Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free tool for managing how your business appears on Bing Search and Bing Maps. If you already have a Google Business Profile, setting up Bing Places usually takes a fraction of the time, because you can import your existing details instead of typing them again. It is one of the cheapest ways to add reach, and many competitors skip it.
This guide explains what Bing Places is, who sees it, how to set it up step by step, and how to keep it accurate. Screens and button labels change, so use the current on-screen prompts and the official page at bing.com/forbusiness alongside these steps.
- Bing Places for Business is a free listing for Bing Search and Bing Maps. Microsoft's page cites 140M+ daily active Bing users and 3M+ business owners in 190+ countries.
- You can usually import an existing Google Business Profile instead of entering details by hand.
- You need to verify the listing. Methods vary and may include phone, email or postcard.
- Use the exact same name, address and phone as everywhere else. Consistency matters more than any single listing.
- It takes under an hour and costs nothing, so it is an easy win next to Google, Apple and Yelp.
What is Bing Places for Business?
Bing Places is the business listing platform for Microsoft's Bing search engine. When someone searches Bing for "plumber near me" or opens Bing Maps, the local results come from business data, and Bing Places is how owners claim and control that data. Through the listing you can manage:
- Business name, address and phone number
- Website and business category
- Opening hours and special hours
- Photos and logo
- A business description
- Service areas for businesses that travel to customers
Microsoft says the service is free. Its business page also states that Bing has more than 140 million daily active users and that more than 3 million business owners use it across 190+ countries. Those are Microsoft's own claims, so treat them as indicative, not independently audited, but they show the audience is large enough to take seriously.
Why it is worth your time
It reaches people who do not use Google
Bing is the default search in Microsoft's Edge browser and in many Windows computers, and Bing data supports other products. Some of your customers never change the default. A listing there puts your business in front of them.
Customers use many platforms
BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found that Google's share as a review source dipped from 83% to 71% in a year, Apple Maps use nearly doubled from 14% to 27%, and use of ChatGPT and similar tools for local recommendations rose from 6% to 45%. People are spreading out, and being on more of the main platforms with correct data is a sensible response.
Consistency helps everywhere
A correct Bing listing is another independent source confirming your details. That supports the broader work of building local citations and keeping your NAP consistent.
It is cheap
The listing is free, and with an import it takes minutes. Few marketing tasks have a lower cost per potential customer reached.
Before you start
- A Microsoft account, or the ability to sign in with a Google or Facebook account if offered. A dedicated company account is better than a personal one.
- Your business name, address, phone number and website, written exactly as you want them to appear.
- Your category, hours and a short description.
- Photos and a logo.
- Access to the phone, email or mailing address you will use for verification.
If you have not set up Google yet, do that first, because you can then import it. See how to list your business on Google.
How to set up Bing Places step by step
Step 1: Go to the Bing Places site
Open bing.com/forbusiness and choose the option to get started or sign in. The older address bingplaces.com redirects there. Sign in with your Microsoft account, or with another supported account.
Step 2: Search for your business
Bing may already have a listing for you, built from public sources. Search by name and location. If your business appears, you can claim it. If it does not, you can add a new one. Claiming avoids duplicates, so always search first.
Step 3: Choose how to add the details
You will normally see two paths:
- Import from Google Business Profile. Sign in to the Google account that manages your profile, select the locations you want, and Bing copies the details across. This is the fastest route and keeps data matching.
- Add manually. Enter the name, address, phone, website, category and hours yourself. Use your master profile and paste from it.
If you import, review everything afterwards. Imported categories may map to slightly different names, and some fields may need fixing.
Step 4: Review and complete the listing
Check each field and add what is missing:
- Choose the most specific category available.
- Confirm hours, including holiday hours.
- Write a short description in plain language: what you do, who you serve and where.
- Upload a logo and several real photos.
- If you serve customers at their location, set your service area.
Step 5: Verify the listing
Verification confirms that you are connected to the business. Bing offers different methods depending on your situation. Typical options include a phone call or text with a code, an email, or a postcard mailed to your address. Some imported listings that were already verified on Google may verify faster. Follow the prompt you are given. If you choose a postcard, do not change the address while you wait.
Step 6: Check the live listing
After verification, search for your business on Bing and Bing Maps. Confirm that the name, address, phone, hours and website are right and that there is only one listing. Updates sometimes take a few days to appear.
Multiple locations and agencies
If you have several locations, Bing Places lets you manage them from one account. You can add them one by one or in bulk with a spreadsheet upload for larger chains. Keep each location's details separate and correct, with its own address and local phone number.
