Bing grabs 10 percent of search market

Microsoft's new Bing search service is the fastest-growing U.S. search engine among the top 10, according to a Nielsen report released Monday.

The total amount of searches on Bing rang in at 1.1 billion for the month of August, a leap of 22.1 percent over July, winning Microsoft a 10.7 percent share of the search engine market.

Google remained in the top spot with a commanding 64.6 percent share, accounting for 7 billion searches in August, a gain of 2.6 percent over July. Yahoo saw its search results drop 4.2 percent for the month to 1.7 billion, earning it 16 percent of the market.

(Credit: Nielsen)

Other players in the top 10 included AOL Search in fourth place with 333 million searches and Ask.com Search in fifth with 186 million searches.

Similar studies have also seen a boost in Microsoft's search business. An August report from ComScore discovered that Microsoft's share of the global search engine market lept 41 percent from July 2008 to July 2009. Bing was introduced in May, taking the place of Microsoft's Live Search.

Earlier this week, Microsoft showed off a "visual search" feature for Bing that returns thumbnail images for at least some search results. Microsoft reportedly will be debuting a Bing 2.0 sometime soon sporting a variety of new features.

[dadbee]

Must be those cool pictures

[weedmonk]

It's compelling alternative. Even though I still use Google for my general searches I make a conscious decision to use Bing for Image, Video, Shopping and Travel.

I'm all for competition.

[PineappleUnderTheSea]

Bing is also offering some cashback when shopping, so that's also artificially bumping up their numbers.

[Seaspray0]

@dadbee. Yea, it was for me. To each their own, I guess.

[dhavleak]

That's one funky ASCII-art table :)

[jusben1369]

Ask yourself this. Has a Google search result page changed in much of a meaningful way for the last 5 years? That's the downside in technology to a monopoly. Browsers, word docs, search results. Without new and innovative ideas the existing provider does "tweaks" but never pushes the envelope. Why bother?!

So Bing is good for that reason only. We'll all benefit from a better search experience if 20% of you switch to Bing for a month as your default search engine and scare the heck out of Google's Office like cash cow........

[FF2009]

This article is misleading. It should be " Bing grabs Yahoo's shares" lol

[KTLA_knew]

It's very interesting that folks that used neither Google nor Bing are selecting Bing to move to. If the "switchers" were just reflecting existing share, then Bing wouldn't be gaining because that vast majority of switchers would be moving to Google.

But they aren't. Bing may or may not be a long term success, but there's no other way to view this news except bad for Google.

[martin1212]

The title is misleading as it only applies to the US. Worldwide share is much lower.

[curious_trout]

That's my take too. The article also says that Comcast had a 21.6 % M-O-M growth. (But their share of searches of the total was tiny.) So if Comcast had another 1% M-O-M growth (ie. 22.6%), would we see an article that they are "the fastest-growing U.S. search engine"? I don't think so.

It's clear that Bing was taking shares from Yahoo. I'm glad that Bing is doing ok. This way Google has to keep looking over their shoulder and keep improving. I've used Bing, and would use it again, but would never consider it over Google.

An interesting article regarding the top 3:

Bug testers: Google is clean, Bing is buggy
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10353495-265.html

It's not all negative for Bing.

[solicitehere]

That only accounts for 4.4% of the 22% jump dumdum. Stop spewing rhetoric and say something useful. Bing is new (sort of), and is being heavily marketed in a good way. Microsoft is showing class again in their commercials staying away from lies and slander like Apple would do.

[eadeguzman]

curious_trout - you read it wrong. It's -21.6% for comcast (read: negative... it's not a dash :-)).

[clamenza]

solicitehere, do you understand math? Bing grew 22% but that's compared to its own market share. Yahoo dropped 4% but from a much bigger piece of the pie. It's still true bing grew more than yahoo's loss, but by how much, I'll leave to you as homework.

[wanorris]

It's also interesting that although Google grew, it didn't grow as fast as the market (market, 2.9%, Google 2.6%). That means that Bing actually took at least a little bit of share from Google.

Ask.com and Local.com maintained share. Bing gained share from EVERY OTHER SEARCH ENGINE.

