Before you can submit URLs or track directories for a site, you need to add the domain and complete the one-time IndexNow setup.
Step 1 — Add a Domain
Go to Indexing & Submissions and click Add Domain. Enter the client's domain (e.g. clientsite.com) and a display name.
Trovn creates a unique workspace for that domain. All URL submissions, directory statuses, and the link building plan are stored per-domain.
Step 2 — Generate Your IndexNow Key
Click Set Up IndexNow on the domain. Trovn generates a unique 32-character key and a matching key.txt file.
IndexNow is the open protocol used by Bing, Yandex, ChatGPT Search (via Bing), and Naver to accept instant indexing submissions. Google is handled separately through GSC (Step 4).
Step 3 — Upload key.txt to the Site Root
Download the key.txt file Trovn generated. Upload it to the root of the client's website so it's accessible at:
https://clientsite.com/<your-key>.txt
Where to upload:
- Sites built with Trovn AI Builder — Trovn auto-hosts the file. No upload needed, the key goes live automatically.
- WordPress sites — Use a File Manager plugin or FTP. Place the file in the public root (same directory as
wp-config.php). - Static/HTML sites — Upload to the root public directory via FTP, cPanel, or your hosting provider's file manager.
- Netlify/Vercel/Cloudflare Pages — Drop the file into your
public/orstatic/folder and redeploy.
Step 4 — Verify the Key Is Reachable
Click Verify Key in Trovn. It fetches the URL https://clientsite.com/<your-key>.txt and checks the contents match. If successful, the domain turns green and IndexNow submissions are unlocked.
If verification fails, double-check:
- The file was uploaded to the correct directory (site root, not a subfolder)
- The filename exactly matches what Trovn generated (including the
.txt) - The file contents match the key exactly (no extra whitespace)
Step 5 — Connect Google Search Console (Optional But Recommended)
Click Connect Google Search Console. Sign in with a Google account that has access to the property in GSC and grant Trovn access.
This enables two things:
- Submit your sitemap to Google
- Check per-URL indexing status via the URL Inspection API
Important: The Google account you connect must have at least Owner or Full user access to the property in Search Console. If the client owns the GSC property, you can ask them to add your email as an owner.
Step 6 — You're Ready
Once the key is verified (and optionally GSC is connected), all three tabs unlock for that domain.
Tips
- One IndexNow key per domain — Don't reuse a key across multiple sites. Trovn generates a fresh one each time you add a domain.
- Don't delete the key.txt file — If you remove it from the site root, IndexNow submissions start failing.
- Rotate keys if a site is compromised — Click Regenerate Key and re-upload the new file. Old submissions aren't affected.
- GSC is not required but strongly recommended — Without GSC, you can still submit to Bing/Yandex/ChatGPT/Naver via IndexNow, but you can't tell Google about new URLs or check indexing status.