Item: Bing Webmaster Tools
Rating: 10
Author: George Bounacos

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We always use Bing Webmaster Tools in conjunction with Google Search Console, Semrush, and other appropriate solutions. Each has its own vagaries and will flag different issues and offer slightly different solutions. Google is obviously the player that all search marketers have to satisfy. But it's taken years for Google to catch up to the thoroughly excellent Bing Webmaster Tools. Bing's version of these search engine view's understanding of a website has always been slightly better than Google's.

There are a couple of standout Bing options, including new integration with Microsoft's Clarity that allows you to see screen recordings of visits.

After closely looking at both, I think they're now well-matched. That means that Google should always be your first choice. You're optimizing for Google, not Bing, after all. But if your work processes support a second or third option, Bing would be a nice choice for second.

Pros and Cons

Manual scans are returned fast--often within an hour.
You can import all of your Google Search Console properties with a few clicks.
Bing's interface is flatter than Google's and easy to use.
Benchmarking similar sites is a nice touch.

Context-based help visible on the page would be awesome.
Keyword research is a fantastic tool that needs more context.
The submission API that lets you "automate URL submission" and submit new content quickly is poorly explained and creates doubt among people who might wonder why they need to submit content.

Return on Investment

The biggest positive is the certainty that comes from using a search engine's data. There are based on actual data, not samples and projections that are then scaled up.
The SEO Reports are exceptionally easy to use.
The visual site explorer is something that Google Search Console does not have (although Google Analytics does)
The user interface is excellent.

Alternatives Considered

Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Semrush and Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Bing, which is free to use, is a good adjunct to our use of all these tools. If I had to stop using all but two, Bing and Google would be the ones that I would keep. Others have their place in our cycle based on what Google and Bing are reporting, but these are our early warning systems. Even if they don't offer the best way to a solution, they are the final word in what appears via their search index.

Key Insights

Do you think Bing Webmaster Tools delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Bing Webmaster Tools's feature set?

Yes

Did Bing Webmaster Tools live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Bing Webmaster Tools go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Bing Webmaster Tools again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Semrush, Swydo, by DialogTech, StatCounter

Likelihood to Recommend

I always make sure that we are actively using Bing and Google. There is a tradeoff in your time when you use more tools, but there's also benefit in multiple perspectives. And don't forget that Bing is a very viable search engine that receives 500 million search queries each month. You may find that your business benefits from a relatively small amount of attention paid to Bing because search ranking there is easier (not easy, easier).

Bing's Free Webmaster Tools Are Feature Rich, Definitive, and Yes, Free

Overall Satisfaction with Bing Webmaster Tools