GuestPost.UK Bing search playbook

Bing Tools Guide:Search, Webmaster, Ads, AI & Maps

A practical map of Bing and connected Microsoft tools for search visibility, technical SEO, advertising, local business, maps, analytics and AI search. Find the right report, follow useful workflows and understand where Bing offers something different from Google.

Bing SEO workflowsIndexNow coveredAdvertising and local toolsGuestPost.UK methods
Ecosystem map

Bing Is a Search Ecosystem, Not Just a Search Box

Bing connects web, image, video, news, map and AI discovery with webmaster diagnostics, advertising and local business products. Wider Microsoft services—such as Clarity and Power BI—fill selected roles where Bing has no direct standalone equivalent.

FIND

Search and Discovery

Search webpages, images, videos, news, products, places and AI-organised answers.

SEO

Webmaster and Indexing

Inspect performance, crawling, URLs, backlinks, keywords and technical issues.

GROW

Advertising and Business

Run Microsoft campaigns, manage merchant data and strengthen local visibility.

AI

Copilot and Microsoft Data

Use AI search, behavioural analytics and connected Microsoft platforms.

MAP
How this guide defines a Bing tool

Major Bing products receive individual cards. Distinct Webmaster modules also appear because URL Inspection, Site Scan, Backlinks and Keyword Research solve different tasks. Wider Microsoft products are included only when they provide a genuine search, marketing or measurement connection.

Website visibility and diagnostics

Bing Webmaster Tools and SEO Reports

Bing Webmaster Tools combines performance reporting, crawl and index diagnostics, keyword research, backlink data and site auditing. It is worth configuring even when Google supplies most of a website’s organic traffic because Bing data can reveal different queries, links and technical findings.

BWTFree

Bing Webmaster Tools

The main portal for monitoring a website’s visibility, indexing, crawling, keywords, links and technical health in Bing.

Best for: Understanding Bing organic performance and controlling website-level search settings.
PERFBWT Report

Search Performance

Reports Bing impressions, clicks and query or page performance across selected dates and available dimensions.

Best for: Finding existing visibility, growth trends and pages that may improve with focused optimisation.
URLBWT Tool

URL Inspection

Checks Bing’s known index and crawl information for a specific page and identifies detected problems.

Best for: Diagnosing why an individual URL is missing, stale or affected by crawl and index issues.
TREEBWT Tool

Site Explorer

Organises Bing’s known URLs into a navigable site structure with index, crawl and performance information.

Best for: Reviewing sections, directories and patterns of indexed, excluded or problematic URLs.
KWBWT Tool

Keyword Research

Provides Bing keyword demand, trends and related-query ideas using available location, language and device filters.

Best for: Bing-specific demand research and comparing terminology with other keyword sources.
LINKBWT Report

Backlinks

Shows backlink and referring-page information Bing has associated with a verified website.

Best for: Supplementing third-party link databases and checking links discovered by Bing.
SCANBWT Tool

Site Scan

An on-demand crawler that checks a selected website area for common technical SEO problems.

Best for: Finding crawlable technical issues without installing a separate desktop crawler.
SEOBWT Report

SEO Reports

Highlights detected SEO issues and recommendations across pages known to Bing.

Best for: Quick site-wide prioritisation of basic on-page and technical problems.
XMLBWT Tool

Sitemaps

Submits and monitors XML sitemap files that help Bing discover a website’s preferred crawlable URLs.

Best for: Giving Bing a clean discovery source and checking sitemap processing status.
SUBBWT Tool

URL Submission

A Webmaster Tools feature for notifying Bing about selected new or recently updated URLs.

Best for: A small number of important updates; use IndexNow for scalable automated notifications.
BOTBWT Tool

Robots.txt Tester

Tests robots.txt rules to show whether Bingbot is allowed to crawl a particular URL.

Best for: Diagnosing accidental blocking and validating crawl directives before deployment.
RATEBWT Setting

Crawl Control

Lets verified owners indicate preferred periods for higher or lower Bingbot crawling activity.

Best for: Reducing crawler pressure during predictable peak server or customer periods.
APIDeveloper

Bing Webmaster APIs

Programmatic interfaces for selected Webmaster data and actions, including URL submission workflows.