Over the last while, Google had been gradually gaining share as all of their competitors' share dwindled away. This result, if accurate, is nothing but bad news for Google, and nothing but good news for Microsoft and Bing.

Still, Google has enormous resources to devote to search. Just as Microsoft came back swinging in their core OS market with Win 7 after Vista failed to win in the marketplace, Google will have plenty of chances to come back hard at Microsoft.

Ultimately, it's nice to see actual competition in the search market, instead of the stasis the market has been in for the last few years.

[eltoro2827]

Go Bing!!!!!

[Toulinwoek]

That's what I say! I LOVE Bing (has nothing to do with it being a Microsoft product, I just like it). I have rarely used Google since I tried Bing. Nothing against Google, but I like Bing better for a lot of reasons.

[lil-yankee]

@Toulinwoek and eltoro

will you guys please name the many* reasons why you love bing?

[Toulinwoek]

I like the pictures for one. But from a more functional standpoint I like the list of recent searches along the left side, and it seems (I know, this is a subjective impression) that I find more of what I am looking for in the results with Bing than with Google. Often, many of the Google results seem too unrelated to what I searched. I also find that, when I do have to refine search terms to get more relevant results, I have to do that less often with Bing than with Google. Also, Bing isn't (yet) weighted down with "sponsored results" (read "advertising"). I mean come on, I know for a fact that Amazon does NOT sell Bora Bora!

Let me explain that. Once, I was looking for information on Bora Bora, did a Google search, and up popped a result that said "Purchase Bora Bora at Amazon.com. Really.

Finally, when I did that Bora Bora search, the first pages of Google results were a bunch of resorts. I didn't want to GO there, I just wanted to know about the place! With Bing, there were several resort links, but there were more purely information links than with Google. I find that typical of more of the things I tend to search for.

[dukeoconnor]

I have no reason to doubt Nielsen's findings, but for some reason the metrics on my site have shown only a miniscule bump in Bing referrals since its launch. The first couple of weeks there was a moderate spike, but that fell off quickly and hasn't shown signs of life since. Interesting, but I assume it's an anomaly. In fact, 10% seems like a relatively small US share when you consider the ubiquitous Bing ad campaign and the fact that HP, Dell and Lenovo set Bing as the default search engine on new computers.

[lonestarState]

Bing is living it up on my own custom site search by BuildaSearch.com. Bing it and they will come! or Bing it on, if you are not scared!

[Eddie-c]

I call bs on bing figures ... I have seen many instances on corporate pcs where IE when loaded will decide to go to bing or, when trying to go to any website, instead of going there it will load bing saying it cannot find it but when you type the url again in the address bar you're taken there. This is simply shennanigans by MS. bing = suck. (windows admin for way too long - not a troll - just hate shtty behaviour programmed into windows that is nigh-on impossible to find in the registry to remove)

[K1821voc]

It's funny when people preface dumb, opinionated, obviously wrong crap by "I am a windows admin" and think because of it, people are going to take them seriously.

[Maclover1]

I could not agree more. I am in the same boat, Window Admin since "NT Advanced Server 3.1". MS locking crap. Our TS server farm still uses IE6, because of some old internal web apps that were built around ASP. After IE8 was released there was a IE6 update.

Well when our locked down TS users tried to open IE6 there was some effffing hook in the IE6 update that tried to take them to the IE8 download page, and they were blocked and got the brown ISA proxy page of death. It was simple one time deal but the helpdesk lit up like crazy because users thought they broke something. We should have charged MS for that crap.

[Lennron]

I call bs to your bs. "...when trying to go to a website, instead of going there it will load a bing saying it cannot find..." When the site doesn't load right away, IE puts the URL into your default search engine. We experience the same problem here at my office but most people's default search is set to Google so it opens up a Google search page. It's no evil trick that Microsoft is using to take over the world. If you don't want that to open in Bing, change the default search engine. It really is that simple.

[solicitehere]

Please forward your work email here so we can send it to your bosses. Be constructive please.

[eadeguzman]

Yes, Eddie-c, it seems like you don't like your job anymore. Find another one where you will be happy.

It's not productive to bash the technology or the company that helps bring food to your table. Be a Linux admin or something. Why did you get that job anyway? You have a choice, you know.

