Bing may have spent years in the shadow of Google, but there are still lots of reasons to pay attention to it. Here’s a list of ten interesting facts about Microsoft’s search engine for your SEO interest.
1. Bing and Yahoo! Search Work the Same Way
The Yahoo! search engine is powered by Bing’s search algorithm, which means they yield the same search results.
2. Nearly 3 out of 10 people use Bing or Yahoo! Search
That’s probably a larger percentage than you thought.
3. Non-Google Searches Happen More in the “Rust Belt
”
Residents of Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania seem to prefer alternates to Google more than others around the country.
4. Bing Ranks Pages Based on “On-Page” Elements
Google, on the other hand, emphasizes more complex analytics like visitor stay time, bounce rate, and inbound links.
5. Bing Still Relies Heavily on Keyword Usage
Smart SEO companies still use strategic keyword placement and density in their web design.
6. Bing Will Give You More Interesting Local Search Results
Bing and Google have different priorities for local searches. Google prioritizes the size and reputation of a website, while Bing prioritizes proximity to your location and relevance to your keyword search. So, Google might send you to a big national chain restaurant for a good steak while Bing might tell you about a little family-owned bistro up the street.
7. Bing Likes Flash
Not the comic book character, but the in-site application that plays video and other content. Bing gives websites with Flash content a boost in its rankings.
8. Bing Also Likes Facebook
Don’t we all? Google relies on Google+ as its primary source of social media input, but Bing incorporates Facebook data into its algorithm.
9. Paying Attention to Bing Makes a Better Website
A website that ranks well with both Google and Bing is inevitably friendly to human visitors as well.
10. Bing Was Almost Titled “Bang”
Publicists fortunately foresaw the hazards inherent in using the word as a verb. Saying “I Googled it…” is much different than saying “I Banged it…”
