How To Rank On Bing (And Why)

If you’re a high-end design-build contractor worried that your SEO investment is fading due to ChatGPT and new AI tools, you’re not alone. It’s a valid concern, but here’s the truth.

SEO isn’t dying, it’s evolving. And at the heart of this evolution is a new, critical entry point: Bing.

Most contractors and SEO agencies focus almost exclusively on Google. It’s natural since Google dominates search traffic. But there is an overlooked opportunity: nearly a third of desktop searches in the U.S. happen on Bing.

More importantly, Bing users typically earn more and spend more than the average Google user. They’re the people who can afford to invest in substantial remodeling projects, custom builds, and home expansions.

Need more motivation? Bing search results are directly accessed and referenced inside ChatGPT conversations!

That’s right, optimizing for Bing directly helps your business show up inside AI-driven search conversations (and we can prove it ⬇️).

In this guide, we’ll show you:

• Why Bing’s audience is perfectly aligned with high-value contracting clients
• The key ranking factors that Bing uses and how they differ from Google
• Step-by-step actions you can take today to start moving up Bing’s results
• How Bing’s connection to ChatGPT can directly influence your lead flow
• Answers to the most frequently asked Bing SEO questions from contractors — including backlinks, keyword tools, engagement metrics, and crawl efficiency — so you can cover every angle in one place

Why Bing Should Be Your Next Big SEO Priority

Think about a typical “ideal client” for a design-build contractor. As a generalization, they are typically homeowners aged between 35 to 65, established professionals, and have annual household incomes over $100,000.

This perfectly aligns with Bing’s core user base.

Here’s a quick snapshot:

Optimizing for Bing means attracting clients who have the financial resources to undertake significant home improvement projects.

But the benefits don’t stop there. The most critical factor is the direct link to Large Language Models (LLMs): Bing’s search index powers ChatGPT.

So when people ask ChatGPT for contractor recommendations, Bing’s data directly influences those answers.

Here’s how we know:

1. Every conversation with ChatGPT is a request-and-response pattern with OpenAI’s servers
2. While the ChatGPT user interface (UI) displays the response in a user-friendly way, there is more data to access behind the scenes
3. We queried the ChatGPT Backend API across dozens of simulated local searches and dug through the data received

Here’s what we found:

1. When “Search” is turned on in ChatGPT it performs an action known as “query fanning” which takes the long question typed out by the user and turns it into multiple search queries
2. These search queries are identifiable in the API response when looking up specific conversations
3. Taking these search queries into Bing lets us see the actual results that ChatGPT sees

Here’s the kicker:

1. ChatGPT does not just show you the Bing results, they simply use them as a starting point
2. The system is trained to analyze the top 20 results for each query to determine the following:
   • What businesses or brands are in the top 20 results?
   • What directory styles links are in the top 20 results?
   • Which of the businesses from the top 20 results are also listed on those directory style websites?
3. Based on the findings, ChatGPT will then synthesize that data into a list of businesses
4. They use MapBox to generate a map and create a simulated “map pack” like Google

Below you can see the API response from a conversation we had with ChatGPT looking for “remodelers in Charlotte NC”.

The system created two queries: “Charlotte NC remodelers top rated remodeling companies” and “best remodeling contractors Charlotte NC reviews”.

These were then performed on Bing (internal interface, not Bing.com) and the results were generated based on those searches.

See below a snapshot of the actual data received back from ChatGPT.

Performing those same searches on Bing revealed the same companies suggested by ChatGPT!

In short, ChatGPT acts like a researcher. It takes a broad question, breaks it into specific search terms, and uses Bing to gather the top 20 sources before presenting a synthesized answer based on those results.

What’s the bottom line?

Bing is not only making a comeback with its Microsoft integrations and “Copilot” but it is also feeding data into ChatGPT, which is being adopted by more searchers every day.

The time has come to revisit how to rank on Bing.

