While Google indexing is crucial for visibility on the web, Safari indexing determines how Apple devices discover and recommend your webpages through Safari search, Spotlight search, and Siri. Optimizing for Safari ensures better reach on iPhones, iPads, and macOS devices.
Safari indexing means your web pages:
Unlike Google, Safari does not crawl the web. Instead, it relies on search engines and Apple’s Smart Search data.
Safari depends on search engines. If your website is indexed there, it becomes visible in Safari.
| Safari Search Engine | Where to Index |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | |
| DuckDuckGo | Bing Webmaster Tools |
| Bing / Yahoo | Bing Webmaster Tools |
Apple relies heavily on structured data to determine the relevance of websites in Safari suggestions, Siri, and Spotlight. Implement JSON-LD markup on your site.
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "Your Website Name",
"url": "https://yourdomain.com",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": "https://yourdomain.com/?s={query}",
"query-input": "required name=query"
}
}Your website should meet Safari’s performance expectations:
If you have an app, this boosts your visibility in Safari and Spotlight:
<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=123456789">
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Not indexed in Google/Bing | Submit sitemap to search engines |
| No HTTPS / weak SSL | Install a valid SSL certificate |
| Missing structured data | Add JSON-LD schema |
| Low-quality content | Improve uniqueness and depth |
| Slow on iOS devices | Optimize page speed and assets |
Safari indexing relies on major search engines + Apple’s data systems. If you focus on getting indexed in Google/Bing, adding structured data, ensuring HTTPS, fast performance, and high-quality content, your website will appear more consistently across Safari, Spotlight, and Siri.
For brands targeting Apple device users, Safari indexing is a powerful opportunity to increase traffic and trust online.