A mere twenty years ago, hardly anyone could have imagined how Google would soon encompass our daily lives. We’ve certainly come a long way since Google launched its service; in 2018, web users conduct more than 2 trillion Google searches. That’s not an estimate or an over exaggeration. Talk about working overtime, right?
These searches range from anything like local restaurant hours and product reviews to hysterical cat videos. With so many web users preferring Google as their search engine of choice, Bing tends to receive the short end of the stick. Remember the sister rivalry in the Brady Bunch? Try picturing Google as Marsha, the sibling who receives all of the attention, while Bing jealously mumbles “Google, Google, Google” in the corner, akin to Jan Brady. But like Jan Brady, Bing has its own merits to offer.
In many ways, Google and Bing don’t have many differences. Still, Google and search are synonymous while poor Bing slowly evolved into a joke amongst Google users. But don’t count Bing out just yet because this overlooked search engines may be making a comeback.
1) Bing STILL Attracts Users
So you think you’re an SEO wiz just because you’ve optimized your website on Google? Not so fast Cowboy! While Google will definitely supercharge your online ranking, you need to cover all of your bases so you don’t miss out on any customers. With that being said, you’ll need to shift some focus towards Bing. Now before you roll your eyes and dismiss the idea, did you know that Bing users account for 36% of web searches? While Google delivers double the amount of traffic, Bing still offers impressive numbers that are yours for the taking. You cannot expect your website reach its full potential if you’re only focusing your efforts towards one search engine. Do your research and broaden your horizons to other platforms.
2) Similar SEO Practices
It’s very fitting to refer to Bing and Google as digital siblings since they’re both so alike. If they both strive to deliver users the best possible answers to their search query, how different could they possibly be? The similarities that these two search engines are so great that they even share some SEO methods to improve rank.
Among the shared ranking factors, the two search engine siblings both value superior content, well-placed keywords, and best-in-class user experience. But that’s not to say that your Google ranking for a particular phrase will run parallel to your ranking on Bing. Each engine has different algorithms to rank their top hits. As such, you’ll need to develop a separate SEO strategy for each search engine.
3) Bing Offers Lower Competition
Bing is a hidden goldmine of untapped opportunities mostly because many web users aren’t jumping on the Bing bandwagon. Think about it – fewer people using Bing means less competition for rank. If everyone focuses their attention on Google, you can snatch up keyword rankings before the competition migrates over to Bing. The early bird certainly gets the worm.
4) Bing Wants You to Socialize
Unlike Google, Bing looks at social engagement as a determiner for ranking. According to its Webmaster Guidelines, Bing notices when fans on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram share your content, which will impact your organic rank. So if your brand is killing it with engagement on social media, then you’re already at an advantage for higher ranking on Bing. But if you weren’t focused on your social media presence before, now is the perfect time to cultivate your following.
When you regularly interact with your audience, you build relationships that can drive conversions and ultimately lead to profits. You don’t have to overcomplicate your strategy to notice results. Simply sharing beautiful visuals that seize your followers’ attention, or running polls and quizzes that pique followers’ interests can encourage them to begin socializing with your brand. The key is to never stop experimenting with techniques until you find what works best for your band’s goals while simultaneously appealing to your audience.
5) The Key to Keyword Success
Just like Google, strategically placed keywords will unlock the door to search engine success. But there’s a catch with Bing. Whereas Google puts their focus on contextual clues and search intent, Bing instead rewards websites with “exact” keyword phrases rather than similar keywords. In fact, Bing’s Website Guidelines urges websites to “use targeted keywords whenever possible.” This includes your rich meta-descriptions, H1 and H2 title tags, and even the website’s URL.
Botta BING Botta Boom!
With many invaluable benefits, you cannot afford to miss out on optimizing your website for Bing. While you can certainly ignore this hidden treasure trove of opportunities, doing so will only impact your website and your brand because you deny yourself access to 36% of all web users. So what are you waiting for? Go out and start climbing your rank to the top of Bing. The future of search won’t stay stagnant forever. It’s only a matter of time before the competition catches wind of your strategy and snatches your ranking from under your nose. Seize this golden opportunity while you still can.
Need some help navigating the unfamiliar search engine? No problem. Let Premiere Creative guide you through the unfamiliar waters. Contact us today and give us a call at (973) 346-8100 for more information about our superior SEO services.