3 SEO Tips for Bing (Part 1)

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Without a doubt, Google is the top choice in online search, but that does not mean we will take for granted the other search engines. Of course, for most of us, the focus would be still be Google. However, we have to remember that Yahoo!, Baidu, Ask, and Bing are part of the top 5 most used search engines today.

Being below Google, Bing is unnoticed most of the time. The public would often focus on the 74.8% market share of Google. Bing gets the second spot, but its market share is nowhere near Google. With only having a market share of 8.08%, Bing seems irrelevant, but it represents roughly 500 million monthly users.

In this blog post, I will help you get most of the 500 million users. Here are 3 tips in optimizing your website for Bing:

1. Add your business on Bing Places

Bing Places for Business is the Microsoft equivalent of Google My Business.  When you use this, it allows your online businesses to be listed on Bing. With an account, you can claim your business listing, update business details, add photos, location, and other important information.

Microsoft Building

What sets Bing apart? Its algorithm considers social signals as a ranking factor. So, social engagements from websites like Facebook will surely affect rankings. You just need to do 3 steps:

How to add your business?
  • Don’t worry, Bing is not totally different. Beside, even if you haven’t listed your business, it’s probably listed by someone else already. All you need to do is to claim that you are the owner. Then, you can update and edit it to your own preference.
  • If need a step-by-step guide, Bing provided a detailed instruction here. You will know the proper way to add and complete your business listing.
The verification process
  • Next, you need to verify your identity. According to the guidelines, Bing has numerous ways of verifying a Bing Places for Business listing. It can either be through: postcard, email, phone call, text message, and Bing Webmaster Tools.
  • Once you have entered the authorization code, you are the official owner and no one is allowed to unauthorized changes.
Publishing Your Business
  • Finally, you can publish your business listing on the Bing Place for Business website.

2. Provide a Variety of Pictures

Like any search engine, Bing also emphasizes on the importance of images. It gives your potential customers an idea on what to expect.

So, be sure that the pictures you upload are high resolution images. Most importantly, these pictures are an accurate representation of your business. This is your chance to make a good impression. Don’t disappoint your customers by uploading deceiving photos.

Related: How Images Help in Boosting Your Conversion Rate

3. Ask Customers to Send their Reviews

Lastly, a business would not thrive without online reviews. Nowadays, people will not transact online without reading the reviews first.

  • Encourage your existing customers to share their shopping experience.
  • Do not resort to buying online reviews.
  • Welcome negative reviews too! If you only feature 5-star reviews, your business will surely seem shady.

Read how an unfavorable review actually helps your business. Showcasing the flaws makes your business believable. For many, a perfect profile may seem too suspicious!

More tips will be posted on SEO Tips for Bing (Part 2)