Understanding What is WebSub?
WebSub (W3C standard, formerly known as PubSubHubbub) is a real-time content distribution protocol that notifies subscribers instantly when you publish or update content. Instead of AI crawlers periodically checking your site (which can take hours or days), WebSub pushes updates to them within seconds of publication.
How WebSub Works
The WebSub workflow involves three parties:
- Publisher (You): Your website publishes content and announces updates
- Hub (Middleware): A server (like Google's hub) that receives publish notifications
- Subscriber (AI Crawlers): AI systems that want real-time updates from your site
When you publish new content, your site pings the hub, which immediately notifies all subscribers. This is dramatically faster than waiting for crawlers to revisit your sitemap.
WebSub for AI Discoverability
In the context of LLMO (LLM Optimization), WebSub is part of the advanced infrastructure layer that maximizes AI crawler efficiency:
- Speed: AI crawlers discover new content within seconds (vs hours/days with traditional crawling)
- Freshness: Real-time updates signal content velocity to AI systems
- Priority: Publishers actively pushing content are prioritized over passive sites
- Efficiency: Reduces redundant crawling (AI systems only re-crawl when you notify them)
Implementation
To implement WebSub:
- 1. Add Hub Link: Include
<link rel="hub" href="https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/">in your RSS/Atom feeds - 2. Ping on Publish: Send POST request to hub whenever you publish new content
- 3. Maintain Feeds: Keep RSS/Atom feeds up-to-date (required for WebSub)
Pressonify implements WebSub via the AI Discovery Protocol (ADP) for instant AI crawler notifications when press releases are published.
WebSub vs Traditional Crawling
Comparison of discovery speeds:
- Traditional Crawling: 2-72 hours for AI crawlers to discover new content
- WebSub Push: 1-30 seconds for subscribers to receive updates
- Benefit: 100-1000x faster content discovery
For time-sensitive content (press releases, breaking news, product launches), WebSub ensures AI systems have the latest information within seconds. This speed advantage is critical in the Citation Economy where freshness impacts citability.
Key Takeaways
- WebSub pushes content updates to AI crawlers instantly (seconds vs hours)
- 100-1000x faster than waiting for traditional crawl schedules
- Signals content velocity and freshness to AI systems
- Part of advanced LLMO infrastructure for maximum AI visibility
- Requires RSS/Atom feeds and hub ping implementation