Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools: Why You Should Use Them

Google is omnipresent in everyday SEO. However, Microsoft Bing is playing an increasingly important role, especially in B2B environments, among Windows and Edge users, and in the context of Microsoft Advertising and AI search (Copilot, ChatGPT integration). Bing Webmaster Tools provide deep insights into crawling, indexing, and search performance—with features that Google doesn't even offer in some cases.

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Bing is no longer just the second search engine; it is the data foundation for Microsoft Copilot. This means your visibility on Bing helps determine whether you even appear in AI responses. In our study with SISTRIX, we compared six AI systems, and the result was clear: every system cites different sources. Being visible on Google does not mean you are visible on ChatGPT or Perplexity. Webmaster Tools are therefore one of the few free tools you can use to check your position outside the Google ecosystem.

You can find the full analysis in the Study on AI and SEO in German E-Commerce.

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Registration, verification, and dashboard

Access to Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools is now exclusively via a Microsoft account. This makes the login process standardized and secure. Once logged in, you can add as many domains as you like.

For verification , there are three common methods to choose from:

• XML file: You upload a small file to your web server, which Bing then retrieves.
• Meta tag: You add a special tag to the <head> section of your homepage.
• DNS record: Particularly practical for large companies with many domains. Here, a CNAME record is set in the DNS, meaning no changes to the web server are necessary.

A key difference from Google: you don't need to set up HTTP/HTTPS and www/non-www variants separately. Bing automatically consolidates them, reducing account complexity. You only need to verify subdomains (e.g., shop.example.com or blog.example.com) separately, as they are technically considered distinct entities.

Once set up, you land on the dashboard, which provides an immediate overview:

• Performance data: impressions, clicks, CTR, and average position.
• Indexing status: how many pages have been crawled and how many have been indexed?
• Notifications & recommendations: Bing actively alerts you to technical issues or optimization opportunities, such as indexing errors or missing sitemaps.

The dashboard serves not only as a control center but also as an early warning system for technical and content-related issues. Compared to the current Google Search Console, many users find it cleaner and more comprehensive on a single page—similar to how Google’s "old" Search Console used to be.

Overview of functions and features

Bing Webmaster Tools cover many of the core functions of Google Search Console, but go into more detail in several areas. Especially for complex or international SEO setups, the following features are worth a look:

• Sitemaps & URL submission
  You can upload standard XML sitemaps and manually submit individual URLs. This is particularly helpful for new content or relaunches when rapid indexing is critical for visibility and revenue. Experience shows that Bing reacts very quickly to manual submissions—an advantage over Google.
• Index Explorer
  This feature functions like a file browser for your domain. It shows which status codes were encountered during crawling, which areas are blocked by robots.txt, and when a URL was last crawled. It is especially useful for established projects with subdomains or legacy issues hidden within the internal structure. This gives you a clear picture of which parts of your website Bing is actually processing.
• SEO Analyzer
  The analyzer checks every URL for technical and content factors: from missing alt tags and faulty H1 hierarchies to overly long meta titles. Core Web Vitals and mobile optimization are also taken into account. You receive a list prioritized by severity, allowing you to allocate resources where they will have the greatest impact on rankings and user experience.
• Keyword Insights
  Unlike Google Search Console, Bing provides up to 16 months of data history. You can see which keywords generated impressions and clicks for each URL, including click-through rate and average position. This is valuable for trend analysis, seasonal topics, or measuring the impact of content updates over a longer period.
• Backlink reports
  Bing offers significantly deeper backlink data than Google. You can export up to 20,000 linking URLs for each of your pages—many times the Google limit. Additionally, you can see anchor texts, link growth over time, and domain distributions. This allows you to not only assess the status of your link profile but also identify specific risks (e.g., unnatural link clusters) or opportunities (e.g., strong brand mentions).
• Security and certificate check
  Bing automatically checks whether your SSL certificate is valid and whether your website shows signs of malware or phishing. For businesses, this is more than just a technical detail: an expired certificate immediately leads to a loss of trust and can result in massive revenue losses. With these early warnings, you have direct monitoring of your security status.

What has changed?

Some older features are no longer available in their previous form:

• The option to set a preferred crawl rate has been removed.
• The Disavow tool has been discontinued – Bing now relies on its own algorithms to identify harmful links.
• Social media links for Knowledge Panels must now be managed via Schema.org markup; the old "Linked Pages" feature no longer exists.

In return, new capabilities have been added:

• JavaScript rendering: Since 2020, Bingbot has been based on Chromium and processes modern frameworks like React or Angular.
• Advanced mobile and performance checks: Mobile-first indexing and Core Web Vitals are now fully integrated.
• Longer data history: Keyword and performance data are now available for up to 16 months.

Business impact: Why it’s worth the effort

While Bing has a smaller market share than Google, it offers decisive advantages in certain segments:

• B2B & Microsoft ecosystem: Users of Edge, Windows, Office, or Copilot search via Bing more frequently – making it a relevant channel, especially in a business context.
• AI search: Bing integrates generative AI more heavily than Google. The performance data from Webmaster Tools helps you understand how your content is being incorporated into chat- and AI-based answers.
• Backlink analysis: The extensive export options provide deep insights into your link profile – a foundation for strategic risk management.
• Long-term competitiveness: Relying solely on Google means leaving potential on the table. With Bing, you secure additional reach, often in less competitive markets.

Insight: Bing & AI – an underestimated lever

The integration of ChatGPT and Copilot into Bing is massively changing search behavior. Click paths are becoming shorter, and answers more direct. Bing Webmaster Tools provide you with valuable insights into which content is actually being included in this new AI-driven search. Those who interpret the data correctly can adjust their content strategies early on – a competitive advantage that is crucial in dynamic markets.

Conclusion & Takeaway

Microsoft Bing Webmaster Tools are far more than a niche product. They offer deep insights into crawling, indexing, and performance—with features that Google sometimes does not (or no longer) provide.

For you as a decision-maker, this means: you expand your SEO data foundation, secure additional reach in a growing AI search environment, and gain clarity on technical and strategic risks.

Key takeaway: Do not treat Bing Webmaster Tools as a "nice to have," but rather as an essential part of your SEO governance. This makes your website visible not only to Google but also within the Microsoft ecosystem—securing additional traffic, revenue, and brand trust.

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