How to Submit Your Website to Google and Bing
To get a website indexed, verify ownership in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, submit your XML sitemap in each, and reference the sitemap in robots.txt. Use URL Inspection in Search Console to request indexing for priority pages, and set up IndexNow so Bing and other participating engines learn about new or changed URLs within minutes. Submission does not guarantee indexing: pages still need to be crawlable, unique and useful.
- Google and Bing both accept XML sitemaps, but each has to be submitted in its own webmaster tool.
- Google retired its sitemap ping endpoint in 2023, so Search Console and robots.txt are the supported routes.
- IndexNow notifies Bing, Yandex, Seznam, Naver and Yep instantly; Google does not use it.
- Accurate lastmod dates help. Google ignores the priority and changefreq tags.
- Indexing is never guaranteed. Thin or duplicate pages can be crawled and still left out.
The Steps
- Check that your pages can be indexedMake sure robots.txt does not block the pages, there is no noindex tag, each page returns HTTP 200 and has a self-referencing canonical URL.
- Generate an XML sitemapList every canonical, indexable URL with an accurate lastmod date. Keep each file under 50,000 URLs and 50MB uncompressed, or split it and use a sitemap index.
- Reference the sitemap in robots.txtAdd a line such as Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml so any crawler can discover it without a manual submission.
- Verify your site in Google Search ConsoleAdd a Domain property and verify it with a DNS TXT record, which covers every subdomain and protocol. URL-prefix properties can use an HTML file or meta tag instead.
- Submit the sitemap to GoogleOpen the Sitemaps report in Search Console, enter the sitemap URL and submit. Check back for the status and the count of discovered URLs.
- Request indexing for priority pagesPaste a new or updated URL into URL Inspection, run a live test, then click Request Indexing. The daily quota is small, so save it for your most important pages.
- Add the site to Bing Webmaster ToolsSign in and import your verified sites directly from Google Search Console, or verify with a DNS record, XML file or meta tag.
- Submit the sitemap to Bing and enable IndexNowSubmit the same sitemap under Sitemaps. Then host an IndexNow key file at your domain root and send changed URLs to the IndexNow API whenever you publish.
- Monitor coverage every weekReview the Page indexing report in Google and Site Explorer in Bing. Fix crawl errors, and improve or consolidate pages reported as crawled but not indexed.
Why Submitting Your Site Still Matters
Google and Bing can find a website on their own by following links. For a new site, or a site that just published a batch of pages, that can take weeks. Submitting your sitemap and verifying ownership shortens discovery and, just as importantly, gives you the reporting tools that tell you which pages were indexed and why the others were not.
Bing matters more than its search share suggests. Microsoft Copilot draws on Bing's index, and several other search products license Bing results, so a page that is missing from Bing is often missing from AI answers as well. Treat both webmaster tools as required, not optional. (For the AI side of discoverability, see SEO vs GEO.)
Before You Submit: Make Pages Indexable
A sitemap is a list of suggestions. If the pages themselves send conflicting signals, search engines will ignore them. Check each of these first:
- robots.txt: the URLs are not disallowed, and the file includes a
Sitemap:line. - Meta robots: no
noindextag orX-Robots-Tag: noindexheader on pages you want indexed. - Status codes: every URL in the sitemap returns 200, not a redirect or a 404.
- Canonicals: each page points its canonical tag at itself, and the sitemap lists only canonical URLs.
- Unique content: pages that are near-duplicates of each other are frequently crawled but not indexed.
Google Search Console Setup
Search Console offers two property types. A Domain property is verified with a DNS TXT record and covers every subdomain and both http and https, which makes it the better choice for most businesses. A URL-prefix property covers one exact prefix and can be verified with an HTML file, a meta tag, Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager.
Once verified, submit your sitemap in the Sitemaps report. Google will show whether it could read the file and how many URLs it discovered. For individual pages, the URL Inspection tool shows the indexed version, the canonical Google selected and any crawl problem, and lets you request indexing.
What Google ignores in sitemaps
Google has said publicly that it ignores the priority and changefreq values. It does use lastmod, but only when the dates are consistently accurate. Updating lastmod on every build without real changes teaches Google to stop trusting it. Google also retired the old sitemap "ping" URL in 2023, so scripts that still call it do nothing.
Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow
The fastest way into Bing Webmaster Tools is the import option: sign in and pull your verified properties straight from Google Search Console. You can also verify with a DNS CNAME record, an XML file or a meta tag. Submit the same sitemap, and use URL Submission for individual pages.
IndexNow is an open protocol that lets a site tell search engines a URL was added, changed or deleted. You host a text file containing a key at your domain root, then POST lists of URLs to the API. Bing, Yandex, Seznam, Naver and Yep participate and share submissions with each other. Google does not use IndexNow, so it complements Search Console rather than replacing it.
On this site, every deploy rebuilds the sitemap and the same URL list can be pushed to IndexNow, so new pages reach Bing the day they go live.
After You Submit: Reading the Reports
Expect discovery within days and indexing over days to weeks. In Google's Page indexing report, two statuses deserve attention:
- Discovered, currently not indexed: Google knows the URL but has not crawled it yet. This is common for large batches of new pages and usually resolves with time and stronger internal linking.
- Crawled, currently not indexed: Google fetched the page and chose not to index it. This is a quality signal. Make the page more useful, more distinct from its neighbours, or merge it into a stronger page.
Internal links are the most reliable accelerator. Link new pages from your navigation, hub pages and related articles, so crawlers find them through your site rather than only through the sitemap. See our guide to running a technical SEO audit for a wider checklist.
Sources and Further Reading
We link to the primary documentation so you can verify the details yourself.
- Build and submit a sitemap, Google Search Central
- Ask Google to recrawl your URLs, Google Search Central
- Sitemaps ping endpoint is going away, Google Search Central Blog
- Verify your site ownership, Google Search Console Help
- Bing Webmaster Guidelines, Microsoft Bing
- IndexNow documentation, IndexNow.org
Related Questions
How long does it take Google to index a new page?
Anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. Established sites with strong internal linking are crawled faster. Requesting indexing in URL Inspection can speed up an individual page but does not guarantee it will be indexed.
Do I have to submit my site to Bing separately?
Yes. Bing does not read Google Search Console data unless you import your sites into Bing Webmaster Tools. Importing takes a couple of minutes and carries over verification and sitemaps.
Does IndexNow work with Google?
No. Google has not adopted IndexNow. Use Search Console sitemaps and URL Inspection for Google, and IndexNow for Bing and the other participating engines.
Should I resubmit my sitemap every time I publish?
It is not necessary. Search engines re-read sitemaps they already know about. Keep lastmod dates accurate and use IndexNow or URL Inspection when a specific page needs attention quickly.
Why does Search Console say a page is crawled but not indexed?
Google fetched the page and decided it was not worth indexing yet, usually because it is thin, duplicative or weakly linked. Improve the content and internal links, then request indexing again.