Bing SEO vs Google SEO

When it comes to Bing SEO vs Google SEO, there’s no denying that Google dominates the search engine market. It’s obvious that anyone wanting to be searchable online—be it on mobile, desktop or console—needs to optimize for Google.

That being said, focusing only on Google’s SEO rules is the figurative equivalent of putting all your eggs in one basket.

Every smart business leader can tell you that diversification is key to any successful business strategy. Your SEO strategy then should be no different, even if Google doesn’t have much competition these days.

Bing may be called the “other” search engine, but they still boast some impressive stats. And it’s why I don’t say “Google it” in everyday conversation.

For example, Bing (at the time of this article) holds 13% market share for desktop and laptop users. And because Bing owns Yahoo (meaning that Yahoo’s search engine is powered by Bing’s search algorithm), you can add an additional market share of 2%. 

Fifteen percent market share means millions of users searching for webpages through Bing. So, imagine the impact Bing (+ Yahoo) has by holding close to 20% market share for console users.

How can a strategic marketer optimize for both Bing SEO and Google SEO? And what are the key differences between Bing SEO vs Google SEO?

Bing SEO vs Google SEO: Keywords

Keywords are the words that people type into a search engine to find what they want to search. And when incorporated correctly within your content, keywords can significantly boost your SEO rankings.

How much can keywords improve your SERP ranking? That depends on the search engine.

Bing values exact keywords and how often these keywords appear within your content. 

Google, on the other hand, values the relevance of the content more than the exact keywords. 

Strategy: You can rank better on Google by creating content that’s highly relevant to target keywords and provides value to your readers. You can rank better on Bing by applying target keywords effectively within your digital content. Regardless of approach, you can achieve these goals by choosing a strong keyword research tool that lets you know which exact keywords to target. 

Bing SEO vs Google SEO: Meta-Keywords

Meta-keywords are behind-the-scenes words that describe what your content is all about. People using search engines do not see meta-keywords, however it can still determine where your website falls on SERP. 

If your potential customers or readers can’t see meta-keywords, is it worth the effort to maintain? Let’s look at each search engine’s algorithm.

Bing encourages updating webpage meta-keywords. In fact, optimizing your meta-keywords can greatly impact how well you rank on their search results page.

Google take the opposite approach. Meta-keywords are no longer a ranking signal on Google’s radar.

Strategy: If you want to only rank on Google, you don’t have to tailor your meta-keywords. You can rank better on Bing by applying target meta-keywords effectively. A strong keyword research tool can help you decide which meta-keywords to target.

Bing SEO vs Google SEO: Backlinks

Backlinks are links from websites that direct users to visit your website. You have possibly heard them also referenced as inbound links, incoming links and one-way links.

Don’t be fooled by its many names. When it comes to boosting your search engine rankings, backlinks matter a lot.

Bing prioritizes quality and quantity of backlinks, giving special preference to backlinks from .gov, .edu and .org. While backlinks affect how you rank on Bing, it doesn’t impact your search engine ranking nearly as much as it does on Google.

Google is all about the backlinks and rewards webpages with high-quality backlinks. In definition, a high-quality backlink is when you’re linked by a website with significant web traffic, regular content updates and continuous reader engagement—most often big-name companies and recognizable brands. Google doesn’t hesitate to penalize you if you build artificial links to rank your website.

Strategy: Establish partnering with quality websites to link back to your website. You can also earn strong backlinks organically by creating quality content that resonates and sharing it effectively on social media.

Bing SEO vs Google SEO: Social Media

Yes, even social media can impact your search engine rankings—that is, social signals can. Think of social signals as engagement metrics for social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Social signals include likes, shares and comments.

Just how much can social media impact your performance across search engines? More than you think.

Bing has the upper hand on Google in terms of incorporating social media into the online search experience. The technology powering Bing’s search engine allows for it to value social signaling as a measurement of relevance. 

Let’s walk through a hypothetical experience. When you search for XYZ Company, Bing displays that company’s social media accounts on the search results page as well as any related tweets, Facebook reviews and Foursquare tips.

Google does not take social media into account. In other words, any social signaling does not affect rankings in search.

Strategy: Focus on building up the strength of your social media accounts by regularly engaging with your social community and posting quality content. That way, you can earn social signaling that can lead to higher search rankings on Bing. Encourage your customers to leave reviews about your company on social media platforms and be active in responding to customer reviews, both good and bad.

Bing SEO vs Google SEO: Types of Content

In the digital age, content is king. These days, your content must be at least 1,600 words in order to be visible to the search bots. But it’s the type of content that you publish that deems how well your website performs across the search engines.

So, what types of content performs better for search engine rankings? Each take a different approach.

Bing values variety of content over how many words appear on the digital screen. A balance of content and rich media, including videos and images, can sway Bing to elevate your search engine ranking. 

Why so? My theory is that Bing wants to develop an impressive image library, one that can outshine Google’s media database. And websites are more likely to contribute any media to Bing’s digital repository when the reward is higher placement on the search results page.

Google wants websites to create long-form quality content. That’s why it’s a top factor within its ranking algorithm. 

So, what does quality content mean to Google?

• The content provides the answer or solution that the reader was seeking.
• Readers consistently stay on the webpage for a significant time.
• Readers click deeper into the website instead of bouncing back to the search results page.

Strategy: Create quality content that answers the questions of your target readers and provides solutions that your readers seek. This can be uncovered by incorporating a strong keyword research tool within your SEO strategy. And it never hurts to add variety of media within your content, including relevant videos and images, so that you can also rank well on Bing.

Did I miss one? What is another difference between Bing SEO vs Google SEO? Share some facts with us in the comments section below.