14 Tips for Bing SEO [That Don't Suck]

I talk to a lot of people who think SEO begins and ends with Google. Sure, Google might dominate market share, but Bing brings in traffic that converts surprisingly well, especially in industries targeting professionals and higher-income users.

A 2023 WordStream analysis found that Bing Ads conversion rates can beat Google Ads by a decent margin – 2.94% versus 2.70% on average. That is a solid result if you are aiming for a better return on investment.

I have been optimizing sites for Bing long enough to recognize that the platform has its own quirks. And if you are already working on SEO for Google, you are already partly there.

The extra advantage comes from knowing Bing’s unique ranking signals, visitor demographics, and the details that can push a site from the second page into the top five.

14 Tips for Bing SEO

1. Don’t Skip Bing Webmaster Tools

Many people do not even use Bing Webmaster Tools. That is a missed opportunity. If you are serious about succeeding with Bing SEO, you need to sign up for an account right away.

Bing Webmaster Tools (BWT) offers:

• Index coverage data similar to what Google Search Console provides
• Keyword reports that show how people are finding you on Bing
• SEO reports to help spot potential issues
• URL inspection to check indexing status

All these features help you identify indexing gaps, fix them quickly, and track performance specifically on Bing.

I once worked with a small contractor who was nearly invisible on Bing for local queries. We discovered a major indexing issue, fixed it using BWT, and saw improvements within a few weeks.

2. Embrace Exact Keywords (But Stay Relevant)

Google’s ranking approach relies a lot on context and what users mean. Bing values those factors too, but it still has a preference for exact matches in meta titles and meta descriptions.

I am not saying to pad your content with keywords (that is a quick way to turn off both Bing and readers). But if you are targeting a phrase like “affordable organic skincare” that appears frequently in your keyword research, feel free to use it exactly in titles, headers, and body copy.

A few key suggestions:

1. Put primary keywords in your H1 tags early.
2. Use exact matches in meta titles and meta descriptions.
3. Avoid forcing keywords unnaturally. If a phrase does not fit, use synonyms or partial matches.

I recall working with a boutique skincare brand that focused on organic products. We specifically targeted Bing by including exact-match keywords in meta titles. Within three months, their organic traffic from Bing increased by 35%, with a 20% boost in sales.

3. Use Metadata Beyond Just Title Tags

When optimizing for Google, many people focus mainly on titles. Bing also considers meta descriptions, meta keywords (yes, the old meta keywords field), and alt tags.

While Google might ignore some of these fields, Bing can still use them in rankings and relevance scoring.

Try:

• Filling out meta keywords in a focused manner – use 2 to 4 target phrases if it makes sense.
• Writing concise alt text that describes the image without sounding spammy.
• Ensuring meta descriptions include important keywords.

Although these do not replace the need for quality content, they help reinforce your main terms for Bing. It is not a big time investment to add them properly.

4. Keep Content Fresh

Content freshness is an important part of Bing’s ranking algorithm. You do not need to update every blog post daily.

However, if you are covering subjects that change frequently – like finance, technology, or health – updated content matters.

If your site is mostly static, such as a portfolio site, you might not need frequent updates.

Even so, posts that are several years old can start to slip in rankings over time. Some ideas include:

• Reviewing top traffic pages every few months.
• Making small edits if content statistics or references have changed.
• Adding new internal links to older pieces to show they remain relevant.

5. Page Speed Is a Must

If your site is slow, its performance suffers on every search platform—including Bing. Bing prefers fast and user-friendly pages. This means:

• Compressing images: Large, uncompressed images often slow load times.
• Using a CDN: Host your static files on a content delivery network to improve speed.
• Minifying code: Tidy up CSS, JavaScript, and HTML.

I like to think of page speed as a universal asset in SEO. A faster site means happier visitors, and happier visitors convert better. Bing notices user engagement metrics, from lower bounce rates to higher click-through rates, and factors them into rankings.

6. Build High-Quality Backlinks

Backlinks remain a favored ranking signal across search engines. Bing may not be as aggressive as Google in penalizing questionable backlink profiles, but it still cares about link quality.

Focus on links from:

• Sites relevant to your industry
• Guest posts on authoritative sites
• Review platforms connected to your business

A boutique skincare brand mentioned earlier earned legitimate high-quality backlinks from a handful of respected health and beauty blogs. Their Bing rankings for busy keywords like “organic facial cleanser” improved dramatically, showing that quality links count on Bing just as much as on Google.

