Learn all about Microsoft's search platform
That Microsoft is one of the largest technology companies in the world, as we all know. Now, does its search platform Bing is it a match for Google? This is one of the main tools of the North American corporation and, although it is less well-known than the Google, it is a robust platform capable of competing with the search giant.
In this article, you'll learn more about Bing and what makes it a viable option for users and marketers.
What is Bing?
As we know, Bing is Microsoft's search engine. Launched in 2009, it succeeded the former Live Search and MSN Search. Since then, it has become a popular alternative to Google, with a global market share of around 3%. While this may seem small compared to Google's over 90% share, Bing is currently used by millions of people every day.
Proof of this is the tool's most recent achievement: in the first week of March, Bing reached the milestone of 100 million active users per day. Of course, much of this is due to the popularization of GPT-chat, which has been integrated into Microsoft's search engine. With this new version, users can use the chatbot to optimize search results. Curious? Just access the website and test it right now.!
But be careful! Using the new features in depth won't be that simple. To actually use them, you'll need to sign up for a waiting list, which already has over a million people on it. So, are you ready to take it on? 😛
Throughout this article, you'll learn a little more about the tool's evolution since its launch, discover the main differences between the new Bing, and how it has gained increasing strength in its fierce battle with Google.
Why use Bing?
In a universe completely dominated by Google, you might be wondering “why would people use Google?” Bing"? The truth is, there are several reasons for this, no matter how much you doubt it. To prove it, we'll explain them below:
1. Windows Integration
Bing is the default search engine for Windows, meaning many users are already familiar with it and use it for convenience. It's also integrated with other Microsoft products, such as Office and Edge, which can make life easier for those who use those programs.
2. Personalized search results
Microsoft's tool uses user data to personalize search results. This means that if you search for "Japanese restaurants in Porto Alegre," Bing can take into account your location, search history, and other factors to deliver results that are more relevant to your lifestyle and behavior.
3. Images and videos
Many users find the tool's images and videos section useful. It allows you to search for specific images and videos and even upload an image to search for similar images.
4. Bing Rewards
As Bing Rewards They function as a loyalty program for users in certain countries to accumulate points for surveys and other activities carried out on the platform. These points can be exchanged for Microsoft products and services or gift cards and are valid for a predetermined period of time.
How it all began?
Bing was launched by Microsoft in June 2009 with the goal of competing with Google, which at the time was already the undisputed leader in the internet search market. Previously, Microsoft had a search engine called Live Search—unsuccessful. It was then that the decision was made to invest in a new product to offer a more personalized and intuitive search experience.
The name Bing was chosen because it was short, memorable, and pleasant-sounding. Furthermore, it can be used as a verb, such as "bing it." Upon its launch, it surprised visitors with its intuitive and attractive interface. It also offered features such as "Suggestions," "Explore Pane," and "Instant Results." Other innovative features for the time were visual search and shopping.
Specifically, its creators say Bing was designed to offer more relevant and accurate results than other search engines. It's worth remembering that Microsoft invested heavily in advertising to promote it and attract users. Since then, much has changed, and they continue to improve their technology and features. However, despite these ongoing advances, Bing still lags far behind Google in terms of popularity.
As previously mentioned, Google is the most widely used search engine in the world, with over 90% market share. Meanwhile, Bing has a market share of less than 3%. Undeterred, Microsoft continues to invest in the tool, making it standard on several products, such as Windows and the Edge browser. Additionally, the company offers search advertising services through Microsoft Ads, which allows advertisers to reach users, just like with Google Ads.
What about the new Bing? How does it work?
Keeping abreast of market changes, Microsoft recently launched a new version of Bing. Completely improved, Microsoft's search engine is integrated with an intelligent chatbot, similar to OpenAi's Chat GPT. With this artificial intelligence feature, searches now offer increasingly complex and contextualized results.
“Artificial intelligence will fundamentally change every category of software, starting with the biggest of all – search,” explained Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft. announcement of new technology. "Today, we're launching Bing and Edge, powered by AI-powered co-pilot and chat, to help people get even more out of search and the web," he added.
As Microsoft explains, the technology, dubbed the Microsoft Prometheus Model, is similar to that used by Chat GPT, but with fully customized artificial intelligence tailored to the needs of a research tool. As a result, the US company considers it even more powerful than Chat GPT.
"We've developed a proprietary way to work with the OpenAI model that allows us to fully leverage its power. We call this collection of capabilities and techniques the Prometheus model. This combination delivers more relevant, up-to-date, and targeted results, with greater confidence," adds Satya.
In practice, it works like this: Upon receiving a user's question, Bing's artificial intelligence analyzes the content and then searches for relevant results. In addition to providing these results, Bing summarizes everything it finds into a single answer. The goal is to make the tool easier to use and provide a clear and objective answer to the user, avoiding information overload.
We tested the new Bing!
When we open the Bing search page, we're invited to try out its new features. Right away, it tells us what it's here for: Ask real questions. Get complete answers. Okay, so how about trying this update? The platform itself suggests a question, and let's go with it: I need to prepare a dinner for 6 vegetarians. Can you suggest a 3-course menu with a chocolate dessert? See in the image below:
When searching for a menu for a vegetarian dinner, we're introduced to Bing's new feature. Just below, as usual, are the search results, with an organic list of sites that likely meet the user's needs. However, the difference lies on the side of the screen, where the chatbot presents a human-like suggested answer to the question.
This response is developed by artificial intelligence based on all the websites that appeared in the search results. It captures the most relevant information and transforms it into a single answer. The goal, as Microsoft itself revealed, is to simplify the user's routine, as well as improve the user experience when browsing Bing.
So, have you used Bing yet or are you curious to try out the new tool?
Everything indicates that the search engine will increasingly be adapted to the new needs of internet users, becoming an interesting and efficient alternative for web searches.
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