Today we’re going to talk about something that not everyone knows about SEO. When it comes to search engines, Google is by far the most mentioned name. Let’s see how SEO for Bing works and its main features.
What is Bing?
Bing is Microsoft’s search engine. Although it is less well known in Brazil, it has a significant share of the search market, especially in the United States.
There, it is integrated with the Microsoft Edge browser and with virtual assistants such as Cortana. It is also used as a search engine within Microsoft’s own services.
Understanding how this search engine works is important for reaching different audiences and maximizing online visibility.
In addition, Bing’s relevance is growing. For this reason, companies that optimize their strategies for this search engine are able to reach an additional and often more qualified audience, since Bing users tend to have a wider age range and greater purchasing power.
What’s the difference between Bing and Google?
The main difference between Bing and Google lies in the algorithms each uses to rank pages in search results. Google is known for its focus on quality content, authority links and optimization for mobile devices.
Meanwhile, although Bing also values these factors, it has some peculiarities:
- Exact keywords: Bing places even more emphasis on the use of exact keywords. While Google has adapted to understand synonyms and variations of search terms, Bing still prioritizes the literal use of keywords, which can be an important point in optimization;
- Sharing on social networks: Bing places great value on the relationship between content and other networks. So if your content is widely shared on social networks, especially Facebook, there is a high probability that it will rank well on Bing;
- Backlinks: this is a very important point, as backlinks act as “votes of confidence” for your site. Bing is therefore very concerned about the quality and age of links. This is why backlinks from older, more reliable domains have a greater impact;
- Multimedia resources: for Bing, visual content such as images and videos tend to be prioritized. Therefore, the proper use of meta tags for images and optimization of videos can greatly help the ranking of a piece of content;
- User experience: here Bing focuses a little less on optimizing for mobile devices than Google. Over time, however, this trend has been changing.
Read also: ChatGPT Search: will Bing be a priority in SEO?
After all, how to do SEO for Bing?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a set of strategies and practices used to improve the positioning of a website in search results.
Although there are particularities, if you already optimize your content for Google, there is a good chance that it will also rank well on Bing.
If your case is more specific and you have a targeted audience that uses Microsoft’s search engine, it makes sense to look at this more closely, trying to rank and monitor your pages with the sitemap and Bing Webmaster Tools, which is to Bing as Google Search Console is to Google.
What are the advantages of focusing on Bing?
Although Bing’s audience is not the largest on the market, investing in this search engine can bring some significant advantages.
Bing is the default search engine in all Microsoft products, which already guarantees a considerable audience. In addition, it is the search tool used by popular features such as Apple’s Siri. As a result, around 70% of mobile searches made on Bing are made on iOS devices.
Another interesting point is that Bing has a lower bounce rate than Google, which means that users tend to interact more with the sites, viewing a greater number of pages.
This represents an opportunity for those who invest in SEO for Bing, as these sites are able to stand out on the platform and increase visitor retention.
What’s more, Bing attracts an exclusive audience. Not all users use Google, which creates a captive audience for Bing. For example, 72% of searches on Bing related to finance and business are made by users who don’t use Google or other search engines.
Conclusion
Although Bing doesn’t have the same reach as Google, it offers good opportunities for those who want to expand their digital presence.
By understanding the particularities of SEO for Bing, such as the emphasis on exact keywords, the use of multimedia resources and the relevance of quality backlinks, you can optimize your strategies and reach a different, often more qualified audience.
What’s more, Bing is the default search engine on popular devices and has an exclusive audience, which can be a competitive differentiator. Therefore, focusing on Bing is a smart way to broaden your reach and attract more visitors to your site.
By implementing these practices, you can improve your SEO performance, ensuring a broader and more diverse online presence. See you next time! 😉