[WinNoMo]

Letting people know you are a Windows admin is supposed to let people know that you are very familiar with Windows so you aren't just blindly repeating BS you have read here and there. But nothing can stop the MS apologists. I understand your pain and deal with MS doo doo everyday as my profession. You don't have to hate your job to be fed up with MS tactics and tie-ins. When I get off work at the end of the day, I have reduced my MS use to zero and I have been much happier since. We are not alone and our numbers are growing. I will never use Bing for one simple reason. It is made by MS and I have boycotted them for life.

[kojacked]

You got to wonder if some of these Windows Admins that complain as if Microsoft is the sole source of problems in the IT world really don't have another agenda. Or maybe they are just incompetent and would rather cozy up to a toaster...

I'm still waiting for the net computer, Linux desktop, OSX domination, [BE, OS/2, UNIX, LINUX] OS's better design, or some FOSS app to win a market -- ANY market -- away from Microsoft and Microsoft to crumble... Have been waiting for a decade now... I'll probably be waiting just as long for Microsoft to topple Google in search.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Anyone can claim to be a system administrator. All you do is go to teh control panel, > user accounts and then give yourself admin rights. Woo.

Now being a *competent* administrator, THAT is a completely different topic altogether and the majority of people who claim to be an admin.... would not qualify.

[eadeguzman]

How does being an windows admin elevate Eddie-c's authority in judging Bing market share figures? He's just finding an opening to vent-out his frustration about Microsoft. I do understand your pain as well. What I'm saying is you shouldn't focus much on the negative as it will eat you up.

All I'm saying is if you hate everything Microsoft and you have to work 8-hours a day to support it (perhaps much more)... that's not living... it's not worth it.

By the way, what I hate about these discussions... people resort to name-calling a lot. The minute you do that, you are throwing away every argument that you just made and even the succeeding ones.

[WinNoMo]

Baaaaaa Bing Baaaaaaa

[JoeTheBlogger]

I think this is very deceptive.

1. I have tried to switch away from Bing as my default in the latest IE; Google is not listed as one of the options.

2. When I log out of MSN/Hotmail/Live I am automatically transferred to Bing

3. Sometime IE seems to decide to do a Bing search for me if a page appears slow in loading

All of these swing the Bing numbers higher.

[eadeguzman]

Use Firefox, then. Some study also shows that Firefox and other browsers are gaining on IE.

1. Google it. I'm sure you can find a way to change the default to Google.
2. Bringing you to be Bing.com page does not count unless you click on the button.
3. Default browser behavior... If it doesn't load properly it sends you to your default page. So fixing (1) will fix this.

I think what you're trying to say is that Microsoft is being extra "innovative" (wink, wink) in trying to point the user to use Bing.

But the numbers above aren't deceptive, I believe, unless you have other arguments to share.

[viper396]

@JoeTheBlogger,

1. Click the down arrow by the search box, Select Find More providers..., Google is right there. God forbid you have a little common sense and actually use a search engine to find this step-by-step info.

2. Funny, mine always sends me to the MSN.com homepage not bing.com. MSN/Hotmail/Live have behaved like that for years and I have yet to find any windows system that acts like you state. Either way, what's the problem? When you log out, you have to go somewhere. AOL, YAhoo, and Google don't exactly send you to a competitors website either when you log out of their respective e-mail systems.

3. Related to 1. since bing is your current default and you lack the common sense to change it.

You accuse them of being deceptive but obviously you didn't even try. Very petty argument you have.

[Vegaman_Dan]

3) This happens if you have a typo in the address you are entering. It will go out and try to find the website you entered, fail, then do a search for it instead.

Bing, Google, Yahoo, etc- they all do this.

[starflyer88]

@ Joe - http://www.ieaddons.com/en/searchproviders ; Google is there along with dozens of other serach providers. Easy to switch the default.

[goodspeed8701]

I LOVE BINGING... Do you love to bing? Just BINGIT!!!

[WinNoMo]

How much do you get paid for this?

[Lennron]

@WinNoMo

How much do you get paid to talk trash on every Microsoft product?

