Bing is the second most popular search engine in the world, after Google. According to Statcounter, Bing has a global market share of 2.76% as of June 2023, and it powers other search engines like Yahoo and DuckDuckGo. Bing also has a loyal user base in some regions, such as the US, where it has a 6.47% market share.
If you want to reach more potential customers and increase your online visibility, you should optimize your website for Bing as well as Google. However, Bing and Google have different algorithms and ranking factors, so you need to understand what Bing values and how to improve your site accordingly.
In this article, we will explain what Bing ranking factors are, how they differ from Google’s, and how to optimize your site for Bing in a step-by-step guide.
Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Search Engine Market Share
What are Bing Ranking Factors?
Bing ranking factors are the criteria that Bing uses to evaluate and rank web pages in its search results. Bing ranking factors aim to measure the relevance, quality, authority, and user experience of web pages for a given search query.
Bing ranking factors are not officially disclosed by Microsoft, the company that owns Bing. However, based on research, experiments, and statements from Bing representatives, SEO experts have identified some of the most important Bing ranking factors for 2023.
Here are some of the key Bing ranking factors that you should pay attention to:
- Page load time: Page load time is an important user experience SEO metric that Bing uses to rank content. Having a slow-loading page can increase your bounce rate and turn users away from your site. As such, it reflects on the quality of your site as a whole.
- User location: To provide searchers with relevant information, Bing considers their location along with the web page’s hosting country and language. This makes the results page more helpful to the user.
- Mobile-friendliness: While Google holds the majority of mobile searches, Bing still wants to see that a website caters to many devices. This ranking factor looks at things like content size, spacing, and readability to determine the site’s functionality and accessibility1.
- Backlinks: Bing considers backlinks as a sign of content’s credibility and overall quality. It focuses mostly on the source of backlinks (credible site vs. spammy site) and their age (new links vs. old links).
- Freshness: Content needs to remain “fresh” so that the user has the most accurate information possible.
- Relevance: How closely the web page is responding to the search intent. This means that the content must satisfy the user intent to rank higher in search results on Bing. Users can use LSI keywords, keywords in URL or headings, but only in the best way2.
- Engagement rate: This is a major ranking factor in Bing. The more engagement your pages get, the higher they will rank. Engagement rate can be measured by metrics like click-through rate (CTR), dwell time, bounce rate, social shares, comments, etc3.
- Site structure: Organization of site and quality of code is a ranking factor in Bing. A well-structured site with clear navigation, sitemap, internal links, headings, etc., can help Bing crawl and index your site better.
How do Bing Ranking Factors Differ from Google’s?
Bing and Google have some similarities in their ranking factors, such as relevance, quality, authority, and user experience. However, they also have some differences in how they weigh and evaluate these factors.
Here are some of the main differences between Bing and Google ranking factors:
- Keywords: Bing is more keyword-focused than Google. It tends to match keywords exactly or partially in the content, URL, title tag, meta description, etc., while Google relies more on semantic analysis and natural language processing to understand the meaning and context of queries and content.
- Content length: Bing prefers longer and more comprehensive content than Google. It tends to rank pages with more than 2000 words higher than shorter pages. Google does not have a specific preference for content length but rather looks at how well the content answers the user’s query.
- Multimedia: Bing favors pages with rich multimedia content such as images, videos, audio files, etc., over plain text pages. It also has better image recognition capabilities than Google and can analyze visual elements more accurately. Google also values multimedia content.
- Social signals: Bing considers social signals such as likes, shares, comments, etc., as a sign of popularity and authority of a web page. It also integrates social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter into its search results. Google does not use social signals as a direct ranking factor but rather as a way to discover new and relevant content.
- Domain age: Bing gives more weight to older and more established domains than Google. It considers domain age as a sign of trustworthiness and authority. Google does not use domain age as a ranking factor but rather looks at the quality and freshness of the content on the domain.
How to Optimize Your Site for Bing: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you know what Bing ranking factors are and how they differ from Google’s, you can start optimizing your site for Bing. Here are some steps that you can follow to improve your site’s performance on Bing:
Step 1: Create and verify your Bing Webmaster Tools account
Bing Webmaster Tools is a free service that allows you to monitor and manage your site’s presence on Bing. You can use it to submit your sitemap, check your site’s health, analyze your traffic, optimize your site, and more. Link
To create and verify your Bing Webmaster Tools account, follow these steps:
- Go to https://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster/ and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Enter your site’s URL and click on “Add”.
