For years, digital marketing techniques have revolved around one search engine: Google. With the vast majority of online searches taking place through Google, it’s hardly surprising that most businesses have focused almost all of their SEO efforts there.
But the rise of AI-powered search has changed the conversation, and Bing is no longer regarded as an afterthought. Microsoft’s search engine is powering or contributing to several AI experiences, and its influence has grown significantly since the arrival of generative AI.
So, is Bing now the most important search engine for AI? It’s a fair question, and the answer is a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
Why is Bing suddenly getting so much attention?
For a long time, Bing was viewed as Google’s smaller competitor. It offered many of the same features but with a much smaller share of the traditional search market.
Then AI arrived. Microsoft invested heavily in AI technologies and integrated advanced AI capabilities into Bing, while also making Bing’s search index and web results available across a growing ecosystem of AI-powered products and services.
This suddenly put Bing at the centre of many discussions about the future of online search. Instead of simply returning a list of links, AI-powered search experiences began generating summaries, answering questions conversationally and helping users complete tasks.
As a result, marketers started paying much closer attention to how websites appeared within Bing’s ecosystem.
AI search is about more than one search engine
It’s tempting to think of AI search as being powered by a single platform. In reality, it’s much broader than that. Different AI assistants and search experiences use different combinations of technologies, search indexes, proprietary knowledge and live web data.
Some may rely heavily on traditional search engines for current information, while others combine multiple sources before generating an answer.
So optimising for AI isn’t about chasing one platform. It’s about creating content that can be understood, trusted and surfaced wherever people search.
Why Bing matters more than it used to
Even if Google still dominates traditional search, Bing has become increasingly influential because of its role within AI-powered experiences. That means businesses shouldn’t ignore it simply because its conventional market share is smaller.
Optimising for Bing can help improve visibility across a wider range of AI-driven tools and search experiences. Fortunately, many of the best practices overlap with good SEO generally.
If you’re producing genuinely helpful content and maintaining a technically sound website, you’re already doing much of what both Google and Bing want to see.
Google is still incredibly important
With all the excitement surrounding AI, it’s easy to assume Google has somehow become less relevant. That isn’t the case. Google continues to handle the majority of traditional web searches and has also introduced its own AI-powered search features.
Millions of people still begin their buying journey there every single day. For most businesses, Google remains the single biggest source of organic website traffic. So, abandoning Google in favour of Bing would be a mistake.
What do AI search engines look for?
Whether content appears in Google, Bing or an AI-generated answer, the underlying principles are becoming remarkably similar.
Search systems increasingly reward websites that demonstrate:
- Expertise
- Experience
- Authority
- Trustworthiness
- Originality
- Clear structure
- Helpful content
Gone are the days when simply adding more keywords was enough. Modern search engines and AI systems are much better at recognising genuinely useful information.
Clear content wins
One of the biggest shifts in SEO is the move towards answering real questions. Rather than writing solely around keywords, businesses should think about the conversations customers are already having.
For example:
- How much does the service cost?
- How long does it take?
- What’s included?
- Who is it suitable for?
- What problems does it solve?
Content that answers these questions clearly is easier for both people and AI systems to understand.
Structured websites help AI
AI systems don’t just read your words; they interpret how your website is organised.
Simple improvements can make a significant difference, including:
- Descriptive page titles
- Clear headings
- Logical navigation
- Internal links
- FAQ sections
- Well-organised service pages
The easier your content is to interpret, the greater the likelihood it will appear in AI-powered search experiences.
Technical SEO still matters
Even in the age of AI, strong technical foundations remain essential. Search engines still need to discover, crawl and understand your website efficiently.
Important factors include:
- Fast loading pages
- Mobile responsiveness
- Secure HTTPS connections
- Structured data
- Clean code
- XML sitemaps
- Accessible design
These improvements benefit both traditional search engines and emerging AI technologies.
Should you optimise specifically for Bing?
Rather than creating separate SEO strategies for Google and Bing, it’s usually better to focus on building a website that follows best practice across the board.
That means:
- Publishing original content
- Demonstrating genuine expertise
- Keeping information accurate and up to date
- Maintaining excellent technical SEO
- Building authority through quality backlinks and positive reviews
- Making your website easy to navigate
These principles tend to perform well regardless of which search engine or AI assistant is accessing your content.
AI search is increasing competition
One interesting consequence of AI-generated answers is that users are often presented with fewer options than in traditional search results. Instead of browsing through dozens of links, they may receive a concise summary and a handful of recommended businesses.
This means trust and authority are becoming even more valuable. Businesses that consistently publish reliable, informative content are more likely to be recognised as credible sources.
Those relying on outdated SEO shortcuts may find it increasingly difficult to gain visibility.
The bigger picture
In reality, digital marketing has always evolved. Twenty years ago, businesses were adapting to Google’s rise. More recently, they learned to optimise for mobile devices, voice search and local SEO. AI search is simply the next stage of that evolution.
If today’s digital marketing landscape is starting to make you think that Kafka had a point, take a breath. If your website is well designed and consistently produces useful content, you will already be on your way to building genuine trust with your customers.
Could your business use a little expert input to get to this stage? Our Manchester-based team can help you build an SEO marketing strategy that’s designed to work right now, and well into the future.