SEO Optimization for Bing

Global search today is concentrated on the Google search engine, which statistically accounts for more than 50% of all search queries in the global sense. But in addition to Google, there are other search engines whose market share is quite decent and is gradually growing, respectively, SEO optimization of the site should take them into account. That’s why SEO specialists build their website promotion strategy around Google, completely forgetting about its direct competitor (in the global sense) — Bing.

Who Uses Bing? How to Use Bing?

Today, Bing is the default search in Internet browsers Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, as well as on mobile devices with the Windows operating system. It is the second most popular search engine in the world (after Google). Tthe share of traffic around the world is more than 20% (the main users are residents of the USA, China and Europe).

The Bing search engine has a number of unique features, which makes it stand out from the rest of the PS. Due to the constant rivalry with Google, the system is regularly updated and introduces new features, among which the following can be noted:

  • each user can choose the format for displaying snippets in the output. For example, a short or full description, etc.;
  • the ability to choose the number of sites displayed on one output page, as well as the method of opening new sites (in a new or current tab /window);
  • integration with Microsoft Office services. For example, the built-in search for word meanings in Microsoft Word;
  • the search log, which displays all queries entered from this device (browser);
  • the ability to save places on the map, images, videos and news in “My Collections”.

In addition to the above, the Bing search engine also has standard capabilities and tools inherent in other PS.

Does Bing Use SEO Optimization?

Bing recognizes SEO as a legitimate and positive practice aimed at improving the technical and content aspects of the site, facilitating search and increasing accessibility for search engines and users. However, Bing warns that SEO work does not guarantee high positions and increased traffic.

Impress people, not search engines. If you keep this one thing in mind, you will start getting amazing results from search engines like Bing. Most people often look for shortcuts or tactics to trick search engines and get faster results. They completely fail to understand the importance of providing a better experience for the users of their site. No matter how hard you try to outsmart search engines, if the interaction with users on your site is bad, you will NOT achieve an increase in the ranking in search results. Here are some proven ways to improve the user experience of your site to take a high place in the Bing ranking.

Click metrics are extremely important. The click rate measures how often people viewing a search result end up clicking on it.

The #1 search results often bring in more organic clicks. In addition, the more organic clicks a particular search result generates, the higher it will rank.

For example, if you occupy the second position for a keyword, but get more organic clicks than the first search result, then over time you will displace position No. 1 (from position 2). Do you know why? Search engines, including Bing (and Google), take organic clicks into account when ranking web pages.  Therefore, if search engine bots notice that more people click on a certain search result, the rating of this page will rise.  That is why it is important to increase the organic CTR (Click Through Rate). Here are some quick tips to increase the click-through rate on your site:

  • Write exciting headlines.
  • Optimize your content for displayed snippets
  • Use descriptive URLs containing your main keyword
  • Switch to faster Hosting: The fastest way to improve page loading time is to use faster hosting.
  • Install WP Rocket: WP Rocket is a premium caching plugin used for WordPress sites.

Is Bing SEO Different From Google?

Despite the fact that the SEO ranking factors of Google and Bing are similar in many ways, it is also obvious that when comparing the results of Bing and Google, there are significant differences in the weights applied to certain ranking factors. Of course, you don’t need to redesign your entire site to optimize it for Bing, but there are some changes you can make to ensure a high ranking in both search engines.

  • Technical SEO

Bing and Google ranking algorithms take into account many technical factors, from convenience for mobile devices to the speed of the site. Investing in optimizing the behind-the-scenes structure and technical SEO on your site’s pages can yield positive results in both Google and Bing, although there are certain discrepancies between the factors that they consider important. When implementing permanent redirects within SEO, it is correct to use 301 redirects, not temporary 302 redirects. Using 302 redirects can sometimes cause indexing problems in Google, but the Bing system works by automatically interpreting the 302 redirect as 301 after it has been passed several times. Therefore, 302 redirects are unlikely to cause any problems for Bing. However, in order for your site to be optimized for both Bing and Google, it is important not to use 302 redirects if constant redirection is required.

  • Bing takes a closer look at metadata

Many of the differences between Bing and Google ranking processes are at the intersection of technical and content aspects of SEO. For example, the processing of metadata and other signals on a page differs significantly between the two search engines, mainly due to the different ways in which they try to understand sites on the Internet. Bing relies more on traditional methods of understanding content, such as domain keywords, page titles, and metadata. In general, this makes optimization for Google more difficult for SEO specialists than for Bing.

  • Bing prefers official domain types

Bing prefers content that has already been created, which either exists for a long time, or has gained a large amount of traffic. This preference is also reflected in Bing’s preference for more official top-level domains such as .gov or .edu, while Google considers commercial or popular sites no less valuable in many situations.

  • Off-page SEO

Although Bing is still a decisive ranking factor, it does not attach much importance to backlinks. Despite the fact that backlinks are more important for Google SEO, there are some common features between the two search engines in relation to links. In both cases, credibility is determined not only by the number of backlinks, but also by their quality and relevance. Links from well-established sites that are related to the recipient site transfer more link capital than their less reputable counterparts.

  • Multimedia content

Contrary to popular belief, Google crawlers have long been able to understand the JavaScript sections of your site, and over time this ability will only improve: in 2015, a message was published in the official Google Webmaster Central blog that “if you don’t block Googlebot from viewing your JavaScript or CSS files, we generally they are able to display and understand your pages like modern browsers.” In contrast, the Bing Webmaster guide warns that “rich media (Flash, JavaScript, etc.) may cause Bing to be unable to view navigation or not see content embedded in a web page.”

Noxster SEO Company with Ten Years of Experience in Los Angeles

Bing has a completely different policy than Google when it comes to indexing content. Bing’s Christie Olson confirmed that Bing has no plans to implement an equivalent indexing policy for mobile devices, stating that “we maintain a single index optimized for both mobile and desktop computers so that our users continue to receive the most relevant, fresh and consistent results no matter where they are.” The team at Noxster SEO is happy to consult any other aspect of SEO optimization for Bing.