5 reasons why Bing won’t win the Search Wars
Yes, I know it’s one of those ‘X reasons why’ posts, but it’s just easier this way.
Anyone who works on the web will have seen that Bing have been gaining market share in the search arena against Yahoo and Google. There are various numbers and statistics being waved around, but it doesn’t matter – Bing will never win against Google. Here’s why.
1. Google is an adjective
If you need to find something, people will literally say “I’ll Google it” – it’s the biggest online brand, and such an influential household name that it’s firmly earned a place within the English language.
In fact, if you ask Google to define Google, the first definition is that of the adjective – rather than the noun!
Whilst ‘Bing’ is the kind of word that rolls of the tongue neatly, Google got there first. Even if, one day, ‘to Bing it’ requires a definition in the Oxford English Dictionary it will be much too late.
2. Google is familiar
Familiarity and loyalty is very important nowadays. People will stick with companies that aren’t the cheapest and not necessarily the best, because they are used to that service or company.
Google is very firmly set in as the search engine of choice, and unless another search engine offers something better, people won’t budge. Yes, Bing has some nice features – but Google is simple, and hasn’t changed much in over 10 years of service.
3. Google is fast
Google gets its results back at lightning speed. It runs massive numbers of low-powered servers in it’s multiple datacentres, to reply as quickly as possible to the billions of searches made every single day.
Whenever a search is made on Google, it returns results and displays results within around 3 seconds – even when browsing on a mobile device. Bing, on the other hand, includes some pretty pictures, javascript and more content as-standard, meaning it can take several seconds extra to load.
In this day-and-age, speed and convenience is everything. That’s why we have keyboard shortcuts, microwaveable food, and drive-thru fast-food restaurants (and consequently, why I’m a fat git). And that’s another reason why Google is better.
4. Google is already integrated
Think about the number of sites across the web that use Google within their own structure. Users can search Google within the site that they’re visiting, and see the same results with the site’s specific design on the top. Plus, Google allows developers to add ‘powered by Google’ site searches to their own sites – increasing their own visibility across the web, indirectly linked to the search engine.
Bing, on the other hand, is used in a handful of portal sites – namely landing pages such as Dell – the default homepage for all Dell computers out of the factory. Sure, this helps many people get exposure to the Bing brand – but once they’re off surfing the web, the word Bing sure isn’t kept in the memory.
Google has it’s tentacles across the web, and Bing sure doesn’t.
5. Search is at Google’s core
Whilst the big Goog has branched out into other features and services like maps, shopping, photos and of course video, it started out in search. They still devote massive amounts of manpower and time into improving their search results and SERPs for users. It’s in their DNA, it’s what they’re best at, and it’ll never stop until one day all you have to do is type in ‘google.com’ into your address bar and Google will know what you’re thinking.
Bing, on the hand, is developed by Microsoft, who seem to only get into things (other than operating systems) to compete with others. Internet Explorer was developed and bundled with Windows 95 because Netscape was already around and kicking, and bundling software with their operating system meant instant and total market dominance. Or so they thought.
Silverlight is another example. Microsoft’s answer to the Adobe Flash application, Silverlight has struggled to gain any share of this space and ITV has stopped using it for their popular ITVPlayer recently, too.
It’s the same with Bing. Operating systems will always remain the core of what Microsoft do, and they should stick to that and not try to branch out and take on the monopolies simply because they have the money to throw around.
So, there you have it -my take on why Bing will never win the Search War. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s still great news that Bing is around. Whenever there is war, technology seems to make giant leaps forward to push competing nations ahead of their rivals.
It’s no different on the web, and luckily, with Bing putting pressure on Google, one would hope that updates such as Vince in June and the upcoming Caffeine update will start becoming more frequent.
Leave your comment below. Go wild! Just curb the naughty words.
Did you hear that google are also planning to bring out a phone to rival the iPhone? http://www.android.com