[najaboy]

@Lennron

Bear in mind that logic is not his forté. WinNoMo would have one believe that a house with the front door left wide open is totally secure.

[Lennron]

@najaboy

Good point. I'll try to keep that in mind next time he comments. :-)

[AppleSuxLeo]

I BING daily ! Google sounds too much like GURGLE ! Gurgle the net ? I`d rather BING it.

[thebergie]

Bing's numbers are artifically inflated by Internet Explorer's default search for mis-typed URLs. While this "feature" is configurable within IE (I have it turned off completely because it just annoys me) and could be changed to google or yahoo or another search provider, the vast majority of IE users are going to be pointing to Bing as a default. This happens to me at least once a day, if not more.

[csg7]

So you think this issue was not there before Bing ?! All Microsoft did was switch their upgraded their search engine everything else remains the same unless you think they logged into everyone's computer and forced their default provider to Bing !!

I am not a fan of Bing but i like it which is why they are growing as users want to give them a chance with the upgrade.

[Toulinwoek]

Might I offer a suggestion? Talk to someone who's really computer savvy and see if they can explain to you what a "unique search" is. Since you obviously don't know that, your comment seems uneducated. If the numbers are wrong, and maybe they are, you need to say something more intelligent to prove it.
Personally, I'd like to see Bing take a lot more market share from Google (not because I'm that big a fan of Microsoft, but because I just like Bing better for a few reasons). But I'd like to see it happen legitimately, not through "artificialy inflated" numbers.

[lil-yankee]

@csg7
the funny thing is that an equal situation did happen. The release of ie8 saw the release of bing (or rebranding of live to bing w/e). That means that a whole new installation process was taking place. When this happends people are prompted to select where to install, a bunch of read me information and the precious next or (express instalation). Most people (that know Jack about computing) just use the express settings crap that sets up all Microsoft products as default. So yes, it's almost like logging to all their computers, as funny as that might seen.

[esierra1]

All these comments about IE and Bing. I'm no expert, but if this was true then why is it that Live's numbers were so low?!? It should have inflated Live's numbers to the point were MS would have no need to roll out Bing in the first place... right/wrong?

[gfsdfge]

I loved Bing untill I read (right here on cnet) that Bing is 100% made in India. I still try and support Americans when I can. I believe Google employs Americans for it's main search effort. I could be wrong on that though. And, oh, yes, I'm a protectionist. I serverd 7 years protecting our country (-:

[csg7]

Bing made 100% in India ?!! hahaha, please stop !
you should have come up with a better reason to hate Bing just because its from Microsoft.

[user20000]

I don't know what you are smoking but you should stop.

[Vegaman_Dan]

No, it's true! He read it on the internet. Bing is cranked out in child labor run factories where the smoke belches from the soviet-era cinder block buildings with guard towers on every corner.

If you read it on the internet, it must be true.

[n0v0cane]

At least most of bing is coded in Redmond, Washington -- headquarters of Microsoft.

[captain_numerica]

That's one of the most retarded things I've ever heard.

Google and Microsoft (and just about every other large tech company--Apple included) all outsource work. And they all do the vast majority of their product work at their respective headquarters.

I don't care if you love/hate Bing, but don't spread lies.

[douggdangger]

Mirosoft bashers are a bunch of idiots.

When Microsoft makes a poor product, they bash it.

When Microsoft improves the product, they still bash it.

When Microsoft's new product does well, they make ridiculous claims of Microsoft wanting to dominate everything.


Those stupid morons should just stick a fork in an electrical socket.

[Lennron]

I don't know if they should stick a fork in a socket, but it would be really nice if they'd simply go away for a while so we don't have to listen to their mind numbing comments.
IE holds the huge majority of the browser market, and they bash it claiming that it's only #1 because people don't are too stupid to try other products. And, they get excited whenever another browser gains even the slightest amount of market share, because all the little guys are supposed to be so much better.
Now in the search engine market, Google is #1 but for some reason they won't claim that it's because people are too stupid to try other products. Bing starts gaining some market share and they're in an uproar about how awful it is. Practically none of them have even tried it. And if they have, they've looked for the tiniest little flaw to nitpick on to justify how awful yet another Microsoft product is.
When Microsoft is #1, they hate Microsoft. When they tables are turned, they hate Microsoft. Shocking.
If Apple made a search engine tomorrow that returns nothing but errors, they'll be on here telling you how phenomenal and innovative it is.

