10 Things I Learned from Searching in Bing

Internet search in Bing? What a usual yet exciting concept! As a professional digital marketer, I use all of Google’s tools including browsing the internet exclusively on Google. Occasionally, I’ll check how organic keyword search results appear on Yahoo and Bing versus Google, but 99% of the time, I primarily search from Google. So when the idea was presented to me to write about the 10 things I learned from searching in Bing, I leaped at the opportunity. My mind raced while wondering what type of experiences I would have from searching exclusively within Bing:

• What types of differences would I encounter?
• How would it be different than Google?
• Would the search experience be better?
• Was there a chance I might like Bing as a search engine better then I like Google?

I relished the thought of searching in Bing and also what I would learn from the experience. So I spent three days using Bing exclusively as my search engine and without further ado, here’s what I learned.

Bing Positions its PPC at the Top, Right, and Bottom of the Page

Bing offers its pay-per-click listings in the three places: the very top of the page, the top right column of the page, and the very bottom of the page. Google only offers pay-per-click ads on the very top and on the very bottom. Google used to display PPC ads in the right column too, but they stopped using that area of the page a couple of years ago. Seeing the PPC ads in the right column of Bing was nostalgic for me since Google used to display pay-per-click in the right column as well. The takeaway is that because Bing displays pay-per-click ads in the right column, they can display more PPC listings per page than Google. The most PPC listings Google can display on a page is up to seven. I’ve seen Bing fit as many as twelve PPC listings on a single page of results.

Bing Displays Local Map Listings, Too

Just like Google, Bing offers the local map listings towards the top of the page. The local map listings are displayed just under the paid listings and directly above the organic listings. The reviews associated with the business listings are powered by Yelp. The difference between Bing local listings and Google Local listings is that Bing shows as many as five local listings and Google tends to show only three to four. Another difference is that the reviews in Bing are provided by Yelp whereas the reviews in Google local listings are powered by Google Business reviews.

Bing’s Search Landing Page Features a Cool, New Image Each Day

Bing updates their search landing page each day with a new image. Google just has the plain old white background search landing page. Not that there is anything wrong with Google’s white background search landing page, it’s just that Bing offers a more captivating experience. Bing often uses an image that is pertinent to the specific day. This blog was drafted on Halloween thus the ghoulish background image for Bing’s search page.  

Bing Has the Ability Limit Organic Search Results to Just Six Listings

There’s only so much room on an internet search page. When Bing uses the real estate at the top of the page for pay-per-click ads while also utilizing part of the space for three to five local map listings, along with PPC ads at the bottom, there’s only room left for six organic search results on the page. Displaying a mere six organic listings on a page versus ten offered by Google can make Bing a more challenging place to have page one organic rankings.

The Local Map Listings are Not Always Centered to Your Device’s Location

Whether you are searching from a laptop, desktop, phone, or a tablet, Google knows your location and displays local map listings closest to your location. Bing shows listings within your geographic area but not always within close proximity of where you are when you conduct the search.

Reviews for Bing’s Local Map Listings are Powered by Yelp

Bing has yet to come up with its own review system, so all of the reviews aggregated into business listings are powered by Yelp. This was a big, “ah ha,” moment for me. In my as a digital marketer, I’ve been laser-focused on garnering more Google reviews for my clients, not Yelp reviews. My Bing search engine experiment reinforced to me that Yelp reviews are still relevant and important.

The Bing Search Selections are Almost the Same as Google

Bing offers the same search options at the very top of the page that Google does, except for the ability to search by “Shopping.” It appears that Bing has yet to develop its own shopping network like Google. Other then that, Bing offers a helpful search functionality such as All, Images, Videos, Maps, and News.

Bing Will Try to Get You to Change Your Internet Browser to Microsoft Edge

If you have your internet browser set to Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, Bing will prompt you to switch to Microsoft Edge.  This is because Microsoft powers both Edge and Bing.

Bing Offers Keyword Autocomplete, Too

When keyword searching in Bing, the search box will autocomplete popular keyword search terms so you can simply press enter when you locate your desired search term. Google offers the autosuggest function, too. The keyword autocomplete is a helpful tool because it alleviates making the users type in the full search term.

Bing Offers a Business Page Knowledge Graph As Well

Bing offers a business page knowledge graph for Bing Places listings on the right column of the page, similar to Google’s business knowledge graph. Bing’s business page knowledge graph offers an interactive map of the business location, pictures of the business, a link to the website, directions to the business, hours of operation, the business phone number, and Yelp reviews. If there are no reviews on the business’s Yelp page, Bing Places pulls in FOURSQUARE tips.

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Tags: Digital Marketing • Miscellaneous