How to Integrate Google Indexing API for job posting URLs

First thing first!

 

Why it's important to implement Google Indexing API for jobPosting?

 

Implementing Google's Indexing API for job postings is important for several reasons:

1. Faster Indexing and Faster Crawling

• The Indexing API allows you to notify Google immediately when job postings are added, updated, or removed from your site.
• This results in much faster crawling and indexing compared to waiting for Google to discover changes through regular crawling.

2. Improved Freshness

• Job postings often have short lifespans and change frequently.
• The Indexing API helps keep your job content fresh in Google's index, ensuring that searchers see the most up-to-date listings.

3. Higher Quality Traffic

• By keeping job postings current in search results, you can drive higher quality traffic to your site.
• Job seekers will see accurate, available positions rather than outdated listings.

4. Competitive Advantage

• Using the API allows your new job postings to potentially appear in search results faster than competitors who don't use it, giving you an edge in attracting applicants[4].

5. Efficient Use of Resources

• The API is more efficient than sitemaps for frequently changing content like job postings.
• It allows you to notify Google about specific URLs rather than having Google crawl your entire site repeatedly.

6. Improved User Experience

Job seekers benefit from seeing the most current openings in search results, leading to a better overall experience when using Google to find jobs.

While the Indexing API is officially intended only for job postings and live video content, it's an important tool for any site with frequently updated job listings to ensure their content is crawled and indexed as quickly as possible.

The Indexing API allows site owners to directly notify Google when their job posting are added or removed.

This allows Google to schedule pages for a fresh crawl, which can lead to higher quality user traffic. 

 

The benefits of implementing Google Indexing API for job sites

 

How to Integrate Google Indexing API for jobPosting

 

Integrating the Google Indexing API for jobPosting can significantly enhance the visibility of your job listings in Google Search results. This guide will walk you through the process of implementing this powerful tool to ensure your job postings are indexed quickly and efficiently.

 

Prerequisites

Before diving into the integration process, make sure you have the following:

• A Google Search Console account
• A verified website in Google Search Console
• Access to your website's backend or CMS

 

Step-by-Step Integration Guide

 

1. Set Up Google Search Console

Ensure your website is properly set up and verified in Google Search Console. This is crucial for using the Indexing API.

2. Enable the Indexing API

To use the Indexing API, you'll need to enable it in your Google Cloud Console:

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console
2. Create a new project or select an existing one
3. Enable the Indexing API for your project (Use this link )

3. Create Credentials

Generate the necessary credentials to authenticate your API requests:

1. In the Google Cloud Console, navigate to the Credentials page
2. Click "Create Credentials" and "Service Account"
3. Follow the prompts to create a new service account
4. Download the JSON key file for your service account

4. Implement jobPosting Structured Data

Ensure your job postings include the proper jobPosting structured data. This structured data helps Google understand the details of your job listings.

Check this article if you didn't implement it yet: Attract more organic traffic for a job board by implementin jobPosting Schema

5. Use the Indexing API

Now that you have everything set up, you can start using the Indexing API:

1. Make HTTP POST requests to the API endpoint (https://indexing.googleapis.com/v3/urlNotifications:publish)
2. Include the necessary headers and authentication
3. Specify the URL of the job posting and the type of request (update or delete)
   1. URL_UPDATED: When a new job posting is added or an existing one is updated.
   2. URL_DELETED: When a job listing is removed or expired.

Here is the link to the Google documentation 

Below is the full code on how to make to request

 

6. Monitor and Maintain

Regularly check your Google Search Console to monitor the indexing status of your job postings. Make sure to update or remove listings as needed to keep your information current.

 

BONUS: You can also do batch requests, a batch request groups multiple API calls into one HTTP request.

This reduces the overhead of making multiple requests separately, improving performance and scalability.

For the Indexing API, this means you can notify Google about multiple URLs (new, updated, or deleted job postings) in a single API call.

But it'ss better to do it in a separate article, meanwhile here is the link on how to do it

 

Best Practices

To maximize the effectiveness of the Google Indexing API for jobPosting:

• Keep your listings up-to-date: Promptly update or remove job postings that are no longer relevant
• Use accurate structured data: Ensure all required fields in the jobPosting schema are filled out correctly
• Respect API quotas: Be mindful of the API's usage limits to avoid potential issues

By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively integrate the Google Indexing API for jobPosting, improving the visibility and freshness of your job listings in Google Search results.

This integration can lead to increased traffic to your job postings and potentially more qualified applicants for your open positions.

 

Extending API Quotas

While the default quota for the Indexing API is set at 200 requests per day, Google provides options for increasing this limit to accommodate larger-scale operations. Here is the Google doc page "Quota and pricing information"

Here's how you can extend your quotas:

Understanding Quota Types

Google defines three main quota types for the Indexing API:

1. DefaultPublishRequestsPerDayPerProject: Limited to 200 publish requests per day, including both URL_UPDATED and URL_DELETED requests.
2. DefaultMetadataRequestsPerMinutePerProject: Allows 180 read-only requests per minute to the getMetadata endpoint.
3. DefaultRequestsPerMinutePerProject: Set at 380 requests per minute across all endpoints.

 

Requesting a Quota Increase

 

To request an increase in your quota:

1. Go to the Google API Console
2. Select the "Quotas" tab
3. Locate the quota you wish to increase
4. Click "Edit Quotas"
5. Click "Apply for a higher quota"
6. Fill out the required fields in the form

It's important to note that while requesting a quota increase, you may need to create a billing account. However, Google emphasizes that all use of the Indexing API remains free of charge.

 

Approval Process

Google has specific requirements for approving quota increases:

1. The Indexing API is currently limited to pages with either JobPosting or BroadcastEvent embedded in a VideoObject.
2. You must complete a dedicated form to request additional quota and gain approval for extended API usage.
3. Google may adjust quotas based on document quality, potentially increasing or decreasing allocated resources.

 

Best Practices for Quota Management

To effectively manage your Indexing API quota:

1. Monitor Usage: Regularly check your quota usage in the Google API Console.
2. Optimize Requests: Prioritize important job postings to make the most of your available quota.
3. Maintain Quality: Ensure your job postings meet Google's quality guidelines, as this can affect your quota allocation[5].
4. Plan for Scale: If you anticipate needing a higher quota, apply for an increase well in advance of reaching your limit.

By understanding and effectively managing your Indexing API quota, you can ensure that your job postings are indexed efficiently, potentially improving their visibility in Google Search results.

Remember that while quota increases are possible, they are subject to Google's approval and may require justification based on your specific use case and content quality.

 

Sitemaps and the Indexing API

For job board of job sites Google recommends implementing both

 

Update 25 September 2024

Major updates to the Indexing API.

The biggest change is that you must first be approved to use the Indexing API.

Alexander Chukovski published the article "Major updates to the Indexing API - Impact on Job Boards and Aggregators." which has all the recent details