Bing replaces Google for organic search results on AOL sites effective Jan. 1, 2016
Microsoft continues to heat up its efforts to combat rival Google in the search engine domain as it partnered with America Online (AOL) for a 10-year pact. The deal will eventually mean Bing takes over 100 percent of the organic search results on AOL site starting Jan. 1, 2016.
AOL will control the display, mobile and video ad sales for Microsoft properties — that includes Xbox and MSN — according to AdAge. Since 2002, Google handled the search results and ads for AOL, but starting next year, Bing will add another tool in its toolbox.
Microsoft boosts display ad prowess
As we learned last week, Bing is making strides in the search realm as it now has one-third of the market. This AOL deal only looks to push those numbers even further. However, as more than $108 billion is expect to be spent between search and display ads this year, Google is projected to command a large portion of that. AOL is set to earn 3.5 percent of the digital display ads compared to Microsoft’s 1.7.
Yet the baby steps for Bing are starting to become slightly longer strides. With this deal, customer data from the two sides and AOL’s parent company Verizon will surely come into play with the search and display ads. This deal also opens up more ad reach and supply for both sides, particularly for Microsoft and its search engine Yahoo Bing.
Future endeavors of Yahoo Bing
Recently, Yahoo replaced Google as the default search engine on Mozilla. Bing has its sights—or rather sites—set on another major browser: Safari. Google and Apple’s deal will expire this year unless the two sides reach an agreement. It is highly possible that in the near future, all non-Google sites and browsers could be powered by Yahoo Bing.
Perhaps more money may shift to Microsoft and Yahoo Bing in the overall numbers, but Google still dominates most desktop searches at a rate of more than 65 percent.
It would take a lot to knock down Google of the pedestal, but Bing will keep on trying. The end result means more competition, which means more opportunities for a business’ ad to be seen on either search engine.
With all the talk of Bing’s growing presence and Google’s volume, perhaps it’s time to re-examine your business’s digital advertising strategy. Farfetched Studios LLC is a St. Louis-based marketing agency with experience in both digital and traditional media, and we can make your Google and/or Bing search strategies work for you!
Contact us today for a proposal on how we can improve your business’s digital presence and marketing!