The search engine battle is a fierce battle between two tech behemoths. Microsoft has long been in the shadow of Google, but in 2009 they decided to throw their hat back in the ring and introduced their own search engine, Bing.
Bing was Microsoft’s chance to reinvigorate their presence in the search world. But with Google already firmly established, what chance did Microsoft have of getting in the game?
By positioning Bing as a more “structured search” engine with a focus on images, shopping, travel and health, Microsoft attempted to differentiate itself from Google’s general search. Bing also uses predictive technologies that can anticipate users’ needs by offering generalized queries that may have multiple possible answers.
Despite this, Bing has not yet been able to really compete with Google when it comes to search engine market share. Google has been entrenched as the go-to search engine for most people, and Bing must work hard to convince consumers it can be a viable alternative.
For Bing to become a serious competitor in the search engine battle, it must avoid two common pitfalls. Firstly, it must offer a reliable and consistent user experience. Consumers should be able to trust in Bing as a search engine that delivers results in a timely manner. Secondly, Bing must ensure that its algorithms are constantly evolving to better serve its users. Microsoft must find ways to keep Bing relevant in the ever-changing world of search.
Microsoft is determined the make Bing a success story, but it’s a long road ahead. With Google having such a large market share, it could be difficult for Bing to make significant inroads in to the search market. However, if Microsoft is able to avoid common pitfalls and focus on constantly innovating, they may have a chance of winning the search battle.
