The word SEO is typically tagged exclusively for Google — understandably so — given that the search engine claims a lion share of the global search engine market. But SEO optimization for Bing can also be a lucrative effort for your website.
Bing secures the second biggest pie of the search engine market, powering search results for Yahoo and, more recently, even AOL.
In fact, as much 33% of searches in the U.S. are done through Bing.
One of the latest updates which Bing rolled out late in 2018 is the Bing Maps Local Search API, which makes local business query easier for search users. This is excellent for local search, which is often linked to more immediate customer visits and higher purchase probabilities.
If you must improve on your optimization efforts, taking Bing into consideration will definitely be wise. So, how to do local SEO optimization for Bing? Check out the 6 easy-to-follow tips we’ve listed below:
Tip #1 Be Visible on Bing Places
This is the first local SEO tip for Bing visibility: you have to make a profile and complete it with necessary information and contact details.
Some information which you should not miss are the description of your business, store location, store hours, contact information such as telephone number/s and website, and business category — all for easier, more optimized searching.
Tip #2 Earn Quality Backlinks
Just like Google, Bing places a high premium on quality backlinks. Having trusted and relevant sites link back to you is a sign that you are popular, credible, and a worthy source of content.
And just recently, Bing introduced an update to their back linking tool, which the Search Engine Journal has noted to be far more advanced than what Google provides. This proves Bing’s commitment to ensuring the quality of backlinks across sites.
Tip #3 Don’t Forget Header Tags and Metas
One of the differences between Bing and Google is that the former prefers exact keyword usage in heading tags and meta descriptions. This is why one of the most useful tips for SEO optimization for Bing is to naturally distribute the exact keywords in the tags and descriptions.
This exact keyword match is also crucial for anchor texts in linking. If possible, and when optimizing for Bing, stick to the matching anchor text when linking externally to another site.
Tip #4 Integrate Social Media Profiles
Another way to optimize your website more effectively for local search through Bing is to link your social media profiles to your existing website through Bing’s Connected Pages tool.
Through this tool, you won’t be limited only to viewing the actual impressions of your website; you also get a summary of the views and impressions of your social media pages. This allows for a more comprehensive overview of your online presence through Bing.
Tip #5 Ensure Top-notch Content
Stellar content is one of the hallmarks of effective SEO — and Bing recognizes this, big-time. In addition to text content, Bing is also huge on relevant images and engaging videos.
To earn more ranking juice on Bing, it pays to update your content and to make sure your content is designed for real search users, not just the search engine bots.
One of the things which could pull down your SEO performance on Bing is insufficient content. If possible, publish enough content on a regular basis. Also, keep your pages relevant and free from heavy affiliate ads.
Tip #6 Secure Fast Page Load Times
With as much as 53% of mobile users leaving sites with slow page load speeds, faster loading time is a must for websites.
And mobile usage is heavily linked with conversion: 39% of smartphone users say they are more inclined to check out the mobile website or app of a brand because it’s easier to buy at any given moment.
Bing specifically recommends having faster page loads speeds on your site so as not to deter visitors, pushing them away into checking other websites.
Tip #7 Invest in a Mobile Presence
Taking off from tip #6, ensuring a visible and navigable mobile presence will no doubt help your SEO performance on Bing.
Four out of five local buyers use search engines to find what they need or want, and 88% do so on smartphones while 84% search from computers and tablet devices.
Local mobile searches are also growing at an unprecedented rate, with as much as 900% growth rate over the past two years.
And with Bing being ranked next to Google in the search engine marketplace, optimizing for local mobile will also help improve your Bing SEO performance significantly.
Bing for Local Clout
Just because Bing or Yahoo doesn’t dominate the search market doesn’t mean these search engines don’t usher in millions of queries on a daily basis. And with Bing’s apparent focus on local SEO, this search engine certainly deserves a spot in your optimization strategies.
With just a few important tweaks to your on-page and off-page optimization strategies, you can ensure your top performance not just on Google but also on Bing. Get on board with local SEO optimizing for Bing today.