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Getting Site Indexed by Bing

Starting the SEO Journey

I don't know what happened, but I woke up today with a very strong determination to do some SEO for Entexion. I've already been working on fixing some on-site SEO issues, and I'm happy to say that the majority has been resolved. Naturally, the next step would be trying to optimize the site for organic traffic.

The Discovery: Missing from Bing Index

We're ranking quite well in Google, and used to rank well in Bing too. However, the traffic has dropped lately, so I went to investigate. What I found was shocking – Entexion wasn't indexed on Bing or Yahoo. Nothing at all.

This was particularly concerning because:

  • We had previously been indexed and ranking well on Bing
  • Our Google rankings remained strong
  • Traffic from Bing had completely disappeared

Investigating the Issue

Logging on to Bing Webmaster Tools showed that the Bingbot has no issues accessing our site, but there is nothing in the Bing index, and we've had no clicks from them for ages.

Checking Common Issues

I've checked all the usual suspects that could prevent a site from being indexed:

1. robots.txt File

The robots.txt file is one of the first things to check. This file tells search engine crawlers which pages they can or cannot access. I verified that our robots.txt wasn't blocking Bingbot from crawling our site.

2. .htaccess Configuration

The .htaccess file can contain directives that affect how search engines access your site. I checked for any rules that might be blocking or redirecting Bingbot, but everything appeared to be in order.

3. Sitemap Submission

I verified that our XML sitemap was properly submitted to Bing Webmaster Tools and was accessible to Bingbot.

4. Server Response Codes

I checked that our server was returning proper HTTP status codes (200 OK) and not blocking Bingbot with 403 Forbidden or other error codes.

The Problem: A Common Issue

After checking all the technical aspects, I discovered that this is not an uncommon problem. Many website owners seem to be affected by this, or have been affected at some point. Sites that were previously indexed can suddenly disappear from Bing's index without any clear reason.

Some common causes include:

  • Algorithm updates: Bing may have updated their indexing algorithm
  • Quality issues: Changes in content quality or site structure
  • Technical glitches: Issues on Bing's end with their crawler or index
  • Manual actions: Though less common, manual penalties can occur

Reaching Out to Bing Support

Left with no option after checking all the technical aspects, I've now reached out to Bing Support to see why this is happening. I've done extensive searching to see if I could resolve this on my own, and contacting support was the last resort.

How to Contact Bing Support

If you're experiencing similar issues, you can contact Bing Support through:

  • Bing Webmaster Tools: Use the "Contact Us" or "Feedback" option in your Webmaster Tools dashboard
  • Bing Webmaster Forum: Post your issue in the official Bing Webmaster community forum
  • Direct Support: Submit a support request through Bing's official support channels

What to Include in Your Support Request

When contacting Bing Support about indexing issues, make sure to include:

  • Your website URL
  • When you first noticed the indexing issue
  • Any recent changes to your site (if applicable)
  • Screenshots from Bing Webmaster Tools showing the issue
  • Confirmation that robots.txt and other technical aspects are correct
  • Your sitemap URL

Alternative Steps to Try

While waiting for Bing Support to respond, here are some additional steps you can try:

1. Resubmit Your Sitemap

In Bing Webmaster Tools, try removing and resubmitting your XML sitemap. Sometimes this can trigger a fresh crawl.

2. Request URL Inspection

Use Bing's URL Inspection tool to manually request indexing for your most important pages.

3. Check for Manual Actions

Review your Bing Webmaster Tools dashboard for any manual actions or penalties that might have been applied.

4. Verify Site Ownership

Ensure that your site ownership verification in Bing Webmaster Tools is still active and valid.

5. Review Content Quality

Make sure your content meets Bing's quality guidelines and hasn't been flagged for any policy violations.

Why Bing Indexing Matters

While Google dominates the search market, Bing still represents a significant portion of search traffic, especially in certain regions and demographics. Additionally:

  • Bing powers Yahoo search results
  • Bing is the default search engine for Microsoft Edge
  • Bing has a different algorithm, so you may rank differently (sometimes better) than on Google
  • Less competition on Bing can mean easier rankings for competitive keywords

Best Practices for Bing Indexing

To maintain good indexing on Bing:

  • Submit your sitemap regularly: Keep your XML sitemap updated and resubmit it when you make significant changes
  • Monitor Bing Webmaster Tools: Regularly check for crawl errors, indexing issues, or messages from Bing
  • Maintain quality content: Ensure your content is original, valuable, and follows Bing's guidelines
  • Fix technical issues promptly: Address any crawl errors or technical problems as soon as they're detected
  • Build quality backlinks: While less important than for Google, quality backlinks still help with Bing rankings

Conclusion

Discovering that your site isn't indexed on Bing can be frustrating, especially when you've done everything right technically. The good news is that this appears to be a common issue that many website owners face.

If you're experiencing similar problems with Bing indexing, I recommend:

  1. Double-checking all technical aspects (robots.txt, .htaccess, sitemap, etc.)
  2. Trying the alternative steps mentioned above
  3. Contacting Bing Support if the issue persists
  4. Being patient – sometimes these issues resolve themselves after algorithm updates

I'll keep you updated once I hear back from Bing Support, as it may help you too if you're having the same issue. Stay tuned!

Update: If you've experienced similar issues or found solutions, please share your experience in the comments below. Community knowledge helps everyone!