Bing Places for Business: why it matters and how to set up

Most Indian business owners look after Google and forget Bing completely. That is understandable, but it is becoming a gap. Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free listing tool, and Bing's results are used by other products, including Microsoft Copilot and, in part, ChatGPT's search feature. This guide explains why it matters, how to set it up in minutes by importing your Google Business Profile, and how to add Bing Webmaster Tools.

What Bing Places for Business is

Bing Places is the Bing equivalent of Google Business Profile. It lets you claim and manage your business listing, with your name, address, phone number, hours, photos and website. This listing can then appear in Bing Search, Bing Maps and other Microsoft products. It costs nothing to set up.

Why it matters beyond Bing itself

Bing's own share of searches in India is smaller than Google's, so you might think it can be ignored. There are good reasons not to:

• Copilot and Microsoft products: Microsoft Copilot uses Bing to find information, so Bing results can influence the answers people see.
• ChatGPT search: OpenAI has said ChatGPT search uses a mix of providers, and Bing is widely reported to be one of them. A clear Bing presence helps the assistants find you.
• Other search tools: several smaller search engines and apps draw on Bing's index.
• Accurate facts: a verified listing gives these systems correct details about your business rather than guesses from old directories.

Nobody can promise that a Bing listing will make an assistant mention you. But missing from Bing means missing from one of the main sources these tools learn from, and the effort is small. If you want the wider picture, read about our AI search optimisation service.

Before you start

Gather the same facts you use on Google, and make sure they match exactly:

• Business name, exactly as it appears on your signboard and website
• Full address and pin code
• Phone number and website address
• Opening hours and category
• A few clear photos and your logo

Consistency matters. A listing that says "Sharma Dental Clinic, Kothrud" on one site and "Dr Sharma's Dental" on another confuses search engines.

Step by step: set up Bing Places

1. Go to bingplaces.com and sign in with a Microsoft account. Create a free one if needed.
2. Choose to add a new business, or to import existing listings.
3. Search for your business to see whether a listing already exists. If it does, claim it rather than creating a duplicate.
4. Check each detail and add anything missing: hours, categories, photos, services.
5. Complete the verification step offered. Depending on the situation this may be a phone call, text, email or postcard.
6. Once verified, review the listing on Bing Search and Maps.

The quick route: import from Google Business Profile

If you already have a verified Google Business Profile, Bing Places lets you import it, so you do not have to type everything again.

1. On the Bing Places sign-up screen, choose the option to import from Google Business Profile.
2. Sign in to the Google account that manages your profile and give permission to share the data.
3. Select the locations you want to import.
4. Review the imported details carefully. Fix anything that was copied incorrectly, such as categories that do not map exactly.
5. Complete verification. Imported profiles that match a verified Google listing are sometimes verified automatically, but this is not guaranteed in every case.

It is worth checking the options on the screen as Microsoft may change them. Once imported, remember that Bing and Google listings are separate. If you change your hours on Google, update Bing too, unless you have set up syncing as offered.

Set up Bing Webmaster Tools too

Bing Places is about your business listing. Bing Webmaster Tools, at bing.com/webmasters, is about your website. It is Bing's counterpart of Google Search Console and is also free.

What it does

• Shows whether Bing can crawl and index your pages
• Reports search queries and clicks from Bing
• Lets you submit your sitemap
• Flags crawl errors and some technical issues

How to add your site

1. Sign in at bing.com/webmasters with a Microsoft account.
2. Add your site. If you already use Google Search Console, you can import your sites from it and save time.
3. Verify ownership using the method offered, such as an HTML file, a meta tag or a DNS record.
4. Submit your sitemap, for example yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.

Also check that your robots.txt file is not blocking Bingbot by accident. Bing supports a protocol called IndexNow, which lets a site tell participating search engines when pages change, and some website systems can switch it on.

Keep your facts consistent

The best listing is only as good as its match with the rest of the web. Use the same business name, address and phone number on your website, Google Business Profile, Bing Places and social pages. Add the details as plain text on your contact page, not only in an image.

How often to check

Look at both Bing tools every month or two. Check that your hours are correct, reply to any questions or reviews, and see whether Webmaster Tools reports new errors. It takes a few minutes.

If you would like help with the listings and the website behind them, message us on WhatsApp at +91 90676 77455, or run the free SEO check to see how your site looks to search engines today.