What Makes Bing Different From Google (and Why it Matters to You)

Keyword Specificity Matters More

Bing favors clear, exact-match keywords more than Google does. This is your chance to stand out. Replace vague headers like “Creating Exceptional Spaces” with specific titles such as “Luxury Home Remodeling in Austin, Texas.”

How are we attacking this? We are rewriting title tags and headlines to be more keyword-focused and less reliant on superlatives. Our new mantra is: keywords in the title tag, superlatives in the meta description.

Bing Cares About Your Social Presence

Social media isn’t just branding—it’s directly tied to Bing rankings. Encourage clients to share completed project images on Facebook or LinkedIn. Bing treats these social signals as proof that your company delivers real value.

Instagram and Pinterest are two other key platforms and heavy on visuals which is perfect for design-build.

How are we attacking this? We are encouraging our clients to post more on social media, provide more updated pictures of projects, get more reviews across social media and business platforms.

Quality Backlinks Matter, Not Quantity

Forget chasing dozens of low-quality backlinks. A single quality link from a trusted source like a prominent architectural blog or local government site dramatically boosts your Bing ranking.

How are we attacking this? We have always championed quality links over quantity. Therefore, we are sticking to our tried-and-true link-building strategy. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.

How To Rank On Bing

Rank on Bing by submitting your site to Bing Webmaster Tools, earning high-authority backlinks, integrating Schema.org markup, optimizing page speed under 2 seconds, producing original, semantically rich content, and encouraging social engagement, which Bing uses as a ranking signal. Expect results within 3–6 months with consistent effort.

Here’s your straightforward action steps to ranking on Bing:

Step 1: Get Serious About Bing Webmaster Tools

Set up and actively use Bing Webmaster Tools (BWT). It reveals technical SEO issues Google often misses. Submit your new URLs manually—Bing allows this daily for quick indexing.

https://www.bing.com/webmasters/about

Step 2: Leverage Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Schema markup tells Bing exactly what your content covers. Clearly answer common homeowner questions in structured FAQ sections. Bing prominently features these answers in search results.

https://schema.org

Step 3: Optimize Your Images

High-quality images are essential. Compress all images for quick loading, add detailed descriptions (e.g., “modern kitchen remodel in Charlotte with custom cabinetry”), and include local keywords. Bing heavily emphasizes visuals, increasing your visibility.

Image SEO Guide: How To Visually Dominate Your Market

Don’t Forget About Local! Here’s How To Rank On Bing Maps

Bing Places for Business can significantly impact your local visibility:

• Ensure your business profile is complete and consistent across Google, Yelp, and Bing.
• Choose multiple, relevant categories like “Design-Build Firm,” “Kitchen Remodeler,” and “General Contractor.”
• Upload at least 20-30 high-quality project images.
• Actively seek client reviews, as Bing integrates third-party reviews prominently.

Bing Places prominently displays reviews from third-party sites such as:

• Yelp (primary source)
• Facebook
• TripAdvisor
• Foursquare

Yelp is Bing’s primary partner for reviews, so having strong ratings and frequent reviews on Yelp significantly boosts your credibility and visibility in Bing local results.

https://www.bingplaces.com

Technical Essentials: Keep it Fast and Simple

Page speed directly influences Bing rankings.

Aim for pages loading in under two seconds.

Simplify or adjust JavaScript-heavy components using server-side or dynamic rendering methods. Bing handles JavaScript less effectively than Google.

Addressing Your Core Fear: Is SEO Still Worth It?

Contractors often wonder if their investment in SEO is still worth it given the rise of AI-powered searches. Our answer? Absolutely yes.

Billions of people will still search trillions of keywords every year.

The future is about being discoverable wherever clients look, including emerging AI platforms. Ranking on Bing not only may get you in front of users of their platform, but also positions your contracting company to appear prominently within ChatGPT responses.

