The Ultimate Guide to Submitting URLs to Google and Bing

Recent Trends in URL Submission

Over the past few years, both Google and Bing have shifted emphasis away from manual URL submission toward automated discovery through crawling and indexing. Google’s URL Inspection tool in Search Console now serves as the primary way to request indexing, while Bing’s Webmaster Tools offers a streamlined URL submission endpoint. Content management systems increasingly integrate these tools via plugins, reducing the need for manual tagging or sitemap uploads.

Background: How the Two Engines Handle Submissions

The fundamental approach to submitting URLs differs slightly between the two platforms:

• Google prioritises crawl efficiency. Submitting a URL via the “Request Indexing” button in Google Search Console signals to Googlebot that the page has been updated or is new. Sitemaps complement this by grouping URLs for bulk notification.
• Bing relies heavily on its own URL submission tool within Bing Webmaster Tools, plus RSS feeds and sitemap indexing. Bing also respects the indexnow protocol, which allows immediate notification of URL changes.

Both engines accept direct URL submission, but repeated manual submission for the same URL does not accelerate indexing; instead, maintaining a fresh sitemap and ensuring internal linking are more reliable long-term practices.

User Concerns: Speed, Discovery Gaps, and Common Mistakes

Site owners often worry about how quickly a new URL appears in search results. Key concerns include:

• Submission frequency limits – Google does not publicly cap manual submissions, but rapid successive indexing requests for the same URL may be ignored. Bing allows roughly 10,000 URL submissions per day via API, depending on domain authority.
• Indexing delays – Pages behind a login wall, with noindex tags, or with blocked robots.txt directives will not be submitted or indexed, regardless of how often they are submitted.
• Misuse of submission tools – Submitting low-quality or duplicate URLs can lead to processing inefficiencies and may trigger algorithmic checks that slow overall crawl rate.

Likely Impact of Current Submission Practices

For most site owners, the shift from manual to automated submission means:

• Faster indexing for high-quality, frequently updated content when combined with a well-structured sitemap and strong internal link network.
• A reduced need for third-party submission services, as first-party tools (Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools) now provide direct feedback on indexed status.
• Better prioritisation of crawl budget: search engines learn which pages change most often and allocate resources accordingly.

However, sites that rely solely on manual submission without a sitemap or internal linking may see inconsistent index coverage, especially for deep or low-importance pages.

What to Watch Next

Several developments are worth monitoring in the near future:

• IndexNow adoption – Bing and other engines (including Yandex and Seznam) support IndexNow, a universal protocol for instant URL submission. Google has not yet adopted it, but industry pressure may push for broader collaboration.
• Changes to sitemap size limits – Both engines currently cap uncompressed sitemaps at 50 MB or 50,000 URLs. Any revision could affect how large sites structure their submissions.
• Tighter integration with CMS platforms – More tools (e.g., WordPress, Shopify) are adding direct Search Console and Bing Webmaster integration, which may reduce the need for any manual URL submission in the future.
• Submission analytics – Both engines are expanding the data they surface about submitted URLs, such as crawl errors, index coverage, and the submitted date. This could help site owners diagnose issues faster.

Ultimately, adopting a balanced strategy that combines automated discovery (sitemaps, internal linking) with occasional manual submission for high-priority pages remains the most effective approach for both Google and Bing.