What you’ll learn
- What is Bing?
- A short history of Bing (and the Copilot era)
- Bing market share: who actually uses Bing?
- Bing's main features
- Bing vs Google: how they compare
- Bing Webmaster Tools: the starting point
If you have ever wondered what is Bing, you are asking about Microsoft's search engine — the second-largest in the world and, since the arrival of Copilot, one of the most AI-forward places to search the web. This guide explains what Bing is, how it works, who actually uses it, and — because we are an SEO agency — exactly how to rank on Bing and why ignoring it leaves traffic on the table.
What is Bing?
Bing is a web search engine owned and operated by Microsoft, launched in June 2009 to replace Live Search, Windows Live Search and MSN Search. It returns ranked web results, images, videos, maps, news and shopping listings, and now blends them with AI-generated answers through Microsoft Copilot. It is the default engine in Microsoft Edge and Windows.
In short: Bing is to Microsoft what Google Search is to Google — the front door to its search and advertising ecosystem. It powers results for partners including Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia, so Bing's index quietly reaches far more people than its own market share suggests.
A short history of Bing (and the Copilot era)
Microsoft's search journey ran through MSN Search (2005), Windows Live Search (2006) and Live Search (2007) before then-CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled Bing as a "decision engine" in mid-2009. A 10-year partnership signed that year saw Bing begin powering Yahoo Search, instantly broadening its reach.
The defining moment came in February 2023, when Microsoft integrated OpenAI's GPT-4 (via its in-house "Prometheus" model) into Bing as Bing Chat. That feature was renamed Microsoft Copilot and is now woven through Bing, Edge, Windows and Microsoft 365. By 2026, "searching Bing" increasingly means asking Copilot a question and getting a summarised, cited answer rather than a page of ten blue links.
Why the Copilot shift matters for marketers
Copilot pulls its answers from Bing's web index. That means the pages Bing ranks well are the pages Copilot is most likely to cite — making Bing SEO a direct route into AI-generated answers, the same way good SEO feeds Google's AI Overviews.
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Free strategy call ›Bing market share: who actually uses Bing?
Bing is firmly the world's number-two search engine, but the headline global figure understates its real importance. On desktop and in several key markets, its share is far higher — and Copilot-driven query growth has lifted it to its strongest position in years.
Bing's audience skews toward desktop users, Windows and Edge defaults, older age brackets, and higher household incomes — partly because it is the out-of-the-box engine on enterprise Windows machines. Its share is dramatically higher in specific countries: roughly 36% in Japan and close to 10% across the US, Germany, Mexico and Canada. For B2B and US-focused brands, that desktop and enterprise skew makes Bing a meaningfully valuable channel.
The mistake most marketers make is treating Bing as a rounding error. On US desktop it commands double-digit share, it feeds Copilot's answers, and its ad CPCs are often cheaper than Google's — that is not noise, that is opportunity.
Bing's main features
Bing is a full search ecosystem, not just a results page. Its core surfaces include:
- Web search — ranked organic results using 1,000+ signals, plus instant answers, suggested searches and hover previews.
- Copilot — conversational AI answers built on GPT-4, with cited sources, follow-up suggestions and DALL·E image generation.
- Bing Images & Visual Search — reverse image search where you upload a photo to find similar content and shoppable items.
- Bing Maps — directions, local business listings and aerial imagery.
- Bing News, Video & Shopping — aggregated verticals with rich previews.
- Microsoft Rewards — points earned for searching that redeem for gift cards. See our guide to Bing Rewards.
- Bing Translator — instant translation across 100+ languages.
Bing vs Google: how they compare
Both Bing and Google crawl the web, rank pages and serve ads — but they differ in audience, scale and what their algorithms reward. Here is a side-by-side comparison.
| Factor | Bing | |
|---|---|---|
| Global market share (2026) | ~4% all-device (~16% US desktop) | ~89–90% |
| Audience skew | Desktop, Windows/Edge, older, higher income, enterprise | Broad, mobile-dominant, all demographics |
| AI assistant | Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4) | Gemini / AI Overviews |
| Powers other engines | Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia | — |
| Keyword matching | Heavier weight on exact-match keywords | Semantic / intent-based |
| Social signals | Used as a ranking signal | Largely indirect |
| Meta descriptions | Can act as a ranking factor | For display only, not ranking |
| Ad platform | Microsoft Advertising (often lower CPC) | Google Ads |
The takeaway: Bing is smaller but cheaper and less competitive, with an audience that converts well for many B2B and US-desktop brands. Running Microsoft Ads alongside Google Ads is a common way to capture that overlooked demand.