If an agency manages your listings, make sure the account is under your control and the agency is a manager, not the owner. Otherwise, you can lose access if you change providers.
How to get more from your Bing listing
- Use the right category. It tells Bing what you are.
- Keep hours accurate. Wrong hours cause lost customers and bad reviews.
- Add photos. Real images of your premises, products and work.
- Link to the right page. Use your homepage or the page for that location.
- Keep your website sound. Contact details in text, fast mobile pages and clear service information help every search engine.
- Review analytics. Bing Places offers basic insights, such as views and actions, in the dashboard.
The listing itself is not a ranking trick. It makes sure Bing has correct information and gives you a chance to show up in map and local results. The rest depends on relevance, distance and prominence, as in our local SEO playbook.
Example (illustration only)
Take a made-up salon owner in Chicago who already has a verified Google profile. She goes to Bing Places, searches for her salon, and sees no listing. She chooses to import from Google, signs in, selects her profile and imports it. Bing fills in the name, address, phone, hours and photos. She changes the category to match Bing's wording, adds a short description, and completes the verification option offered. She searches for her salon on Bing the next day and finds a single listing with the right details. She then adds the same details to Apple Business, Yelp and a few directories, such as hair salons on Essential Biz Directory. The whole job takes an afternoon.
Bing Places compared with Google Business Profile
| Point | Google Business Profile | Bing Places |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Where it shows | Google Search and Google Maps | Bing Search and Bing Maps |
| Setup effort | About an hour plus verification | Minutes if you import from Google, longer by hand |
| Reviews | Central part of the profile | Less central, so Google and Yelp reviews matter more for most owners |
| Best approach | Set up first and keep complete | Set up second, copy details exactly |
The comparison is a rule of thumb, not a measurement. Your own analytics will show how much traffic each platform sends. For most local businesses Google dominates, and Bing is a smaller but still worthwhile channel that costs almost nothing to add.
A monthly five-minute check
Once a month, search your business name on Bing and confirm the listing still shows the right phone number, hours and website. Look for duplicates, new photos added by users and any suggested edits. If you change your hours for a holiday, update Bing at the same time as Google and your other listings, so customers never see conflicting information. Keeping a simple spreadsheet of every listing, with the login email and the date you last checked, makes this routine quick.
Troubleshooting common problems
Duplicate listings
If two listings appear for your business, claim the correct one and use the Bing Places support options to report the duplicate. Do not create a third listing to fix it.
Someone else claimed your listing
Bing Places has a process to dispute ownership. Prepare proof of your connection to the business and follow the support prompts.
Verification does not arrive
Check spam folders for email codes and confirm your phone number is correct. If a postcard is late, request another after the stated waiting time. Do not edit the address meanwhile.
Imported data looks wrong
Edit it directly. Import is a starting point. The final listing should match your master profile.
Changes do not appear
Allow a few days. If an old detail persists, it may come from another source that feeds Bing, such as an old directory listing. Fix the source as well. This is a common reason to audit NAP consistency across the web.
What to do after Bing
Bing Places is one piece of a short list that every local business should complete: Google Business Profile, Apple Business, Bing Places and Yelp, followed by social profiles and relevant directories. Our guide to free business listing sites covers the rest in order. For general directories, Essential Biz Directory groups businesses by category and city so customers can compare options.
For perspective on how much weight directories deserve, read do business directories help SEO?. The honest summary is that accuracy and relevance matter far more than the number of listings.
FAQ
Is Bing Places for Business free?
Yes. Microsoft describes the listing as free. Any paid advertising on Bing is separate and optional.
Can I import my Google Business Profile into Bing Places?
Yes, in most cases. The import option lets you bring in details from your Google profile. Review the result afterwards, because categories and fields may not map perfectly.
Do I need to verify my Bing listing?
Yes. Verification proves you control the business and is required for the listing to be fully managed by you. The available methods vary.
How long does it take for a Bing listing to appear?
It can be within days after verification, but timing varies. Check again after a week before contacting support.
Is Bing worth the effort compared with Google?
Google is usually the bigger source of local traffic, but Bing is free, quick and reaches people who use Microsoft products by default. The effort is small, so most businesses should do it.
Does Bing Places help SEO?
It helps make sure Bing has correct data for your business and gives you a map and local presence. It does not guarantee rankings.
Finished with Bing? Add another place to be found. List your business on Essential Biz Directory for $99, one-time.