Bing Places for Business: How to Get Listed on Bing (and Google)

Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free tool for listing your business on Bing search and Bing Maps. You claim it at bingplaces.com, import your details from Google or type them in, add photos and hours, then verify by phone or email. It takes about five minutes, and far fewer businesses bother with it than with Google.

If you are just starting out, claiming your listings on the two big search engines is one of the easiest free ways to get found. Bing Places and Google Business Profile put you on the map, literally, so local customers can find you from day one, before you have spent a penny on ads.

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Most people set up Google and stop there. That is a mistake. Bing Places is free, quick and far less crowded, which means it is often easier to stand out on Bing than on Google. Bing also powers results across Windows, Microsoft Copilot and other AI tools, so a Bing business listing increasingly feeds the answers people get from AI assistants too.

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This guide walks you through claiming both listings step by step, starting with Bing, plus the tips that actually make a listing stand out. Allow about 20 minutes in total.

Bing Places vs Google Business Profile: which first?

Do both. Here is how they compare, and why Bing is the quick win people skip.

If you already have a Google Business Profile, set up Bing next because you can import everything in one go. If you have neither, starting with Bing is a quick confidence boost, then give Google the extra time it needs.

What is Bing Places for Business?

Bing Places for Business is the Bing equivalent of Google Business Profile. It controls how your business appears when someone searches your name or your service on Bing, and where you show up on Bing Maps. Your listing holds your business name, address or service area, phone number, website, opening hours, photos and a description.

Why does that matter if most people use Google? Three reasons:

• Bing is the default on Windows. Plenty of people search from the Windows taskbar or Edge without ever choosing a search engine.
• It feeds AI answers. Microsoft Copilot and other AI tools pull from Bing's data, so an accurate Bing business profile helps you appear when people ask an assistant for a recommendation.
• Less competition. Because far fewer businesses claim their Bing listing, you can get noticed with much less effort than on Google.

Step 1: How to list your business on Bing

This is genuinely one of the best five-minute jobs a new business can do. Here is how to claim your Bing business listing.

1. Visit bingplaces.com and click Get Started.
2. Sign in with a Microsoft account or one of the other sign-in options offered. This becomes your Bing business account.
3. If you have already set up your Google Business Profile, choose to import your details directly. This saves a lot of typing and keeps your information consistent.
4. If not, search for your business and claim it, or add it as a new listing and enter your details manually.
5. Add your photos, contact details, website and working hours.
6. Verify your business by phone or email (the options offered depend on your business).
7. Once you are live, check in now and again to keep your information current.

Tips to make your Bing listing stand out

• Use the same details as your Google listing. Copy and paste your business name, phone number and description so they match exactly. Consistent details across the web help you rank.
• Upload high-quality photos. Reuse the same pictures you use on Google so your brand looks consistent everywhere.
• Pick the right category. Choose the category that best describes what you do, not the broadest one available.
• Check your profile every few weeks. Add a diary note or phone reminder to log in once a month and make sure everything still looks right.

Step 2: Set up your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is what shows up when someone searches your business name or "[your service] near me" on Google. It controls your appearance on Google Maps and in the local results, so it is the single most important free listing you can own. It will not rank overnight for the biggest terms, but for your own name and local searches it is essential.

How to set it up

1. Go to google.com/business.
2. Sign in using your Google account.
3. Click Manage now and type in your business name.
4. Choose your business category.
5. Add your location or service area.
6. Enter your contact details, including phone number and website if you have one.
7. Choose how you would like to verify your business.
8. Once verified, add your business hours, photos and a short description.

Tips to get more from your Google profile

• Describe what you do in the words people search. Instead of just "local builder", use "Kent-based builder for extensions and renovations".
• Add real photos of your work, team or premises. Use your phone to take 3 or 4 clear photos of your products, services or setup and upload them straight away.
• Ask happy customers for reviews. Send a quick message after each job or sale asking if they would mind leaving a review. People are usually happy to help, and reviews are a big ranking factor.
• Keep your opening hours accurate. Set a calendar reminder once a month to double-check your hours, especially around holidays.
• Use Google Posts for updates and offers. A short weekly update with a photo, offer or tip shows your business is active and open.

Real example: JMR Roofing cover Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. After we optimised their Google Business Profile and improved their website, profile views went from 351 to 754 and calls from Google went from 5 to 24, comparing September 2025 with September 2026. See the JMR Roofing case study.

The one rule that makes both work: keep your details identical

Whatever you do, make sure your business name, address and phone number (often called NAP) are written exactly the same way on Bing, Google, your website and anywhere else you appear online. Search engines use that consistency to trust that you are a real, established business.

Mismatched details quietly hold your local ranking back. "Street" on one listing and "St" on another, an old phone number on a directory, or a trading name that differs from your website all chip away at that trust. Pick one version and use it everywhere.

What if you do not have a website yet?

You can still use Bing Places and Google Business Profile without a website, and it is well worth doing. But even a simple website makes a big difference. It gives customers somewhere to learn more, builds trust and gives your listings a link to point to, which strengthens both profiles.

A simple website helps you look more established and gives customers the confidence to get in touch or buy. Your site and your listings also work together for local search: the listing gets you seen on the map, and the website gives Google and Bing the detail they need to understand what you do and where. Our plain-English guide to Wix SEO explains how that fits together.

Get found from day one

Claiming Bing Places for Business and Google Business Profile is one of the best free ways to start showing up in local search. Do Bing first for the quick win, then Google as your main presence, keep your details identical across both, and add photos and reviews to stand out. It is a small bit of effort now that keeps paying off every time someone searches for what you do.

If you are a startup and need a website to go with your listings, we build clean, affordable Wix websites that are set up to be found in local search from day one, with packages from £849 + VAT. Want help climbing the local results once you are live? Take a look at our Wix SEO service, or get in touch for an honest chat about where to start.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bing Places for Business free?

Yes, completely free. You claim and manage your Bing business listing at no cost, the same as Google Business Profile. There is no paid tier needed to appear in Bing's local results or on Bing Maps, so the only cost is the few minutes it takes to set up and keep up to date.

What is Bing Places for Business?

Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free local listing tool, the Bing equivalent of Google Business Profile. It controls how your business appears in Bing search and on Bing Maps, including your address, phone number, hours and photos. It also feeds AI tools like Microsoft Copilot that pull from Bing's data.

How do I add my business to Bing?

Go to bingplaces.com, click Get Started and sign in. Then either import your details from an existing Google Business Profile or enter them manually. Add your photos, website and opening hours, then verify by phone or email. The whole process usually takes about five minutes.

Is a Bing business listing worth it if I already have Google?

Yes. It takes five minutes, it is free and far fewer competitors bother with it, so you get easy extra visibility. That includes Windows search, Edge and AI assistants that rely on Bing's data. Once your Google profile is done, you can import it straight into Bing, so there is no reason to skip it.

Can I list my business on Bing without a website?

Yes. Bing Places for Business and Google Business Profile both work without a website. You can list your name, phone number, service area, hours and photos. A website still helps, though, because it gives customers somewhere to learn more and gives your listing a link to point to, which strengthens it.