Best for: Automating reporting, submission and site-management tasks at scale.
IMPSetup Tool

Import from Google Search Console

A setup route that imports eligible verified properties from Search Console into Bing Webmaster Tools.

Best for: Reducing setup friction when properties are already verified with Google.
BWT
Use Bing data alongside Google data

Different engines may discover different backlinks, queries and technical issues. Compare the evidence, fix genuine website problems and avoid optimising only for one dashboard.

Compare Google and Bing →
Faster change discovery

IndexNow and Bing URL Notification Tools

IndexNow is an open protocol initiated by Microsoft Bing that lets participating search engines know when supported URLs are added, updated or deleted. It is a discovery notification—not a guarantee that a page will be crawled, indexed or ranked.

NOWOpen Protocol

IndexNow

An open URL-change notification protocol supported by Bing and other participating search engines and services.

Best for: Promptly signalling additions, meaningful updates and deletions on frequently changing websites.
APIDeveloper

IndexNow API

The direct technical method for submitting individual or batched URL changes with a verified key.

Best for: Custom CMS integrations, automated publishing and large sites needing controlled notification logic.
NOW
Notification is not indexing approval

A useful URL still needs to be accessible, canonical, internally linked and valuable. IndexNow reduces discovery delay; it cannot repair thin content or conflicting technical signals.

Review Indexing Methods →
Paid search and audience growth

Microsoft Advertising Tools and Campaign Types

Microsoft Advertising reaches people across Bing and eligible Microsoft or partner inventory. The platform includes campaign creation, keyword planning, ecommerce feeds, audience targeting, conversion measurement and bulk-management tools. Start with the commercial objective, then choose the narrowest campaign type that fits it.

LEAD

Capture Existing Demand

Use search campaigns when people already express clear commercial intent through their queries.

SHOP

Sell Products

Connect Merchant Center feeds to shopping or automated campaign formats.

REACH

Build Awareness

Use audience and visual formats when discovery matters more than an immediate keyword.

DATA

Measure Outcomes

Install UET, define meaningful conversions and optimise towards qualified business results.

ADSPaid Platform

Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft’s central advertising platform for managing paid search, shopping, audience and automated campaigns.

Best for: Reaching Bing and Microsoft audiences while diversifying beyond a Google-only PPC strategy.
SEAAd Format

Search Campaigns

Keyword-led campaigns that place ads against relevant searches across eligible Microsoft search inventory.

Best for: Lead generation, services and products with identifiable high-intent search demand.
RSAAd Format

Responsive Search Ads

Search ads assembled from multiple supplied headlines and descriptions to match different searches and users.

Best for: Testing message combinations without manually creating every individual advert variation.
PMAXAutomated

Performance Max

An objective-led campaign that uses supplied assets, audience signals and automation across eligible inventory.

Best for: Advertisers with reliable conversion data, varied creative assets and clear acquisition goals.
SHOPRetail

Shopping Campaigns

Product-led campaigns that use feed data such as titles, images, prices and availability to display retail offers.

Best for: Ecommerce catalogues where the product itself should lead the advert.
MCCommerce Tool

Microsoft Merchant Center

The product-feed area used to create stores, submit catalogue data and support Microsoft shopping visibility.

Best for: Managing ecommerce feed quality before launching product-based campaigns.
AUDAd Format

Audience Ads

Native-style visual advertising served across eligible Microsoft audience and content environments.

Best for: Prospecting, remarketing and expanding reach beyond active search queries.
MEDIAAd Format

Multimedia Ads

Image-rich adverts that combine visual assets with text in prominent eligible search placements.

Best for: Brands that need stronger visual presence while still reaching search-led audiences.
DSAAutomated

Dynamic Search Ads

Uses website content to match relevant searches and generate suitable landing-page-led advert coverage.

Best for: Large, well-structured websites needing coverage beyond manually maintained keyword lists.
KEYPlanning Tool

Keyword Planner

Generates advertising keyword ideas and planning data to help structure search campaigns and estimate demand.

