IndexNow is an open API protocol developed by Microsoft and Yandex that lets webmasters notify participating search engines like Bing of URL changes in real time. Hosting a small key file on your server and pinging the API (or letting a CMS plugin do it) is all it takes.

Why does Bing indexing matter for AEO?

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI models reference or draw on Bing's search results and index. Keeping that index fresh increases the odds your content gets discovered and considered for citation.

How do you set up Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow?

Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow notify search engines of content changes instantly, making them an underrated AEO lever. Since ChatGPT and other AI models reference Bing's index, keeping it fresh expands your odds of being cited by AI.

Updated 2026-07-07

Frequently asked questions

How do you set up Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow?: Register your site in Bing Webmaster Tools, then set up IndexNow so search engines learn about content changes instantly. Since ChatGPT and other AI models reference Bing's index, this is an underrated AEO lever.
What is IndexNow?: IndexNow is an open API protocol developed by Microsoft and Yandex that lets webmasters notify participating search engines like Bing of URL changes in real time. Hosting a small key file on your server and pinging the API (or letting a CMS plugin do it) is all it takes.
Why does Bing indexing matter for AEO?: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI models reference or draw on Bing's search results and index. Keeping that index fresh increases the odds your content gets discovered and considered for citation.