The world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is bigger than you think. The more you learn about it, the more you discover new things. To be an expert in the field, you must be willing to learn every day. In this guide, you will learn about the difference Between Bing SEO and Google SEO.
Contrary to what you may think before now, SEO goes beyond Google. There are several search engines you can optimize your Website to rank on.
Just that Google is the largest search engine platform, and that is why every SEO tactic and technique revolves around Google.
But here’s the thing – as you optimize your Website for Google SEO, don’t forget to optimize it for Bing SEO.
If you aren’t taking Bing SEO seriously, you may be missing out on untapped opportunities in your niche.
I know Bing and Google share several ranking signals. But there are differences between these two search engines.
If you understand these differences, you can easily optimize your Website to rank high on both platforms simultaneously.
Most brands often make the mistake of only focusing their inbound marketing efforts on Google.
They fail to understand that Google is not the only search engine platform. They are several other platforms you should also pay attention to.
Funnily, some of these search engine platforms other than Google are less competitive.
And if you understand how Bing SEO works, it could help you gain more visibility for your Website and boost your sales and revenue.
According to reports, Bing and Yahoo (which are both powered by Bing) dominate 9.97 percent of the desktop research engine marketing share in the United States.
And according to experts, Bing traffic converts better than Google.
How Does Bing SEO Works?
In this section, we will quickly learn a few things about Bing SEO before we discuss how it’s different from Google SEO.
Bing is currently the second most used search engine in the world after Google. And if you optimize your Website for this platform, it will gain more visibility in no time.
Since most brands are trying to rank their websites on Google, Bing will be less competitive.
Although Bing doesn’t have as much traffic as Google, traffic from Bing has a lower bounce rate.
Whether you are a marketer or business owner, you will find ranking high on Bing search results very beneficial.
And that is because Bing visitors tend to view more pages and possibly click more affiliate links.
But Generally, Bing and Google use almost the same Search Engine Optimisation techniques. However, the algorithm is different.
Again, people find it easier to rank on Bing than Google because Bing as a search engine platform is more transparent about its ranking factors.
And it doesn’t require as much effort as Google, yet you will get exceptional results.
What is the Difference Between Bing SEO and Google SEO?
If you are not currently searching with Google, you may be using a search engine or experience that Bing indirectly powers.
Over the years, Bing has partnered with several other search engines like Yahoo!, AOL, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, MSN, and Lycos.
Some voice search platforms also use Bing. For instance, Alexa and Cortana both use Bing. And it’s built into several Microsoft products by default.
So, here are the differences between Bing SEO and Google SEO.
#1. Keywords
Keywords are one of the differences between Bing SEO and Google SEO. Both search engine platforms place different values on keywords.
For instance, in 2014, Bing announced that they don’t consider meta keywords for ranking purposes anymore.
However, Google has been working creatively to improve search accuracy. The search engine platform what to better understand searchers intent and interpret contextual cues from different platforms.
This approach to creatively improve search accuracy is known as semantic search. It relies solely on machine learning and artificial intelligence to better understand every content on the web.
Furthermore, Google once said that Rank Brain is the third most important ranking factor in its algorithm.
With Rank Brain, the exact match keywords of your content are no longer important. What matter now is your ability to create breathtaking topical pages and exceptional articles for your visitors.
However, Bing has been doing a great job getting its algorithm to handle broad catching keywords.
Bing webmaster guidelines advise websites to develop rich content based on the keywords that show what users are searching for.
The Good thing about Bing’s Webmaster guidelines is that they are clear about how you can use keywords to rank on the search engine.
When you are trying to rank high on Bing, strategy keywords placed on your content will give you an edge.
But wait! That doesn’t mean you should abuse keywords placement or stuff irrelevant keywords into the metadata.
Once Bing’s algorithm detects keyword stuffing, it may affect your Website ranking on the platform. So, ensure that you do the right thing.
Additionally, Bing has several keyword tools that will help you with your SEO on the platform.
How Are SEO Keywords in Bing Different from that of Google?
Google is more concerned with the topical relevance of your content than the exact match keywords.
Of course, the search engine giant creates a comprehensive page backed by keyword research—however, the more concerned with the quality of the content you are producing.
Bing
All Bing wants from a content creator or website owner is to use straightforward keywords that match whatever you are targeting in Bing’s search results.
However, try not to over-optimize your content or stuff with too many keywords.
Read Also: 4 Type of SEO Analysis and Why They Are Important to Your Business
#2. Backlinks
Another area of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO is backlinks. Of course, both search engines are concerned about trust.
The two search engine platforms value backlinks because they indicate that your website visitors found your content helpful and trust the information you provide.