Best for: Expanding PPC terms, grouping related intent and estimating Microsoft search opportunity.
EDITDesktop Tool

Microsoft Advertising Editor

A desktop application for downloading accounts, making bulk edits and publishing campaign changes efficiently.

Best for: Large accounts, repeated updates and offline campaign-management workflows.
IMPSetup Tool

Google Ads Import

Imports eligible campaigns and settings from Google Ads into Microsoft Advertising, with review before launch.

Best for: Establishing Microsoft coverage quickly without rebuilding every campaign from zero.
UETMeasurement

Universal Event Tracking

A website tag that sends eligible visit and action data to Microsoft Advertising for measurement and audiences.

Best for: Conversion tracking, remarketing and giving automated bidding meaningful outcome data.
CVRMeasurement

Conversion Goals

Defines the website or business actions that campaigns should report and, where appropriate, optimise towards.

Best for: Separating valuable outcomes such as qualified leads or sales from ordinary page visits.
TESTOptimisation

Campaign Experiments

Controlled campaign tests used to compare selected changes against existing settings before wider adoption.

Best for: Testing bidding, targeting or structural changes with less guesswork.
RULEAutomation

Automated Rules

Scheduled account rules that adjust selected bids, budgets, statuses or notifications when conditions are met.

Best for: Repetitive account maintenance with clear safeguards and predictable thresholds.
PPC
Do not optimise towards cheap clicks alone

Use UET and conversion goals to measure qualified enquiries, sales or another genuine business result. Search terms, landing-page relevance and lead quality matter more than surface-level traffic totals.

Build a PPC Strategy →
Local business visibility

Bing Places for Business and Local Listing Tools

Bing Places for Business lets eligible organisations create or claim free listings that can support visibility across Bing’s local and map experiences. Accurate categories, contact details, opening hours, locations and verification are the foundation; they should also match the business’s website and wider citation footprint.

PLACEFree

Bing Places for Business

The central platform for adding, claiming and maintaining eligible business listings used by Bing local experiences.

Best for: Controlling core local information such as name, address, telephone number, hours and categories.
VERIFYListing Feature

Claim and Verify a Listing

The ownership process used to establish authorised control over an existing or newly added Bing business profile.

Best for: Preventing unmanaged information and unlocking editing access for legitimate representatives.
IMPSetup Tool

Import Business Listings

An assisted route for bringing eligible existing business information into Bing Places instead of entering every field manually.

Best for: Faster initial setup when accurate location data already exists in a supported source.
BULKMulti-location

Bulk Upload and Location Management

Tools and workflows for managing multiple eligible business locations more efficiently than single-profile editing.

Best for: Chains, agencies and organisations responsible for consistent information across many locations.
NAP
Listing consistency supports trust

Keep the business name, address and telephone details consistent across the website, Bing Places and important third-party citations. For service-area businesses, follow the platform’s eligibility and address-display rules.

Review UK Citations →
AI answers and creative production

Microsoft Copilot and Bing AI Creation Tools

Microsoft’s AI ecosystem now extends beyond conventional Bing results. Copilot supports conversational research and task assistance, while Bing Image Creator, Bing Video Creator and Microsoft Designer turn prompts into visual assets. Treat generated output as a draft: verify factual claims, review rights and platform terms, and apply human editorial judgement before publication.

COAI Assistant

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft’s general AI companion for questions, research, ideation, writing assistance and supported multimodal tasks.

Best for: Exploring a topic, comparing sources, drafting ideas and accelerating everyday research.
IMGCreative AI

Bing Image Creator

A prompt-led image-generation experience for producing and refining illustrations, concepts and other visual assets.

Best for: Concept development, blog visual ideas and creating original drafts for further design work.
VIDCreative AI

Bing Video Creator

A generative creation option for turning supported prompts or concepts into short AI-produced video material.

Best for: Testing visual concepts, story ideas and short-form creative directions before full production.
DESDesign Tool

Microsoft Designer

A web-based design application combining templates, layout tools and AI-assisted image or graphic creation.

Best for: Turning initial AI visuals into more polished social, promotional and editorial assets.
EDGEBrowser AI

Copilot in Microsoft Edge

Browser-integrated Copilot access for supported questions, page-aware assistance and web research workflows.