[Toulinwoek]

What? You guys don't enjoy a good laugh every now and then? Let the bashers keep us entertained, the diversion is sometimes relaxing!

@Lennron; actually, if Apple made a search engine that returns only errors, the Mac aficionados would simply claim that the errors are a direct result of the fact that the results have to be delivered to Windows PC's LOL

[lil-yankee]

@ lenron

if you stopped used your friend's acer to post and actually get a pc you will know what we are talking about. When you need to update paid subscribtions of antiviruses, run a montly defragment, lose all your files to a virus, plug a printer to have missing drivers, then you'll know. For now, keep trying to get a free pc, your doing just fine. And sorry if I misspelled anything. getting usd to My xperia x2 homebrewed for android

[Lennron]

@ Toulinwoek
You're right. I should learn to sit back and enjoy how ridiculous they are. :-)

@ lil-yankee
I don't know where you got your idea about the Acer. I've never owned one, nor do I know if any of my friends own one. I do, however, own a Dell and two HPs which I believe fit in the "PC" category. Plus I work on two Dells at work. None of them have antivirus software, I never defragment, never lost any of my files to a virus or any other form of malware for that matter, nor have I plugged in a printer to have missing drivers. The oldest of the five PCs is seven years old, the newest is three years old. I also have an older Mac that my cousin gave me when he made his smart switch back to Windows. It is by far the slowest computer I have and isn't compatible with hardly any software that I want to run. It's main function these days is to gather dust in the back room of my house. That was a nice try though. Keep up the good work.

[dukeoconnor]

@douggdangger

Are you seriously suggesting that Microsoft -- the company that tried to make the Internet an exclusive Windows feature -- doesn't want to dominate everything? I doubt that Ballmer would agree with you. These guys are tough competitors whose mission is to put a computer with Windows on every desktop, and a strategy famously characterized by quotes such as "cut off their air supply" and "knife the baby."

[Lennron]

@dukeoconnor

Wow. Paranoid much?
"a strategy famously characterized by quotes such as "cut off their air supply" and "knife the baby.""
Where did you get that from? Apple's web site, Fox News, or the Tooth Fairy?

[mathcreative]

@Lennron
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish

[shycelticwitch]

@ mathcreative.... LOL I think you just caught them with their pants down, and now we can ALL see how "small" they really are.

[Renegade Knight]

I dislike MS and bash them when they deserve it. Which as it happens is plenty enough with their corporate practices. When they make a poor product it deserves bashing. Nothing wrong there. When they imrpove it and it still sucks, well it's still a poor product. When they make a decent product I'll give credit where credit is due and buy someone elses product if it's good enough because of my anti MS preference (because of MS corporate practice thank you very much).

So Bing. It's ok. Tried it. Like google better. Google though needs some help they are letting ads get in the way of results. I will not stick with something that doesn't work to avoid MS. So google better watch it.

[Lennron]

@shyceltic
Really? ***** size jokes? I've seen thousands of Macboys reduce their arguments to insanely petty levels, but that's a whole new low. Congratulations on that.
@mathcreative
Three things: 1) wikipedia? Yeah, great source. 2) I read the article anyways and didn't find anything in there that every company isn't guilty of, including your beloved Apple. Try to force our product out there and bury the competition. That's called business. 3) Another thing missing from the article was cutting off air supplies and knifing babies.
Nice try.

[abundantsnotbob]

Maybe cause it's the default search engine on internet explorer.

[DR.Bod]

Only because Microsoft forced it on all ie users, and ie users, unfortunately, aren't likely to change their default search engine seeing as they don't change their default browser

[robvme]

The claim that MS has "forced" Bing as the default on anyone is a bunch of bunk. I change search engines and default pages at will with no problems. People on this thread are inventing issues just to bash something they don't want to like.

[Seaspray0]

OMG! That would be just as bad as apple setting the default search browser to safari instead of firefox, or Dell setting the default homepage to dell.com on all the computers they sell. Oh wait, they do that.