For instance, Google measures how trustworthy a website seems by using PageRank of domains linking to your content.
If your website’s backlinks are high PageRank, Google will trust you more. And Google prefers you have a few quality backlinks on your Website than having hundreds of spammy and low-PageRank limits.
Furthermore, Bing also places importance on high-quality links. But the search engine platform judge quality differently from Google.
Bing doesn’t prioritize backlinks over other ranking factors. And it prefers you have a few backlinks from quality sites.
Bing also wants your Website to have internal links with relevant anchor text.
However, Bing doesn’t hesitate to deindex pages that don’t have enough links. Even though you buy links, Bing won’t penalize your Website.
On a general note, Bing believes that manipulating inbound links to inflate the number of links pointed to your Website artificially could make the delist you from their index.
How are Backlinks in Google Different from that of Bing
When it comes to backlinks, Google prioritizes authoritative backlinks and high-quality content. They consider it as the most important indicator of any page’s authority.
Bing
Bing considers authoritative backlinks and internal links with relevant anchor text as important ranking indicators.
#3. Social Signals
Social Signals is another area of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO. Google already made it clear long ago that social signals don’t play any role in page ranking.
However, some SEO Experts believe that social signal plays an important role.
But Bing has always emphasized the importance of social signals. The search engine believes if you want to rank well in search results, you need to pay attention to social signals.
And if you are socially influential, there will be a lot of social signals coming from search engines.
As an influencer, your followers can easily share your content, which will send positive signals to Bing. Thus, making your Website rank so high on the platform.
So, in the long run, these positive signals from social media can help to rank your website organically. And that is because the signals already establish you as an expert in your niche.
Being active on social media is one of the easiest ways to rank high on Bing Search Result Pages.
Generally, it can be time-consuming to use social media as your SEO strategy, but it will be worth your effort in the long run.
You can get a comprehensive social media listening tool. It will help you tap into every conversation relating to your niche that people have online.
How is Social Signals in Google SEO Different from that of Bing?
Google doesn’t give any special consideration to social signals. The search engine index Facebook and Twitter pages like any other page.
Bing
Bing consider social signal as a core ranking factor. Most times, search results on Bing will show you brand Facebook details, Twitters Followers’ ratings, and other social media information.
#4. Multimedia Content
Multimedia content is another area of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO. For instance, Bing has been at the forefront of visual content.
And that is why the search engine has a particular feature – entity understanding. With this feature, Bing can accurately crawl and understand the different multimedia content on your Website.
It doesn’t matter whether the content is video, audio, or images. Once Bing’s bot crawls your Website, they will understand these different multimedia content.
Experts in the SEO niche opine that Bing is outstanding in terms of visual search. Even during the days of Flash, Bing could easily crawl and index Flash sites without challenges.
In a nutshell, while Bing emphasizes more on multimedia content, Google is more focused on text-based content.
#5. Other Technical SEO Differences
Outside the two mentioned above, there are other technical areas of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO.
For instance, Google crawls your Website more frequently than Bing. Once you create content and submit it on search console, Google will index your Website almost immediately.
But that is not how the Bing crawling system works. They only focus on your website’s key pages and pay little or no attention to other pages.
But you can still increase the speed at which Bing crawls your Website. You can use the Bing Webmaster Tools and click on Crawl control to achieve this.
You also have the option to submit your sitemap to Bing. It’s easy; just click “Submit a Sitemap” in your webmaster tools.
You can also achieve this by including a path to it in your robots.txt. It’s an important Bing ranking signal you should pay attention to.
Another technical difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO is Bing API. It’s a feature that allows you to submit bulk URLs to be crawled. Google certainly doesn’t have such feature.
Generally, Bing as a search engine platform is more interested in helping users rank on social media platforms than Google. And the platform has several tools that can help webmasters rank their websites better.
You can check Bing’s Webmaster Guidelines for more technical factors that differentiate the search engine from Google.
How to Build Links for Bing Vs Google?
This section will talk about one of the core areas of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO. And that is link building.
Linking building in Bing is completely different from Google. Although I talked briefly about it in the previous section, we will discuss it here.
At the end of this section, you will develop different strategies that will help you build links for both Google and Bing.
Let me quickly ask you this question – have you ever imagined why you rank page 1 on Bing on a particular keyword and rank page 5 or lower on Google?
Let me rephrase the question. Have you wondered why the same keyword, your Website, ranks higher on Google than on Bing?
If you have been in this situation before, it can be very confusing. But you may be experiencing this because you are optimizing your Website for one search engine.
A good SEO strategy should be holistic. It should consider Google and several other search engines.