Imagine a homeowner asking ChatGPT about the best custom home builders in their area and your company instantly appears. That’s not futuristic, it’s already happening.

Contractors optimizing now will quickly capture this new form of high-value lead.

Here’s Your Bing Optimization Action Plan:

• ✅ Verify and actively manage your site with Bing Webmaster Tools. (CGN handles this!)
• ✅ Clearly target keywords in your main service pages. (CGN handles this!)
• ✅ Optimize and maintain your Bing Places profile. (CGN handles this!)

What initial steps should I take to improve my Bing ranking quickly?

Start with Bing’s own tools and listings:

1. Verify and submit your site in Bing Webmaster Tools – as explained in Step 1: Get Serious About Bing Webmaster Tools.
2. Fully optimize your Bing Places for Business profile – see Don’t Forget About Local! Here’s How To Rank On Bing Maps.
3. Implement structured data – expand on our Leverage Structured Data (Schema Markup) section.
4. Target exact-match keywords – covered in Keyword Specificity Matters More.
5. Optimize images – see Optimize Your Images.

How important are backlinks from old domains for Bing SEO?

Bing values aged, authoritative backlinks more than Google in many cases. A link from a 15-year-old, high-authority local news site will often outweigh multiple new-site backlinks. See our approach in Quality Backlinks Matter, Not Quantity and expand efforts by seeking links from:

• Established industry blogs and local newspapers
• Older directory sites like Houzz or Angi
• Government (.gov) and educational (.edu) resources

Which keyword research tools are best for Bing optimization?

For contractor marketing, you’ll get the best data from Bing-specific tools:

• Bing Webmaster Tools Keyword Research – ties directly into the strategies in Keyword Specificity Matters More
• Microsoft Advertising Keyword Planner – helps uncover terms to use in your service page optimizations
• AnswerThePublic – supports idea generation for new FAQ entries
• Ubersuggest – can identify low-competition Bing terms for blog post opportunities

How does Bing evaluate user engagement for ranking purposes?

Bing tracks engagement signals similar to discover_engagement_7d and historic_engagement_v1:

• Click-through rate (CTR) from SERPs – improve via the strategies in Keyword Specificity Matters More
• Dwell time – keep users reading with in-depth guides like our Why Bing Should Be Your Next Big SEO Priority section
• Low pogo-sticking – avoid misleading titles that aren’t supported by content
• Social signals – see Bing Cares About Your Social Presence for ways to boost this metric

What technical website factors most influence Bing’s crawl efficiency?

Bing rewards sites that are easy to crawl and understand:

• Fast-loading pages – apply recommendations from Technical Essentials: Keep it Fast and Simple
• Clean robots.txt and functional XML sitemap
• No broken links or redirect chains – check Bing Webmaster Tools for crawl errors
• Semantic HTML structure with schema markup – reference Leverage Structured Data (Schema Markup)
• Responsive, mobile-friendly design – covered in multiple image optimization and layout suggestions above

Always resubmit sitemaps after adding or updating content to prompt faster crawling.

Lastly, strengthen your social media presence with strategic content sharing. CGN does not handle this, but look out for our new guide coming out on automating your social media using AI! Diversify your brand presence across top platforms and use the type of media appropriate for that platform:

1. YouTube – long form videos
2. Instagram – short form videos and slideshows
3. Facebook – video
4. Pinterest – separate boards for services and high quality photos
5. LinkedIn – photo with longer caption

Focus on those big 5 and stay consistent!

So again, SEO isn’t dying, it’s actually smarter and more valuable than ever.

Optimizing for Bing now means securing visibility where your ideal clients are already looking—and generating more qualified leads, phone calls, and contracts in the process.

Ready to have ChatGPT suggest your business instead of your competition? Start with a marketing discovery call.

Patrick Scully SEO Specialist

Patrick Scully is an SEO Specialist at Contractor Growth Network. He has over 15 years of search engine optimization experience.

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Search Engine Optimization