Google Updates Indexing API To Say Submissions Go Undergo Rigorous Spam Detection

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By Chris Barnhart On Sep 12, 2024

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Google has updated its Indexing API documentation to add a few things but the largest update talks about how “all submissions through the Indexing API undergo rigorous spam detection.” Plus, it says that attempts to abuse the Indexing API “may result in access being revoked.”

This is the new section that was added in red:

Yes, it reads:

All submissions through the Indexing API undergo rigorous spam detection. Any attempts to abuse the Indexing API, including the use of multiple accounts or other means to exceed usage quotas, may result in access being revoked. Learn more about our spam policies.

This change was spotted by Dave Smart who posted about it on LinkedIn. He wrote, “Indexing API docs got a new warning box.”

Google also made a few more changes to that page.

The first line use to read, “The Indexing API allows any site owner to directly notify Google when pages are added or removed.”

Now it reads, “The Indexing API allows site owners to directly notify Google when their job posting or livestreaming video pages are added or removed.”

The getting starting steps were also updated.

It use to say:

• Complete the prerequisites by enabling the Indexing API, creating a new service account, verifying ownership in Search Console, and getting an access token to authenticate your API call.
• Send requests to notify Google of new, updated, or deleted web pages.
• You may need more quota than the default. To view your current quota and request more quota, see Quota

Now it says:

• Complete the prerequisites by enabling the Indexing API, creating a new service account, verifying ownership in Search Console, and getting an access token to authenticate your API call.
• Request approval and quota. The Indexing API provides a default 200 quota for API onboarding and submission testing, and it requires additional approval for usage and resource provisioning.
• Follow our guidelines.
• Send requests to notify Google of new, updated, or deleted web pages.

John Mueller of Google said most sites wrongfully using the indexing API are spammy anyway. As a reminder, the Google Indexing API should just be used for job postings and live stream content – nothing else. Google has said if you use it for other purposes it won’t work. Many who have tried it over the years said it works to get your content indexed fast but then it drops out of the index quickly after.

Forum discussion at LinkedIn.