This way, your Website will gain more visibility across several search engine platforms.
If you have an online business in the United States, don’t focus only on Google. Try to optimize your Website for other search engine platforms, especially Bing.
Statistics show that Google has 88.3% market share in the United States. So, several US customers search for brands like yours on other platforms outside Google.
And you are seriously missing out on opportunities if you aren’t optimizing your Website for other platforms.
So, here’s how link building in Bing is different from that of Google.
#1. Link Count
One of the major areas of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO is link count. Of course, both search engine platforms value backlinks.
But Google is more interested in the quality of your website’s backlinks while Bing focuses more on quantity.
Google as a search engine platform considers quality links as a major ranking signal. The search engine giant considers a link from a website to yours as a vote of quality for your Website.
Google values a website with only two quality links than another with 30 low quality and spammy links.
As far as Google is concerned, there’s no correlation between link count and page rank. If you go through Google right now, you will realize that most websites ranking very well don’t even have a lot of inbound links.
But the few links they have are high authority links. That is why Google find these websites valuable.
Bing, on the other hand, also values high-quality links. But they place more value on link quantity.
Bing see links pointing to your Website as a signal of popularity. It also helps them to discover new pages on your Website.
And for every site that links to your Website, Bing is getting a signal that these sites find your Website trustworthy.
So, the easiest way to improve your Website ranking on Bing is to focus more on link building.
But try not to link your Website to spammy or irrelevant sites. Remember, Bing is not your only focus. Most of your audience is still on Google.
And once too many spammy and irrelevant websites are linking to your site, your chances of ranking on Google will be slim.
How Many Links Are Enough?
Well, this question is a bit technical. I can’t accurately tell you the number of links that will be enough to rank high on search engine result pages.
It depends on the search engine you are optimizing your Website for. If Google is your main focus, don’t bother yourself with link count.
Focus more on high-quality links from reputable platforms. For instance, if you are in the Digital Marketing and SEO niche, links from Backlinko, Neil Patel, Search Engine Journals, etc., can easily help you rank your page or Website.
Similarly, if your Website talks about leadership and startup, links from Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, etc., will be valuable to your Website.
On the other hand, Bing is more concerned with the number of links. And since you would want your Website to rank for both Google and Bing with the same link profile, be mindful of penguin. Otherwise, your Website may be penalized.
Ensure that your links are as natural as possible. Don’t be desperate when you build your link profile; it could affect you in the long run.
Like Google, Bing doesn’t like link schemes, reciprocal links, and spammy paid links. These platforms have a way of detecting any maneuvering you do during your link building.
Again, we take your link building activities slowly. Focus on building about 10 backlinks for your Website every month.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s better for your Website don’t have backlinks than get links from spammy and irrelevant websites.
#2. Emphasis on Anchor Text Diversity
Anchor text diversity is one of the areas of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO. These two search engine platforms have different attitudes towards keywords in anchor text.
For instance, since Google rolled out the Penguin update in 2012, websites with too much exact-match anchor text are likely to be penalized.
But Bing, on the other hand, encourages users to optimize their anchors. And if you use Bing regularly, you will realize that there are more sites on Bing with keyword-rich anchor text.
A recent survey revealed that more than 50% of Bing’s top 30 search results contain optimized anchors.
Furthermore, if your Website ranks high on Bing due to over-optimization of anchor text, that same Website will be penalized on Google.
So, weigh your option carefully and evaluate the cons and pros before deciding on the implementation strategy.
However, if you decide to increase the number of anchor text with keywords, pay attention to the following;
- Ensure you understand your current margin with Google and gradually increase them.
- Use a good analysis tool to check any of your competitors that rank high on Google and Bing. Take note of the percentage working for them and build yours to that level.
#3. Building Link With Social Media
Social media signal is also an area of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO. Of course, Bing already confirmed that its algorithm considers social media signals as an important ranking factor.
Bing values social signals and has a strong correction with rankings. So, if you are very active across social media platforms and have positive brand mentions, you tend to rank higher on Bing.
In a nutshell, try to balance your Google and Bing SEO. Focusing on one search engine may sabotage your effort and ranking potential on the other.
However, in situations whereby Google and Bing differ on a particular technique, it’s advisable to lean more towards the search engine that your audience use more frequently.
Frequently Asked Questions About SEO (Bing and Google)
Now that you understand the difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO, let’s quickly discuss some of the Frequently Asked Questions about SEO.
Most people believe that Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a complicated process. And that it is only experts that can handle it.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Of course, SEO is a bit complicated, and it requires you to be current about what’s happening in the industry. And be grounded with the other search engines algorithm updates.
