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Bing vs Google: How Many People Use Each Search Engine?

Curious about how many people use Bing vs. Google? We’ve got you covered.

Google has become such a familiar and well-used word in the English language. It even found its way into the dictionary as a verb in 2006. Today, searches on Google represent over 60% of U.S. search engine traffic, while Microsoft’s Bing gains almost 27% of queries. 

Users in India use Google the most, with over 95% search query capture. That translates to 89 billion global visits each month on Google and a little over 1 billion worldwide for Bing. Globally, Google processes billions of searches every day, and Bing handles about 80 million. Yet, Bing has a loyal following among specific segments of the population, and it’s vital to understand more about the search engines’ differences to target your marketing effectively.

Bing vs. Google: The key differences

Aside from market share, there are some primary and significant differences between the two engines.

Search engine size

Google’s database is more extensive, with hundreds of millions of indexed web pages, while Bing maintains an estimated size of 9 million pages. Google operates on a mobile-first indexing approach, and Bing relies on a single index that handles both mobile and desktop searches.

Videos and images

When it comes to video search, Bing’s search engine results page (SERP) populates large thumbnails for browsing and a more visual format. The preview function allows users to watch a snippet without navigating off the SERP, a pretty handy feature for keeping users on the page and suggesting relevant content.

Bing’s image search offers customization beyond both search engines’ standard features. For example, the visual search function provides an image search capability that identifies dog breeds from a drag-and-drop photo. 

Users love interactive visual elements like images and videos, and they can make compelling advertising campaigns that have influenced people for decades.

SEO differences

Another difference between the two lies in their approaches to search engine optimization (SEO). 

Both offer robust keyword research tools — Google through its Keyword Planner, Search Console and Trends resources, and Bing through its one-stop Webmaster dashboard. Bing also provides enhanced functionality by offering insightful SEO reports that suggest ways to improve and discover new opportunities. The recommendations tab within the advertising dashboard provides customized, real-time feedback for quick adjustments.

As a marketer, this difference means you could have one SEO strategy for Google and another to maximize rankings on Bing. 

How many people use Bing vs. Google?

So who uses Bing, anyway?

If your target market uses Bing, you need an SEO plan to reach them. You can begin to understand your target audience by learning who uses Bing. 

People in the U.S. use Bing more than anywhere else. Research on its audience reveals some interesting demographics of Bing users:

• 50% of users are female.
• 50% of users have a college degree, and 17% of them hold post-graduate degrees.
• 38% of users have annual incomes of $100,000 or more, and 17% more have incomes between $75,000 and $100,000.
• Over 50% of its audience is age 45 and older.
• 59% of users have children, which reflects the age demographic.
• 53% are married.
• 61% of searches involve well-recognized brands.
• The highest click-through rate (CTR) comes from career and employment queries, closely followed by financial and insurance services and fashion.

Bing’s users have a unique demographic, so targeting these users can help you push relevant content and generate leads. You may also realize that your target audience is not on Bing, which can change your marketing strategy.

Advantages of digital advertising on Bing

Now that you know how many people use Bing vs. Google, let’s dive into how advertising on Bing can benefit your business. Using Bing ads as part of your digital marketing strategy allows you to reach 44 million potential customers on desktops who won’t see your ad on Google. To simplify marketing, Microsoft advertising offers a tool to import your Google ad specifications directly into their platform. A few adjustments to improve your SEO for Bing, and you’re up and running in less time.

If the Bing user demographics align with your target market, the search engine may be an ideal solution for maximizing your digital advertising budget. With less search query competition, many businesses experience reduced cost-per-click (CPC) expenses on Bing versus costs for the same ads on Google. Bing’s users on desktop spend 26% more on average when shopping online, improving your return on investment.

Audience insight tools within Microsoft advertising provide features to target intended users. Bing makes it easy to segment your customers for more precise targeting, including the ability to merge several audiences with custom lists. You can also match customers by location, product, or device type when those factors impact purchasing decisions. 

Other benefits of employing SEO strategies for Bing include:

• Targeting LinkedIn: One primary advantage of Bing ads is its ability to target based on LinkedIn profiles. As a result, B2B organizations have valuable access to reach decision-makers at specific companies or industries. 
• Scheduling posts: Another benefit of Microsoft advertising is its scheduling tool, offering flexibility for ad exposure at different times based on user location. This approach gives marketers better control over who sees what and when.
• Seeing higher click rates: Bing ads also have a higher CTR. You can boost this rate with compelling ad copy, and your superior product or service can capture those conversions. When you do, your cost per acquisition is lower, too.

If you’re ready to ramp up your Bing SEO strategy, our tool can help. Get an instant breakdown of your SEO score with our free SEO checker.

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