While Google search alone might handle over 90% of the search queries worldwide, that still leaves the next most popular search engine — Microsoft’s Bing — with almost a billion searches daily. To ensure your website is optimized for Bing, it’s essential to know the differences between its ranking signals and algorithms compared to Google’s ranking algorithm.
This article contains all you need to know about Bing SEO, guiding you through the ins and outs of optimizing your content for Bing’s distinctive search engine ranking quirks. Picture yourself embarking on a thrilling treasure hunt, uncovering Bing SEO nuggets that can give you a serious edge in the dynamic world of search engine optimization.
An Overview of Bing Search Engine
You might be thinking, “Bing? Really? How popular can it be?” Bing may not be a household name, but it’s been making quite a name for itself lately. Before we deep-sea dive into Bing SEO, let’s give props to the underdog of the search engine industry.
Bing currently holds a small share of global searches but still comes in as the world’s second favorite search engine. It may be just a few (billion) searches shy of being #1, but who’s counting? Moreover, Bing’s popularity is rising in specific regions, and it’s even the default search engine for specific devices and platforms. Recently, Microsoft integrated ChatGPT into Bing search, leading to a substantial user surge.
Bing Search Has a Few Perks
Bing’s popularity among search users is rising and for a good reason! It boasts some features and services that even Google doesn’t offer, making it a go-to search engine for many. With a more extensive image library, more transparent data policies, and better control over search results, it’s no wonder Bing is winning over new fans. It also has integrated entertainment options like playing music directly from specific web pages — not to mention its incentives program that rewards users for searching, shopping, and interacting with Bing.
Bing’s Unique Ranking Factors
Now that we’ve established Bing’s significance in the search engine world, below are some notable distinctions that could make all the difference in your SEO strategy!
User Engagement
Bing emphasizes user engagement – how users interact with your content. Are they sticking around to explore your site, or do they bounce back faster than a rubber ball on a trampoline? A low bounce rate and longer dwell time signal Bing that your content is valuable, engaging, and worth promoting in search results.
Social Signals
While Google remains tight-lipped about the role of social media presence signals in its algorithm, Bing openly embraces them. Bing considers shares, likes, and comments on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to indicate your content’s relevance and popularity. So, don’t stop flaunting your social media prowess – Bing loves it!
Keyword Matching
Believe it or not, Bing is a bit of an old-school romantic regarding keyword matching. Unlike Google, which has moved toward a more semantic understanding of queries, Bing still relies heavily on exact keyword matches. To woo Bing’s algorithm, sprinkle your primary keywords throughout your content, title, meta tags, and meta descriptions.
Multimedia Content
Bing has a soft spot for multimedia content, such as images and videos. To win Bing’s heart, ensure your website features high-quality, relevant images and videos that complement your written content. And don’t forget to optimize your multimedia assets with appropriate file names, alt tags, and captions!
Tips for Ranking on Bing
Bing’s search algorithm may differ from Google’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use modern techniques to rank on its SERPs. From Bing’s business resources to building high-quality backlinks and strategic link building – here are some tips to help you succeed in Bing’s search engine. Let’s explore each of these tactics in more detail:
Utilize Bing Places for Business
One of the first steps in improving your Bing SEO is to claim your business on Bing Places for Business. This platform allows you to add your business’s location, phone number, and website to Bing’s search engine results page (SERP). Not only will this help potential customers find your business, but it will also improve your local SEO. Ensure your business’s name, address, and phone (NAP) information is consistent across all platforms, including your website and social media accounts.
Write high-quality content with relevant keywords.
Similar to Google, Bing values high-quality, original content. It’s important to write content that engages your audience and provides value. However, Bing also places a strong emphasis on keywords. Research and include relevant keywords throughout your content, but don’t overdo it or “keyword stuff.” Bing also values long-form content, so aim for content over 600 words.
Optimize your website for mobile devices.
Over 50% of Bing searches come from mobile devices, so optimizing your website for mobile viewing is crucial. This includes responsive website design, quick load times, and easy navigation. Additionally, Bing prefers websites with secure HTTPS protocols. Implementing these changes will not only improve your Bing SEO but will also improve your user experience.