Best for: Researching while browsing and questioning or summarising supported on-screen material.
AI
Optimising for AI visibility is not the same as prompting an AI tool

Brands improve their chance of being understood and cited through clear entities, dependable information, crawlable pages, original evidence and consistent authority signals. Generated copy alone does not create those foundations.

GEO
Prepare content for both search results and AI answers

Use concise definitions, answer-first sections, evidence, expert context and descriptive internal links. Then monitor how Bing, Copilot and other answer engines represent the brand.

Explore GEO Services →
Behavioural measurement

Microsoft Clarity Analytics and User-Experience Tools

Microsoft Clarity explains what visitors do after they reach a website. Its dashboards, recordings, heatmaps, events and AI-assisted insights complement conventional traffic analytics by showing interaction patterns, friction and confusing page elements. Use the evidence to form a hypothesis, then verify whether a change improves meaningful outcomes.

CLRFree

Microsoft Clarity

A behavioural analytics platform for understanding how visitors interact with supported websites and applications.

Best for: Finding usability friction that ordinary traffic totals and rankings cannot explain.
DASHClarity Feature

Clarity Dashboard and Insights

Summarises behavioural metrics, segments and detected interaction patterns across a configured project.

Best for: Spotting pages, devices or visitor groups that deserve deeper recording and heatmap review.
RECClarity Feature

Session Recordings

Replays supported visitor sessions to reveal navigation paths, scrolling, clicks and points of hesitation or frustration.

Best for: Investigating why users abandon a form, miss a CTA or struggle with a layout.
HEATClarity Feature

Heatmaps

Aggregates interaction behaviour into visual click, scroll and area maps for supported pages and segments.

Best for: Understanding attention distribution and whether important page elements are seen or used.
EVTClarity Feature

Smart Events

Tracks important user actions through automatically detected or customised events, including code-free configurations.

Best for: Grouping repeated actions and filtering recordings or heatmaps around a meaningful behaviour.
GAIntegration

Google Analytics Integration

Connects an eligible Google Analytics property with Clarity so quantitative sessions can be investigated behaviourally.

Best for: Moving from a traffic anomaly in analytics to relevant session-level evidence.
APIDeveloper

Clarity Data Export API

Provides programmatic access to selected Clarity dashboard data for reporting and supported system integrations.

Best for: Pulling behavioural metrics into recurring internal reports or combined analytics workflows.
MCPAI Integration

Clarity MCP Server

A supported connection route for allowing compatible AI assistants to work with authorised Clarity project data.

Best for: Analyst workflows that use compatible AI tools to explore behavioural metrics and patterns.
CRO
Behavioural evidence explains the “why”

Use traffic analytics to find where performance changed, then use Clarity recordings and heatmaps to investigate why. Prioritise patterns across several sessions instead of redesigning a page around one unusual visitor.

Compare CRO Tools →
APIs and application development

Current Bing and Microsoft Developer Tools

The developer landscape has changed substantially. The former standalone Bing Search APIs retired in August 2025, while Bing Maps for Enterprise is being replaced by Azure Maps. New projects should use current Microsoft services and confirm pricing, regional availability, data handling and product lifecycle before committing an application architecture.

GROUNDAzure AI

Grounding with Bing Search

A Microsoft Foundry agent tool that can incorporate current public web information from Bing into supported AI responses.

Best for: Building supported AI agents that need timely public-web grounding rather than an old standalone search API.
AD APIDeveloper

Microsoft Advertising API

Programmatic access for managing Microsoft Advertising accounts, large campaigns, reporting and connected systems.

Best for: Agencies, platforms and advertisers that need scalable campaign management beyond the web interface.
FEEDCommerce API

Microsoft Advertising Content API

A developer interface for eligible Merchant Center product, catalogue, pricing and availability workflows.

Best for: Ecommerce systems that need automated product-feed maintenance at scale.
MAP APIAzure Service

Azure Maps

Microsoft’s active geospatial platform for maps, geocoding, location search, routing, traffic and other location-based services.

