Does Ranking in Bing Affect Whether ChatGPT Recommends Me?

Yes, it matters. When ChatGPT searches the web, it uses search partners, and Bing has been one of the biggest, along with OpenAI's own crawler. If Bing can't find or index your site, you're less likely to show up in ChatGPT's search answers. Setting up Bing Webmaster Tools and sending in your sitemap is a quick win that many businesses miss.

Most Australian businesses ignore Bing. It has a small share of searches here compared with Google. So it feels like it doesn't matter. But AI has changed that. Bing now helps power answers in tools that millions of people use.

How does ChatGPT search the web?

ChatGPT has two ways to answer a question. The first is from memory. It uses what it learned during training. That knowledge has a cut-off date, so it can be out of date.

The second is a live web search. For many questions, especially local or recent ones, ChatGPT searches the web. It reads a few pages, then writes an answer with links to its sources.

To do that search, ChatGPT needs an index. An index is a giant list of web pages, like a library catalogue. OpenAI runs its own crawler, called OAI-SearchBot. It has also worked with search partners to get results. Bing has been one of the biggest.

What's the connection between Bing and ChatGPT?

Microsoft, which owns Bing, is a major investor in OpenAI. The two companies have worked closely together. Bing's search results have helped feed ChatGPT's live answers.

What this means for you is simple. If your site is well indexed in Bing, ChatGPT has a better chance of finding it. If Bing has never heard of your site, you're relying only on OpenAI's own crawler to find you.

Think of it like being listed in two phone books. If you're only in one, some people will never find your number.

How do you check whether Bing has indexed your site?

It takes about ten seconds.

1. Go to bing.com.

2. Type site:yourwebsite.com.au (with your own domain).

3. Look at the results.

If you see your pages, Bing has indexed at least some of them. If you see "No results", Bing doesn't know your site exists.

Also check that your most important pages show up. Search for your business name, and for your main service plus your suburb. If your homepage appears but your service pages don't, you've still got work to do.

How do you set up Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow?

Bing Webmaster Tools is Bing's free version of Google Search Console. It shows how Bing sees your site, and lets you send your pages to Bing.

Here's how to set it up:

1. Go to Bing Webmaster Tools and sign in with a Microsoft, Google or Facebook account.

2. Add your site. The fastest way is to import it from Google Search Console. It copies your details across in one click.

3. Submit your sitemap. This is a list of all your pages. It's usually at yourwebsite.com.au/sitemap.xml.

4. Check for errors. Look at the "Site Scan" and "Index" reports for problems.

Next, turn on IndexNow. This is a free tool that tells Bing the moment you add or update a page. Without it, Bing may take days or weeks to notice changes. Many WordPress SEO plugins, like Yoast and Rank Math, can switch it on for you.

Should you also set up Bing Places?

Yes, if you're a local business. Bing Places is Bing's version of Google Business Profile. It lists your business on Bing Maps. It shows your address, phone, hours, photos and reviews. The good news is it's quick. You can import your Google Business Profile straight into Bing Places. Your details copy across, so you don't have to start from scratch.

Once it's live, check that your name, address and phone match your website exactly. Matching details help AI tools trust that it's all one business.

Example: a Canberra builder invisible in Bing, and therefore in ChatGPT

A home builder in Canberra had a good website. It ranked well on Google for "custom home builder Canberra". But when people asked ChatGPT for builders in Canberra, it never came up. A quick check showed why. Searching "site:" on Bing returned just two pages, both old. Bing had missed their project pages, their service pages and their reviews page. They had no Bing Places listing either.

They set up Bing Webmaster Tools and imported their site from Google. They sent in their sitemap and turned on IndexNow. They imported their Google Business Profile into Bing Places. Within a few weeks, Bing had indexed their full site. Not long after, the builder started showing up in ChatGPT answers for Canberra home builder questions.

Is Bing the only factor?

No. Bing helps, but it's one piece of the puzzle. ChatGPT also looks at:

• Your own website. Clear pages that say what you do and where.

• Reviews. On Google and other trusted review sites.

• Consistent details. Your name, address and phone the same everywhere.

• Outside mentions. News, directories, industry sites and forums.

• Crawler access. Whether OAI-SearchBot can read your site.

Think of Bing as the door. It helps ChatGPT find you. Everything else helps ChatGPT decide if you're worth recommending. Learn more in how ChatGPT decides which businesses to recommend and what sources ChatGPT actually uses for local businesses. For a wider view, read where AI tools get their information. To test where you stand now, see how to run an AI visibility audit.

Do I need to optimise for Bing separately from Google?

Mostly no. The same good SEO works for both. The main extra steps are setting up Bing Webmaster Tools, sending in your sitemap, turning on IndexNow and claiming Bing Places. That's usually a one-off job of an hour or two.

What is OAI-SearchBot and should I allow it?

OAI-SearchBot is OpenAI's crawler for ChatGPT search. It reads web pages so ChatGPT can cite them. If you want to show up in ChatGPT, you should allow it. Check your robots.txt file to make sure it isn't blocked.

Does Bing ranking affect Copilot too?

Yes. Microsoft Copilot is built on Bing search. So if you're well indexed and ranked in Bing, you have a better chance of showing up in Copilot too. Copilot is built into Windows, Edge and Microsoft 365, so it reaches a lot of people.

How long does it take Bing to index my site?

With a sitemap and IndexNow set up, Bing can index new pages within days. Without them, it can take weeks or longer.

Find out if ChatGPT can find you

Want to know if Bing and ChatGPT can see your business? Get an AI visibility audit from Proficlix. We'll test what ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews say about you. We'll check your Bing indexing and AI bot access. Then we'll give you a clear list of fixes. Get an AI visibility audit →

• ChatGPT's live search has relied on search partners, and Bing has been a major one.

• If Bing hasn't indexed your site, you may be missing from some ChatGPT answers.

• Bing Webmaster Tools is free and takes about 20 minutes to set up.

• Bing also powers Microsoft Copilot, so the benefit doubles.