7. Don’t Overlook Social Signals

There is ongoing discussion about how much search engines weigh social signals, but I have seen Bing reward sites with strong social engagement.

When your posts are shared frequently, you can benefit from natural backlinks, brand mentions, and an overall boost in your online presence.

For Bing, this may be especially true because Microsoft has historically given some attention to social presence, especially during times of strong integration with platforms like Facebook. Keep these basics in mind:

• Share your new or updated content on social platforms.
• Encourage social sharing by adding share buttons and prompts.
• Interact: Don’t just post and disappear.

Social engagement can increase brand visibility, and Bing recognizes those brand mentions. It is not a magic fix, but it helps raise your domain authority in Bing’s view.

8. Get Local With Bing Places for Business

If you run a local business, make sure to cover the essentials.

Set up your Bing Places for Business profile and keep your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) details consistent across directories. Local SEO for Bing works well, especially if your target audience tends to be older or more professional.

I once assisted a moving company with their local Bing strategy.

By optimizing their Bing Places listing – including images, categories, and descriptions – they experienced a 76% year-over-year increase in form submissions. This shows how local credibility and accurate listing information can make a difference for Bing.

9. Multi-Language and Localized Content

Bing’s audience is not as globally extensive as Google’s, but it still serves many regions. Bing rewards highly localized or multilingual content when it is set up correctly.

If you are targeting non-English markets or specific regions, consider these steps:

• Use separate subfolders for each language or country (for example, /fr, /es)
• Add the proper hreflang tags so Bing shows the right version.
• Include local references such as place names, currencies, or dialects when relevant.

A general contractor expanding into a neighboring state benefited from including location-based references. This change helped boost their local visibility on Bing, which was key to gaining traction within two months of the update.

10. Use Schema Markup to Help Bing Understand Your Site

Structured data like schema markup is useful for both Google and Bing. Bing uses it to get a clearer picture of your page content. This can result in enhanced search results and richer snippets.

Common schema types include:

• Organization: Provides details like your company’s name, logo, and contact information.
• Local Business: Works well for local listings by displaying hours and addresses.
• Product: For online stores, shows prices, availability, and ratings.
• Review: Highlights star ratings.

When schema markup is correctly in place, Bing’s crawlers have an easier time interpreting your content. This clarity can lead to improved rankings, especially in sectors where rich snippets draw more clicks.

11. Watch for AI and Voice Search

Voice search is significant on devices like Amazon’s Alexa, and Alexa relies on Bing. Microsoft’s AI assistant Cortana is also powered by Bing. With increasing AI integrations and shifts in search behavior, it makes sense to prepare your site for these types of queries.

Consider these steps:

• Optimize content for local voice queries, such as terms like “near me” or “open now.”
• Use more conversational long-tail keywords in your text. For example: “What is the best organic skincare routine?”
• Keep your Bing Places listing current.

Voice traffic may not be the largest source at the moment, but it can yield solid results when handled correctly.

12. Periodically Audit and Clean Up Content

Old or cluttered pages can lower the overall performance of your site on both Google and Bing. I recommend doing regular content audits:

• Identify pages that are not generating visits or conversions.
• Determine if the content can be improved or merged with other pages.
• Remove or mark pages that no longer add value.

Bing’s algorithm can detect low-value pages, which may affect your site’s overall authority. Cleaning up these pages can sometimes give your rankings a lift.

13. Monitor Industry Benchmarks and Conversion Rates

Bing’s advantage is that it often delivers higher conversion rates for lower advertising costs. Many industries perform better on Bing than on Google when it comes to direct conversions, including sectors such as finance, B2B services, and technology.

Below is a quick reference table based on 2023 research:

‍

I always set up tracking to understand how Bing visitors interact with my site. Look at metrics like:

• Time on site
• Pages per session
• Bounce rate
• Conversion rate by channel

This information not only confirms the quality of Bing traffic but also highlights which parts of your audience favor the platform.

14. Measure, Refine, and Stay Consistent

SEO for Bing is an ongoing process. You should:

1. Monitor impressions, clicks, and rankings using Bing Webmaster Tools.
2. Regularly check crawl statistics and fix any indexing or speed issues.
3. Adjust your strategy if performance is not improving.
4. Appreciate the small gains along the way.

I remember working with a tech company that had been focused on Google. Once we redirected part of the budget and adjusted content for exact-match keywords while ensuring technical health, the brand saw a 207% growth in SEO traffic within six months.

That result came from regular monitoring, making improvements, and focusing on Bing’s specific ranking signals.