- Choose one of the verification methods: upload an XML file, add a meta tag, or add a CNAME record to your DNS provider.
- Follow the instructions to complete the verification process.
- Once verified, you can access your dashboard and explore the various features and tools available.
Step 2: Optimize your site speed and mobile-friendliness
As mentioned earlier, page load time and mobile-friendliness are important ranking factors for Bing. You should optimize your site speed and mobile-friendliness to provide a better user experience and rank higher on Bing.
To optimize your site speed, you can use tools like Google Page Speed Insights or GTmetrix to analyze your site’s performance and get suggestions on how to improve it. Some common ways to improve your site speed are:
- Minify and compress your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files
- Enable browser caching and gzip compression
- Optimize your images and videos
- Use a content delivery network (CDN)
- Reduce the number of redirects and external scripts
To optimize your mobile-friendliness, you can use tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test or Bing Mobile Friendliness Test Tool to check how your site looks and works on mobile devices. Some common ways to improve your mobile-friendliness are:
- Use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and orientations
- Avoid using Flash or other plugins that are not supported by mobile browsers
- Use legible fonts and colors
- Use buttons and links that are easy to tap
- Avoid pop-ups and intrusive interstitials
Step 3: Optimize Your Keywords and Content
As mentioned earlier, Bing is more keyword-focused than Google. You should optimize your keywords and content to match the search intent and queries of your target audience.
To optimize your keywords and content, you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Bing Keyword Research Tool to find relevant keywords for your niche. Some common ways to optimize your keywords and content are:
- Use primary keywords in your URL, title tag, meta description, headings, and body text
- Use secondary keywords and LSI keywords in your content to add context and variety
- Use long-tail keywords that are more specific and less competitive
- Use keywords naturally and avoid keyword stuffing or over-optimization
- Write long-form content that covers the topic in depth and provides value to the reader
Step 4: Optimize Your Backlinks and Social Signals
As mentioned earlier, backlinks and social signals are important ranking factors for Bing. You should optimize your backlinks and social signals to build trust, authority, and popularity for your site.
To optimize your backlinks, you can use tools like Moz Link Explorer or Ahrefs Backlink Checker to analyze your backlink profile and find opportunities for improvement. Some common ways to optimize your backlinks are:
- Create high-quality content that attracts natural links from other sites
- Reach out to relevant sites in your niche and ask for link exchanges or guest posts
- Submit your site to reputable directories and online platforms
- Use social media, forums, blogs, etc., to share your content and generate buzz
- Monitor your backlinks regularly and remove or disavow any spammy or low-quality links
To optimize your social signals, you can use tools like BuzzSumo or Sprout Social to analyze your social media presence and engagement. Some common ways to optimize your social signals are:
- Create engaging content that encourages likes, shares, comments, etc.
- Use hashtags, mentions, and tags to increase your reach and visibility
- Respond to your followers and interact with them regularly
- Join relevant groups, communities, and conversations on social media
- Use social media ads and promotions to boost your exposure and traffic
Step 5: Optimize Your Multimedia and Site Structure
As mentioned earlier, multimedia and site structure are important ranking factors for Bing. You should optimize your multimedia and site structure to enhance your content and make it easier for Bing to crawl and index your site.
To optimize your multimedia, you can use tools like TinyPNG or HandBrake to compress and optimize your images and videos. Some common ways to optimize your multimedia are:
- Use relevant images and videos that support your content and message
- Use descriptive file names, alt text, and captions for your images and videos
- Use schema markup or structured data to add more information to your images and videos
- Use Bing Image Search or Bing Video Search to find and use royalty-free images and videos
To optimize your site structure, you can use tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to audit and improve your site’s architecture and navigation. Some common ways to optimize your site structure are:
- Use a clear and logical hierarchy for your pages and categories
- Use descriptive and keyword-rich URLs, headings, and breadcrumbs
- Use internal links to connect your pages and distribute link juice
- Use a sitemap and a robots.txt file to help Bing crawl and index your site
- Fix any broken links, errors, or redirects on your site
Conclusion
Bing is a powerful search engine that can help you reach more potential customers and increase your online visibility. By understanding and applying the Bing ranking factors, you can optimize your site for Bing and improve your SEO performance.
If you need help with optimizing your site for Bing or any other search engine, you can contact us for a free consultation. We are a team of SEO experts who can help you with all aspects of SEO, from keyword research to content creation to link building. We can help you rank higher on Bing and achieve your online goals.