Bing Webmaster Tools: the starting point
Bing Webmaster Tools is Bing's free equivalent of Google Search Console. It lets you submit your site, monitor indexing, see which queries you appear for, diagnose crawl errors and submit URLs for fast indexing via the IndexNow protocol.
- Verify your site — or simply import your existing Google Search Console property in one click.
- Submit your XML sitemap so Bing can discover every page.
- Use IndexNow to ping Bing the moment you publish or update content.
- Review the SEO and site scan reports for on-page issues Bing flags directly.
How to rank on Bing: Bing SEO tips
Good fundamentals rank on both engines, but Bing rewards a few things differently from Google. Here is how to optimise specifically for Bing in 2026:
- Use exact-match keywords in your title tag, H1 and meta description — Bing leans more literal than Google's semantic matching.
- Write keyword-rich meta descriptions: on Bing the meta description can influence rankings, not just click-through.
- Build authoritative backlinks, especially from established and
.edu/.govdomains; Bing weights total link quantity and domain age more heavily. - Invest in social signals — shares and engagement on platforms feed Bing's algorithm in a way they do not feed Google's.
- Get the technical basics right with sound technical SEO: clean crawlable HTML, fast loading and schema markup, which Bing reads avidly.
- Verify in Bing Webmaster Tools and adopt IndexNow so new pages get crawled fast.
- Earn citations and brand mentions — the same authority signals that help you appear in Copilot answers and the wider SERP.
Because Bing favours older domains, exact keywords and social activity, an established brand with a steady content programme often ranks on Bing faster than on Google. Track demand the same way you would for any channel — tools like Google Trends still reveal the search interest behind both engines.
Should businesses care about Bing?
For most businesses, yes — with proportion. Bing will not replace Google as your primary channel, but on US desktop, in B2B, and inside the Microsoft 365 / Edge ecosystem it reaches a high-intent, higher-income audience that competitors frequently ignore. Add Copilot's growing role in surfacing answers and Bing becomes a low-cost, low-competition lever worth pulling.
If your customers use Windows machines at work, search on desktop, or you advertise in the US, Canada, Germany or Japan, Bing deserves a deliberate slice of your search strategy — not an afterthought.
Frequently asked questions about Bing
What is Bing in simple terms?
Bing is Microsoft's search engine. You type a query and it returns ranked web pages, images, videos, maps and news — and, through Microsoft Copilot, AI-written answers with cited sources. It is the default search engine in Windows and Microsoft Edge.
Is Bing owned by Microsoft?
Yes. Bing is owned and operated by Microsoft and developed by its Microsoft AI division. It launched in June 2009 as the successor to Live Search and MSN Search.
Is Bing better than Google?
Google is larger and more widely used, but Bing offers deep Copilot/AI integration, Microsoft Rewards points for searching, and often cheaper advertising. "Better" depends on your audience — Bing's desktop and enterprise skew suits many B2B and US brands well.
How do I rank on Bing?
Use exact-match keywords in titles and meta descriptions, build quality backlinks (Bing values domain age and total links), encourage social engagement, keep your technical SEO clean, and verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools with a submitted sitemap and IndexNow.
Does Bing power other search engines?
Yes. Bing's index powers Yahoo Search, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia, among others, so optimising for Bing improves your visibility across several engines at once.
Make Bing part of your search strategy
Bing is no longer an afterthought — it is a Copilot-powered, second-largest search engine with real desktop and enterprise reach and cheaper, less crowded advertising. D'Marketing Agency helps brands rank across both Bing and Google and run profitable Microsoft Ads campaigns alongside their core SEO programme. Request a free quote using the form on this page and we will show you the Bing traffic you are missing.