Build high-quality backlinks
Backlinks are a vital component of Bing SEO. Similar to Google, Bing values backlinks from high-quality sources. Focus on building relationships with other websites in your industry and encouraging them to link back to your website. Also, create shareable content encouraging others to link to your website.
Leverage Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing Webmaster Tools provides insights into your website’s performance on Bing’s SERP. It provides data on how often your website appears in search results and which keywords are driving traffic to your website. This information can help you make data-driven decisions on how to improve your Bing SEO.
14 Eye-Opening Bing SEO Statistics You Can’t Ignore
Feeling the Bing buzz yet? Are you ready? If not, hold onto your hats because we’re about to hit you with jaw-dropping Bing SEO stats that’ll leave you itching to jump on the Bing bandwagon. Let’s dive in!
- Bing’s Market Share: Bing currently commands a global market share of about 6.43%, making it the second-largest search engine worldwide. Can you believe there’s that much search traffic up for grabs?
- Bing Powers Yahoo & DuckDuckGo: Did you know Bing is the driving force behind other search engines like Yahoo and DuckDuckGo? That’s right! Technically, Yahoo is a “portal” that uses Bing to deliver search results. Way back in 2009, Microsoft and Yahoo inked a deal that let Bing-powered search results shine under the Yahoo brand. Talk about a hidden powerhouse!
- U.S. Desktop Search Market Share: In the United States, Bing’s desktop search market share sits at 13%, offering a sizeable audience for businesses targeting desktop users. That’s a significant chunk of the pie, wouldn’t you say?
- Older Demographics Love Bing: Bing’s user base tends to skew towards an older demographic, with 58% of its users aged 45 or older. If your target audience falls within this age range, optimizing for Bing is a no-brainer. Time to get your Bing groove on!
- Higher Average Household Income: Bing users typically have a higher average household income than Google users, making them an attractive audience for businesses targeting high-value customers. Cha-ching!
- Bing’s Organic Click-Through Rates: Bing boasts higher organic click-through rates than Google, with a whopping 72.1% of Bing searches resulting in a click-through to a website. Now, that’s what we call a click-tastic opportunity!
- Bing’s Ad Market Share: Bing holds a 33% share of the U.S. paid search ad market, offering advertisers a lucrative platform to reach their target audience. Get ready to make it rain, Bing-style!
- Bing’s PPC Performance: Advertisers often report better ROI and lower costs per click (CPC) on Bing Ads than Google Ads, making it an appealing platform for businesses seeking to maximize their ad spend. Who doesn’t love a great deal?
- Bing’s Image Search Superiority: Bing’s image search is considered more visually appealing and user-friendly than Google’s, attracting users who prefer a visually-rich search experience. Bing’s image search is like a feast for your eyes!
- Bing’s Reach Across Devices: Bing reaches 63 million searchers who aren’t reached by Google, giving you access to an exclusive audience. Additionally, 34% of the U.S. Bing audience uses mobile devices, so optimizing for Bing can help you connect with more mobile users.
- Bing’s Voice Search Integration: Bing is integrated with popular voice assistants like Microsoft’s Cortana, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri. Optimizing for Bing can make your content more accessible to users who rely on voice search.
- Bing Places for Business: Businesses that take advantage of Bing Places for Business can increase their visibility on Bing’s search engine results pages (SERPs), as 55% of businesses haven’t claimed their Bing Places listing yet. This offers a significant opportunity for businesses to stand out from the competition.
- Bing’s Shopping Campaigns: Bing’s shopping campaigns can be more cost-effective compared to Google Shopping campaigns, with a 10-15% lower cost per click. This makes Bing’s shopping campaigns an attractive option for e-commerce businesses looking to maximize their ad budget.
- Bing’s Expanded Text Ads Performance: Expanded text ads on Bing have been found to perform better than standard text ads, with an average 28% increase in click-through rates. This demonstrates the potential for improved ad performance on the Bing platform.