Get over it. You can change the search engine.

[stockyjoe]

You could pretty much sell anything with the Microsoft marketing machine behind it. I still use Google and prefer it. Bing, however has some interesting features. Its more attractive without a big loss in performance or glaring ads but Its not compelling enough to make me use it more then Google.

I do feel the the more colorful look and UI of Bing may attract certain users. They may find the minmilist Google thing as being dated and old. Thats something Google may have to deal with in the future.

[llub3r]

But that's based on number of searches, in reality there's only one guy using bing, he just can't find anything.

[shycelticwitch]

Most intelligent comment I've read on this post so far... LOL

[shycelticwitch]

@ Lennron and douggdangger... pick up your cheese doodles and pocket protector and go home. You're not big enough, rich enough or smart enough to play with Apple.

[Lennron]

Well I'm convinced. What a wonderfully crafted and perfectly legitimate argument. Come on everyone, let's back up our nerd gear and go home. Apparently only shycelticwitch is big enough, rich enough, OR smart enough to play with a software company. Whatever the hell that even means.
No more comments for anybody but shycelticwitch, ok? He means it!

[shycelticwitch]

I know the truth hurts, but acknowledging it will make you feel better.

[mathcreative]

@shy ditto

[shycelticwitch]

PS... Apple is not a software company, and you should "pack" up your nerd gear not "back" it up. I think your comment did nothing more than help me make my point.

[Seaspray0]

Snob - someone who thinks they are better than other people.

[shycelticwitch]

by Seaspray0 September 17, 2009 11:00 AM PDT
Snob - someone who thinks they are better than other people


LOL Know-it-all: Someone who professes to have knowledge of something they don't.

: ) I am glad I am not holding my breath waiting for your answer to a very simple question asked a long time ago... What Apple products have you owned (or have experienced) that might give you some credibility when you post your comments on them?

[Lennron]

Yeah Seaspray. Didn't you read? We're not rich enough to play with the likes of shycelticwitch. He's clearly better than we are. Look at him correcting my spelling. Where would we be if it wasn't for great people like shyceltic? He's even big enough to know that even though Apple writes software, they're not a software company. All other companies that write software are considered software companies, but Apple too good for that title. And he's smart enough to have a debate that includes "LOL Know-it-all: Someone who professes to have knowledge of something they don't." (A.K.A. "I know you are, but what am I?") So just give it up Seaspray. We're clearly dealing with someone far beyond our comprehension.

[shycelticwitch]

:::::sigh::::: still no credible answer.

[Lennron]

Credible answer to what? What Apple products I own or have experience with? Didn't think that question was directed towards me, but alright. I own a Macbook Pro with OS 10.6. I don't own, but I have experience with, iPods and iPhones at work.

[shycelticwitch]

Lennron... you have my sympathy... for owning a computer that you have no idea how to use to its full potential. If you own a Mac and you prefer Windows... then perhaps you might have someone show you what you DON'T know about it so you can finally understand why we stand behind them so firmly.

[tim_acheson]

I very much look forward to Bing 2.0, and not just for the cool 3D effects in Silverlight:

http://www.timacheson.com/Blog/2009/sep/bing2_coming_soon

;)

[ahawkinson]

The innovation at Bing is intense - I was at the launch of their Visual Search this week (http://bit.ly/np8r6) and regardless of what ultimately happens it's great to see this spurring competition in search which will be good for all!

[douggdangger]

@dukeoconnor

You're a moron. Stop pulling things out of your arse. Microsoft locking out the internet?

Why would they deprive people of Al Gore's wonderful invention? Al Gore is the second smartest man alive, next to our holy leader Obama. Al Gore used his super intelligent mind to bring to us the internet and now he's fighting for the survival of mankind by ending global warming.

[QA_Tester]

Let's give it time and see how it turns out. Couple of month of data is not very telling. Also keep in mind that MS is taking over Yahoo search technologies somehow. Once the process would be complete the numbers for the search engines will look completely different. The difference won't be just about search engines but also portals. Both Yahoo and Bing would use the same search engine so the question would be not just about wich search engine is used but also what portal is being used.