Best for: New map-enabled applications and migrations away from deprecated Bing Maps for Enterprise services.
DEV
Bing Webmaster APIs remain separate

Bing Webmaster APIs and IndexNow support direct SEO and indexing workflows, while the tools below cover Microsoft’s wider developer ecosystem without repeating those core products.

Product lifecycle check

Older Bing Tools You Should Not Build Around

Many older articles still recommend products that are no longer available or are approaching retirement. These are listed for migration awareness and are deliberately excluded from the live tool count.

SEARCHRetired

Standalone Bing Search APIs

The former Bing Search APIs retired on 11 August 2025. Existing instances were decommissioned and new sign-ups are unavailable.

Read Microsoft’s notice ↗
MAPSDeprecated

Bing Maps for Enterprise

Free Basic accounts have retired. Eligible enterprise customers must migrate from Bing Maps APIs and SDKs to Azure Maps by 30 June 2028.

Review migration status ↗
WORKRetired

Microsoft Search in Bing

The workplace-search experience previously available through Bing retired worldwide on 31 March 2025.

Read retirement guidance ↗
GuestPost.UK workflow

Four Bing Workflows That Turn Reports Into Action

A tool becomes useful only when its output changes a decision. These repeatable workflows connect search performance, technical checks, local visibility, paid media and user behaviour to a practical next step.

01

Recover Missing Bing Visibility

Diagnose discovery and index problems before rewriting content.

  1. 1
    Open URL InspectionCheck Bing’s known crawl and index information for the affected URL.
  2. 2
    Verify technical signalsReview status codes, canonical tags, robots rules and sitemap inclusion.
  3. 3
    Strengthen discoveryAdd useful contextual internal links from relevant indexed pages.
  4. 4
    Notify and monitorUse IndexNow for genuine changes, then track Search Performance.
02

Find Bing Keyword Opportunities

Prioritise queries already showing evidence of relevance.

  1. 1
    Review Search PerformanceFind queries and pages receiving impressions without strong click volume.
  2. 2
    Use Keyword ResearchCheck Bing-specific phrasing, related demand and available filters.
  3. 3
    Inspect the live resultsIdentify intent, media types and competing page formats.
  4. 4
    Improve the pageStrengthen coverage, title relevance, internal links and distinctive evidence.
03

Improve Local Bing Visibility

Make the business entity consistent before chasing more citations.

  1. 1
    Claim Bing PlacesVerify authorised ownership of each eligible location.
  2. 2
    Complete core informationUse accurate categories, hours, contact data, images and website links.
  3. 3
    Match the websiteKeep NAP details and location information consistent on relevant pages.
  4. 4
    Audit important citationsCorrect high-value directories and remove material conflicts.
04

Turn Paid Traffic Into Better Pages

Connect advertising outcomes with behavioural evidence.

  1. 1
    Define conversionsTrack qualified enquiries, revenue or another meaningful business result.
  2. 2
    Review search termsSeparate relevant commercial demand from waste and weak intent.
  3. 3
    Open Clarity segmentsStudy recordings and heatmaps for campaign landing pages.
  4. 4
    Test one hypothesisChange the message, form or layout and measure the outcome.
LINK
Authority still supports competitive pages

After technical and content foundations are sound, relevant editorial links can strengthen discovery, authority and referral visibility. Choose placements for relevance and audience—not a metric alone.

Explore Guest Posting →
Search ecosystem comparison

Bing vs Google: Which Tools Should You Use?

Bing is not a complete one-for-one copy of Google. The strongest setup usually uses both ecosystems: Google for its dominant search and measurement footprint, and Bing/Microsoft for additional search data, IndexNow, Microsoft audiences, local visibility, behavioural analytics and Copilot-related discovery.

