Bing vs Google - Which Search Engine is Better for SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an essential component of online marketing. Sorting out SEO for your website is a crucial step in making sure your business stays ahead of the competition. When it comes to optimizing your website for search engines, the first two names that come to mind are Bing and Google. But which one is better for SEO? Let’s find out!
Market Share
Google dominates the search engine market with an incredible 92.41% market share, according to Statista's data from April 2021. Bing, on the other hand, holds only 2.83% of the market, seemingly no competition for Google. However, there are still many valid reasons why you might want to keep your website optimized for Bing as well.
Ranking Factors
Both search engines expect their ranking factors to be followed to produce a well-optimized website. There are several similarities between the two, including content freshness, quality, and relevance. However, research has shown that Bing emphasizes social signals more than Google. Bing also values exact keyword matches while Google prefers variations of the same keyword.
Crawling and Indexing
Bing has historically struggled with crawling and indexing. Some SEO experts have claimed that it can take Bing much longer to index new pages than Google. Although the differences aren't as massive as they used to be, Google is still significantly better at crawling and indexing content quickly and accurately.
Mobile Optimization
It's no secret that mobile devices are taking over the internet, with the majority of people using their smartphones to search the internet. In terms of mobile optimization, Google's mobile-first indexing has revolutionized mobile SEO, as it uses a website’s mobile version to rank pages. Bing, on the other hand, still uses the desktop website to rank pages, which can hurt your website's SEO if your desktop and mobile versions are different.
Conclusion
So, which search engine is better for SEO? There's no straightforward answer to this question since it depends on numerous factors. If you're looking for a search engine to focus most of your SEO efforts on, it's safe to say that Google should be your priority. Google's dominant market share, fast crawling and indexing, and mobile optimization make it hard to argue against. However, if you have the resources, time, and energy, optimizing for Bing as well can yield benefits, especially since competition is lower.
References
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Statista (2021). Online search market share worldwide as of April 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/216573/worldwide-market-share-of-search-engines/
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Moz (2021). Bing's New Webmaster Guidelines: What You Need to Know. https://moz.com/blog/bings-new-webmaster-guidelines-what-you-need-to-know
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Search Engine Journal (2021). Bing vs. Google: Which Should You Be Optimize For? https://www.searchenginejournal.com/bing-vs-google-which-should-you-be-optimizing-for/384341/