The rise of Bing

In the ever-evolving landscape of search engines, Google has long held the crown as the go-to place for all those burning questions. Despite a 25-year stronghold, there is a significant transformation unfolding in search engines and what we are choosing to use. Bing is making notable strides and Google is encountering a steep decline. This monumental shift is not just reshaping the search engine landscape, it’s changing digital marketing.

But why the sudden shift? And how will this affect digital marketing? What opportunities does this create? We have put together some thoughts to break it down for you.

Why are Users Embracing Bing?

There’s a whole host of factors that seem to be coming into play, but here are a few of the reasons why Bing is earning the spotlight:

• Privacy as a Priority – Privacy has become a major concern for a lot of users, especially in the last year or so. Bing has positioned itself as a search engine that prioritises privacy and data security, winning the hearts of many, and creating a sense of trust.
• Diversity in Search – Bing celebrates diversity and objectivity in search results. The Bing experience is a much more balanced and unbiased approach, leading users to explore a wide range of perspectives and information without bias.
• Optimising the User Experience – Its visually appealing interface stands out as a refreshing alternative to Google’s minimalist search engine. Easy navigation, visually rich features, and relevant search results are appealing to users.
• Integration with the Ecosystem – Bing seamlessly integrates with Microsoft’s ecosystem, fostering a cohesive user experience. This is a significant draw for users who appreciate the seamless connectivity between their devices and services.

The Impact on Marketing

As users start to migrate to Bing, the marketing landscape is experiencing a shift. Marketers need to adapt their strategies to capitalise on this changing dynamic:

• Diversified SEO – Bing’s algorithms are unique, and unlike Google is more specific, so it’s important to broaden SEO strategies to encompass Bing. While Google remains relevant, optimising content for Bing can enhance visibility and reach a broader audience.
• The World of PPC – With the rise of Bing, Bing Ads, Microsoft’s advertising platform, is gaining traction, offering a fresh avenue for marketers. There is a much lower competition rate and more cost-effective, which makes it an appealing choice for reaching your targeted audience without breaking the bank.
• Tailoring is Key – Understanding the preferences of Bing users is crucial for content creation. Tailoring content can improve organic search rankings and increase visibility on Bing.

A New Opportunity for SEO

In the world of SEO, mastering the balance between Bing and Google is crucial for digital success. However, it’s not always going to be easy – the search engines are somewhat unique in their approaches. Here are a few ways they differ in the SEO realm:

• Keyword Emphasis – Bing tends to give more weight to exact match keywords and considers domain age in its ranking criteria. Google focuses on understanding user intent and context, allowing for a broader interpretation of search queries.
• Backlink Importance – Google places a stronger emphasis on high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites. Bing also values backlinks but may have a somewhat different approach to assessing their quality.
• Sitemaps – Bing places higher importance on XML sitemaps for crawling and indexing content, making them relatively more crucial for Bing SEO. Google, while valuing sitemaps, is proficient in crawling and indexing content even without them.
• Local Search – Bing tends to give more weight to locality in search results, making it potentially more relevant for local businesses.
• Graphic Content – Bing places significant importance on multimedia content, such as images and videos, in its search results.

Gravity’s Top Tips

Here are a few of our top tips for SEO success on Bing:

• Diversify Keyword Strategies -Optimise for Bing by diversifying your keyword strategies to capture a broader audience and improve search rankings.
• Mobile Optimisation – Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly to enhance visibility on Bing’s search results.
• Local SEO – Leverage Bing’s emphasis on local search by optimising your content for local keywords. This can enhance visibility for businesses targeting specific geographic areas.

If you’re already investing in PPC and you’re not investing in Bing our advice is to consider adding to your Ads campaigns.

• Explore Ads – Diversify your advertising channels by exploring Bing Ads. The lower competition and cost-effectiveness make Bing Ads an attractive option for reaching a growing audience.
• Tailor Ad Copy – Understand the preferences of Bing users and tailor your ad copy. Highlight positive and engaging aspects of your products or services to align with the optimistic atmosphere associated with Bing.
• Use Ad Extensions – Take advantage of Bing’s ad extensions to provide additional information and stand out in search results. Using extensions can enhance the visibility and effectiveness of your PPC campaigns.

If you would like to discuss getting ahead of the curve and embracing Google and Bing Ads as part of your PPC campaigns feel free to get in touch.