URL Discovery Without Backlinks

TL;DR

Yes, a URL without backlinks can be discovered by search engines and users through various methods like sitemaps, direct submissions, social media sharing, internal linking on your own website, web crawling, and content syndication. Backlinks aren’t the only way.

How URLs Get Discovered (Even Without Backlinks)

1. Sitemaps:
• Create an XML sitemap listing all your website’s URLs. This is like a table of contents for search engines.
• Submit this sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

curl -X POST 
  -H "Content-Type: application/xml" 
  -d @sitemap.xml 
  https://www.google.com/submit

2. Direct Submission to Search Engines:
• Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool to submit individual URLs for indexing.
• Bing Webmaster Tools also has a similar URL submission feature.
3. Internal Linking:
• Link to the new URL from other relevant pages on your own website. This helps search engines understand its context and importance.
• Good internal linking improves user experience too!
4. Web Crawling (Even Without Knowing):
• Search engine bots regularly crawl the web, following links they find. If your website is well-structured and accessible, they may discover new URLs even without prior knowledge.
• Ensure your robots.txt file doesn’t block crawling of important pages.
5. Social Media Sharing:
• Sharing the URL on social media platforms can lead to discovery, especially if it gains traction (likes, shares, comments).
• While not a direct ranking factor, social signals can indirectly influence visibility.
6. Content Syndication:
• Publishing your content on other websites (with proper canonical tags) can expose the URL to a wider audience and search engines.
• Examples include Medium, LinkedIn articles, or industry-specific platforms.
7. RSS Feeds:
• If your website has an RSS feed, new content (and therefore URLs) will be automatically updated and potentially discovered by feed readers and search engines.
8. Google Indexing API:
• For dynamic websites or frequently changing content, the Google Indexing API allows you to notify Google of updates in real-time. This is more advanced but can be very effective.

Important Considerations

1. Content Quality: The URL needs to point to valuable, high-quality content that users will find useful. Search engines prioritize good content.
2. Website Structure: A clear and logical website structure makes it easier for search engine bots to crawl and index your pages.
3. Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure your website is responsive and works well on mobile devices.
4. Page Speed: Fast loading times improve user experience and can positively impact rankings.