After clicking on the Settings button, another page will open and this will be the last page that you will have to deal with.
Configuring the IndexNow module is easy. But the interface isn’t as straightforward as it could be, which is surprising considering how easy it is to configure the rest of the rating match.
In order to access the hidden IndexNow settings, you have to click on the little “gear” icon called “Settings” located on the left-hand side.
Screenshot of the settings button
Once you click the Settings button, you can now start selecting the types of content you want to alert Bing to crawl and index.
The options are:
- supports
- The media
- pages
- Plus an option to specify MailPoet pages (if you have MailPoet installed)
For most publishers, all you have to select are posts, media, and pages. That’s pretty much it.
Screenshot of Rank Math Index Now Settings
what happened after that
After selecting which pages have the Bing index, the Rank Math IndexNow module will take care of the API key and you’re 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 choose to have your media indexed, this content will also be part of the notice.
IndexNow
The index is now only used by Bing and Yandex at this time. Many SaaS website builders and content delivery networks such as Cloudflare and Akamai support the new IndexNow indexing protocol.
Not only does the protocol speed up the indexing of new or updated content, but it also helps reduce bot traffic on your site, freeing up resources for site visitors.
On the search engine side, it will reduce the resources of the data center, which is another opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint of the data center, which is good for the environment.
Rank Math couldn’t be easier and frictionless.
Rank Math was indeed a great choice for an SEO plugin.
Adding the IndexNow module makes Rank Math much more useful and attractive, especially since Yoast still refuses to offer IndexNow as an option.
the quote
Read the official announcement on the Bing blog