TaskBing / MicrosoftGoogleBest practical choice
Organic search monitoringBing Webmaster ToolsGoogle Search ConsoleConfigure both; query, backlink and crawl data can differ.
Use both
Change notificationIndexNow and URL SubmissionSearch Console inspection and sitemap discoveryUse IndexNow for supported change notifications while maintaining valid sitemaps for every engine.
Complementary
Keyword demandBWT Keyword Research and Microsoft Keyword PlannerGoogle Keyword Planner and Search ConsoleUse the engine-specific source when planning for that engine, then validate the live SERP.
Engine specific
Paid searchMicrosoft AdvertisingGoogle AdsGoogle normally supplies greater scale; Microsoft can add reach and diversification. Judge by profitable conversions.
Test both
Local business visibilityBing Places for BusinessGoogle Business ProfileMaintain both profiles with consistent, eligible and current business information.
Use both
Behaviour analyticsMicrosoft ClarityGoogle Analytics measures traffic; it is not a direct recording/heatmap equivalentConnect quantitative analytics with Clarity’s behavioural evidence.
Combine data
AI-assisted searchBing and Microsoft Copilot experiencesGoogle AI experiences and GeminiMonitor how both ecosystems understand, cite and describe the brand.
Multi-engine GEO
Mapping developmentAzure Maps for new Microsoft projectsGoogle Maps PlatformCompare coverage, required functions, regional support, pricing and migration cost before choosing.
Use-case decision
VS
Final verdict: Bing complements Google; it rarely replaces it

Use Bing Webmaster Tools, IndexNow, Bing Places and Clarity even when Google brings more traffic. Add Microsoft Advertising when the audience and economics justify it. For developers, use current Azure and Foundry services rather than retired Bing APIs.

VS
Compare the engines in greater depth

Review differences in market role, search presentation, webmaster data, advertising and optimisation priorities before deciding where to invest.

Google vs Bing Guide →
Common questions

Bing Tools Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about Bing SEO, Webmaster Tools, IndexNow, Microsoft Advertising, Clarity and current developer services.

Are Bing Webmaster Tools free?

Yes. Website owners can create an account, verify eligible sites and access Bing search performance, indexing, crawl, backlink, keyword and technical reports without a paid subscription.

Should I use Bing Webmaster Tools if Google sends most of my traffic?

Yes. Bing can reveal different queries, backlinks, crawl behaviour and index issues. The setup cost is small, particularly when a property can be imported from Google Search Console.

Does IndexNow guarantee that Bing will index a page?

No. IndexNow notifies participating engines about a URL change. The page still needs to be accessible, canonical, useful and supported by coherent website signals before an engine decides to crawl, index or rank it.

Is Microsoft Clarity an alternative to Google Analytics?

Clarity is better treated as a complement. It specialises in behavioural evidence such as recordings and heatmaps, while a conventional analytics platform is stronger for broader traffic acquisition and reporting.

Is Bing Places for Business free?

Yes, eligible businesses can add or claim a Bing Places listing for free. The business must still satisfy applicable eligibility and verification requirements.

Can I import Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Advertising?

Microsoft Advertising provides import workflows for eligible Google Ads campaigns and settings. Review bids, targeting, tracking, creative and Microsoft-specific features before activating the imported campaigns.

Do the old Bing Search APIs still work?

No. Microsoft retired the former standalone Bing Search APIs on 11 August 2025. Supported AI-agent scenarios should review current Grounding with Bing Search options in Microsoft Foundry.

Should developers use Bing Maps APIs for a new project?

New Microsoft mapping projects should assess Azure Maps. Bing Maps for Enterprise is deprecated, free Basic accounts have retired and eligible enterprise customers must migrate by Microsoft’s deadline.

Can backlinks help a website rank in Bing?

Relevant editorial links can support authority, discovery and referral traffic, but they do not replace useful content, crawlability, internal linking and sound technical SEO. Link quality and context matter more than raw totals.

Is Bing SEO different from Google SEO?

The foundations overlap: accessible pages, relevant content, clear entities, good internal linking and trustworthy authority. However, reporting, result presentation, audience behaviour and engine-specific tools differ, so both should be measured directly.

GuestPost.UK search growth

Use Bing as Part of a Wider Search Strategy

Configure the essential Bing tools, repair genuine technical problems, improve useful content and strengthen relevant authority. GuestPost.UK can support the SEO audit, content, digital PR and editorial link-building work that follows the data.

Product availability, pricing and features can change. Verify current Microsoft documentation before making a purchasing or development decision.

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