Bing Webmaster Tools
Bing Webmaster Tools is Microsoft’s free platform for verifying sites, monitoring how Bing crawls and indexes them, and reviewing search performance data.
- Also called
- Bing Search Console
- Best for
- Bing-specific crawl, indexation, and query insights
- Data it reports
- Clicks, impressions, crawl errors, index status
Key points
- Bing Webmaster Tools provides Bing-specific crawl, indexation, and query insights that can uncover technical issues beyond Google Search Console.
- It supports sitemap submission and individual URL submission to help Bing discover and index pages.
- Verification methods include Domain Connect, XML upload, meta tag, DNS TXT, and Google Search Console import.
- Regular review of crawl and indexation data is necessary, not just one-time setup.
- Bing’s crawl and indexing behavior may differ from Google’s, so assumptions based on Google Search Console do not always hold.
How it works
Bing Webmaster Tools is a free Microsoft service that lets website owners, SEOs, and webmasters manage visibility in Bing search results. Often called the bing search console, it offers a dashboard showing performance data such as clicks and impressions for pages shown in Bing search. It also surfaces technical SEO issues and diagnostic problems that can affect crawling or indexing.
The tool works by receiving data from Bingbot as it crawls the site. It processes crawl logs, indexation status, and query data to present a view of how Bing sees the site. Users can submit sitemaps to help Bing understand site structure and discover URLs, or submit individual URLs for faster indexing. Verification options have expanded over time, including Domain Connect, XML upload, meta tag, DNS TXT, and Google Search Console import.
Bing’s crawl and indexing behaviour can differ from Google’s, making this a key resource for understanding what is the use of webmaster tools in seo. It helps identify issues that affect Bing visibility specifically, and provides seo metrics such as crawl errors and query performance that are not available elsewhere.
How to use it
- Sign in to Bing Webmaster Tools with a Microsoft account and add your site by entering its URL.
- Verify ownership using one of the available methods: Domain Connect, XML upload, meta tag, DNS TXT, or Google Search Console import.
- Submit a sitemap via the Sitemaps section to help Bing discover and index your pages.
- Review the Index and Crawl reports to check which pages are indexed and identify any crawl errors.
- Use the URL Submission tool to request indexing of new or updated pages individually.
- Monitor the Search Performance report for clicks, impressions, and query data specific to Bing.
How the tools differ
| Feature | Bing Webmaster Tools | Google Search Console |
|---|---|---|
| Crawl data | Bingbot crawl activity and errors | Googlebot crawl activity and errors |
| Index status | Pages indexed in Bing | Pages indexed in Google |
| Query performance | Clicks and impressions from Bing search | Clicks and impressions from Google search |
| Sitemap submission | Supports XML sitemaps | Supports XML sitemaps |
| Verification methods | Domain Connect, XML, meta tag, DNS TXT, Google Search Console import | HTML file, DNS TXT, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager |
| API access | Bing Webmaster Tools API | Search Console API |
Common mistakes
- Treating Bing Webmaster Tools as a one-time setup instead of reviewing crawl and indexation data regularly, which can miss emerging issues.
- Submitting a sitemap without verifying ownership first, which limits access to the full toolset and prevents accurate monitoring.
- Assuming Google Search Console data fully represents Bing performance and ignoring Bing-specific query and indexing behaviour, leading to missed optimisation opportunities.
- Using stale verification or sitemap URLs after site migrations or domain changes, which can break monitoring and discovery.
Questions people ask
What is Bing webmaster tools?
Bing Webmaster Tools is Microsoft’s free platform for website owners and SEOs to manage how their site appears in Bing search results. It provides data on crawling, indexing, and search performance, and allows submission of sitemaps and individual URLs. It is commonly described as Bing’s counterpart to Google Search Console.
How to setup Bing webmaster tools?
To set up Bing Webmaster Tools, sign in with a Microsoft account and add your site URL. Verify ownership using one of the available methods: Domain Connect, XML upload, meta tag, DNS TXT, or Google Search Console import. After verification, submit a sitemap and review the dashboard for crawl and index data.
How to use Bing webmaster tools?
After verifying your site, use the Sitemaps section to submit a sitemap and help Bing discover pages. Check the Index and Crawl reports to identify technical issues. Use the URL Submission tool to request indexing of new content. Monitor the Search Performance report for clicks and impressions from Bing search.
How to verify Bing webmaster tools WordPress?
For WordPress sites, the easiest verification method is to use a plugin that adds the meta tag or DNS TXT record. Alternatively, you can use the Google Search Console import option if you have already verified the site in Google Search Console. After verification, you can submit a sitemap generated by a WordPress SEO plugin.
Sources
- Microsoft Bing Webmaster Blog Primary source for current setup, verification, and feature guidance from Microsoft.
- Bing Webmaster Tools Official product entry point for account access, site verification, and dashboard functionality.
- Yoast Clear SEO-focused overview of what the tool does and how it compares conceptually to Search Console.
Written and maintained by Nora Lindholm. Last updated 27 July 2026.
Spotted an error? Email me — corrections are logged and credited on the entry. Outbound links are unpaid; most are nofollow.