But it’s not as difficult as people make it seems. For instance, if you read a few guides online, you can handle your on-page and off-page SEO yourself.
And if you know a bit about website design and some technical stuff, you can handle your technical SEO yourself.
In any case, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Bing and Google SEO;
#1. I Want to Do Search Engine Optimisation on My Website; where Do I start?
People ask this question a lot. Don’t worry; we are here to help you out with it. If you are new to SEO, here are a few tips to help you start.
SEO is Not Entirely Free
I know seeing this may confuse you a bit. But you must know that SEO is not free. It’s more expensive than you think.
Of course, you can handle some of the work yourself, and you won’t have to pay a dime to anybody.
But what about your time? Is your time not valuable? So, even if the process is free, you must be willing to sacrifice your time.
And if you are always busy, you should outsource your SEO task to a Reputable Digital Marketing Agency. This way, you can invest your time in other areas of your business.
I hope you understand why I told you that SEO is not free…
It’s Difficult to Find a Reliable and Good SEO Consultant
There are countless SEO consultants out there. But getting a reliable and good one is a bit difficult.
It takes time and patience to learn and understand SEO skills. That is why it’s important to evaluate and vet whoever you are employing properly.
Ensure that you set up interviews, ask for references, go through the work the consultant has done in the past. If possible, ask past clients about their experience before you finally hire anybody for your SEO role.
It will take time, but it will save you money in the long run.
Learn the Basics of SEO before Talking to an SEO Consultant
A good rule of thumb is to learn the basic terms of SEO before discussing with a consultant. You can read our SEO guide to understand what SEO is all about.
Our SEO guide will provide you with the basic information that you need to have a proper conversation with a consultant.
Read A lot about SEO
SEO is a continuous process. If you want to be an expert in this area, you must learn continuously.
The industry keeps evolving, and as a business owner or marketer, you need to learn a lot about it.
For instance, you need to learn how social media affects SEO, the role of usability in your Website ranking, and how excellent content can encourage your Website visitors to engage and share your work.
There are several SEO resources out there; just learn more about it. The truth is, the more you learn about SEO, the better you become.
But while you learn, ensure that you outsource your SEO tasks, especially the technical areas you can’t handle yourself.
#2. What is the Most Important Thing for SEO?
People who already know the difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO still ask about the most important thing for SEO.
It’s important to know that all the elements of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) work together interdependently to help you rank your Website.
Let’s discuss these different elements one after the other. Ready? Let’s go.
Quality Content
The importance of quality content can never be overemphasized. It influences your website ranking and encourages people to spend more time interacting with your Website.
So, you must learn how to build excellent content that resonates well with your audience. If you can create this type of content, your audience will interact with it.
Try and observe your audience behavior on your Website. Check whether they spend more or less time on your web page, and figure out why.
After creating unique content, try to engage your audience on social media. And ensure that your Website has an excellent user experience.
Don’t forget link building and, if possible, optimize your Website for voice search optimization.
Once your Website is easy to navigate, users will always return to your Website. And over time, they will become your fan.
Once you create awesome content and your Website is user-friendly, link building will happen automatically.
Your audience will share your content and make it go viral. And once your content goes viral, your brand will get exposure.
#3. How Do Social Media Platforms Affect Website Ranking?
Funny enough, a social signal is one of the areas of difference between Bing SEO and Google SEO.
While Google doesn’t consider social signals as a ranking factor, it helps Bing determine your content’s topic authority.
So, Bing considers your social signal as an important ranking factor. Once social signals start to develop and point to your Website, Bing notices it and looks at the content.
And once it seems like a topic worth talking about, Bing will index it and rank it high on its search result pages.
Search engine like Bing sees social media platforms as a perfect opportunity to build a community of loyal audience and customers.
And it strengthens relationships with your audience, and they will become your brand evangelists in the long run.
Conclusion
Now you understand the major differences between Bing SEO and Google SEO. And it’s important to balance your SEO strategy so that your Website can rank on both Google and Bing search result pages.
There may be instances when a particular SEO technique can help you rank high on Bing and attract penalties on Google.
It’s important to avoid implementing these controversial techniques on your Website. Otherwise, it may affect your Website ranking in the long run.
Generally, whenever you optimize your Website for SEO, try to avoid quick solutions. It may work initially, but the long term effect on your Website may be beyond your control.
If you are new to SEO and need an expert to help you optimize your Website to rank high on Search Engine Result Pages, you can hire Tycoono SEO Team.
At Tycoon Media, we treat you like a partner, not just a client. And we will help you understand how to navigate the digital landscape by talking behind the scene.
We can help you provide a free analysis of how your company is raking against your top two competitors.
