Bing Copilot and AI Search: Is Microsoft Finally Relevant?

For years, Bing was the punchline of every search engine joke. “Nobody uses Bing” was such an accepted truth that most SEO strategies completely ignored it. But something interesting happened when Microsoft integrated AI deeply into Bing through Copilot. People started paying attention.

Is Microsoft finally relevant in search? The data says: sort of. And that “sort of” matters more than you might think.

The Numbers Behind the Comeback

Bing’s overall search market share has grown from approximately 3.5% to about 6% over the past year. That might not sound like much, but it represents a 70% increase. For a platform that spent a decade stuck at 3%, that is significant movement.

More interesting than the headline number is where the growth is coming from:

• Enterprise users: Microsoft 365 integration means millions of corporate users interact with Copilot daily during work
• Windows users: Copilot is embedded in Windows 11 and the Edge browser, creating default access points
• ChatGPT overflow: ChatGPT Search uses Bing’s index, so every ChatGPT search indirectly benefits Bing’s data ecosystem

Combined, Microsoft-connected AI search touchpoints reach an estimated 500 million monthly users. That is not a punchline anymore.

How Copilot Search Works Differently

Copilot does not just show you a list of links. It combines conversational AI (powered by OpenAI’s models) with Bing’s traditional search index to generate answers. When you ask Copilot a question, it:

1. Interprets your query conversationally
2. Searches Bing’s web index for relevant sources
3. Generates a synthesized answer with citations
4. Offers follow-up suggestions

For local business queries, Copilot pulls from Bing Places (the equivalent of Google Business Profile), web content, and review data. Businesses that are not optimized for Bing are invisible to this growing user base.

Why You Should Care (Even If You Love Google)

Here is the practical argument: Bing/Copilot users tend to be higher-income professionals using Microsoft devices at work. For B2B services, professional services, and enterprise-focused businesses, this audience is valuable.

Additionally, ChatGPT Search relies on Bing’s web index. When someone uses ChatGPT’s search features to find a business, the results are influenced by Bing’s data. If you are invisible on Bing, you are invisible to ChatGPT Search users too.

How to Optimize for Bing and Copilot

The good news: most of what you do for Google also helps with Bing. But there are some Bing-specific optimizations worth making.

1. Claim Your Bing Places Listing

This is the Bing equivalent of Google Business Profile, and most small businesses have never touched it. Go to bingplaces.com, claim your listing, and complete every field. You can import your GBP data to speed up the process.

2. Submit Your Sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools

Bing Webmaster Tools (bing.com/webmasters) is the Bing equivalent of Google Search Console. Submit your sitemap, verify your site, and check for any crawl errors. This takes about 10 minutes and ensures Bing can find and index all your pages.

3. Optimize for Social Signals

Unlike Google, which downplays social signals, Bing has confirmed that social media activity is a ranking factor. Maintaining active social media profiles with engagement can positively influence your Bing rankings. This is one area where the two search engines genuinely differ.

4. Focus on Exact-Match Content

Bing’s algorithm is slightly less sophisticated than Google’s at understanding synonyms and context. While Google might understand that “car repair shop” and “auto mechanic” mean the same thing, Bing benefits from more explicit keyword matching. Include exact-match versions of your target keywords in titles and headers.

5. Leverage Schema Markup

Bing fully supports schema markup and uses it in similar ways to Google. If you have already implemented schema for Google, you are covered for Bing too.

Copilot’s Unique Features for Local Search

Copilot has introduced some features that differentiate it from Google’s AI search:

• Visual search integration: Users can upload photos and ask Copilot to identify or find related products and services
• Shopping Copilot: Integrated price comparison and product recommendations
• Notebook mode: Longer, more detailed AI responses for research-heavy queries
• Plugins: Third-party integrations that let Copilot access real-time data from platforms like OpenTable, Kayak, and others

For restaurants using OpenTable or service businesses using booking platforms, these plugins create direct discovery pathways that bypass traditional search entirely.

The Microsoft Ecosystem Effect

The real power of Copilot is the Microsoft ecosystem. When someone uses Copilot in:

• Microsoft Teams: “Find me a catering company for our office party next Friday”
• Outlook: “Help me find a conference venue near our office”
• Edge browser: “What is the best rated HVAC company in my area?”

Each of these touchpoints is a search opportunity. And they all use Bing’s data to power the answers.

Should You Shift Resources to Bing?

No. Google is still the primary search engine for the vast majority of users. Your core SEO strategy should remain Google-focused.

But spending two to three hours optimizing for Bing is one of the highest-ROI side projects you can do:

1. Claim Bing Places (15 minutes)
2. Set up Bing Webmaster Tools (15 minutes)
3. Submit your sitemap (5 minutes)
4. Verify your Bing Places information matches your GBP (15 minutes)

That is less than an hour, and it opens up your business to millions of Copilot and ChatGPT Search users.

The Bottom Line

Is Microsoft finally relevant in search? Yes, but not in the way they originally hoped. Bing itself remains a minor player. But Copilot, combined with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and ChatGPT’s reliance on Bing data, has created a search ecosystem that businesses cannot afford to ignore.

The effort required to optimize for Bing and Copilot is minimal compared to the potential upside. Do not leave this audience on the table.

Need help ensuring your business is visible across all search platforms? Contact our team and we will cover all your bases.