How to List Your Business on Bing Places for Business (Step-by-Step)

Everyone thinks Google when it comes to local visibility, and rightly so. But a share of people search on Bing — and here's what matters more and more: many AI assistants and answer engines built by Microsoft rely on Bing's index. If your business isn't there, you're effectively invisible to a whole category of users and new tools.

The good news is that listing on Bing Places for Business is free and takes less time than you'd expect. In this guide I'll show you exactly what to prepare, the steps to add your business, how to verify it, and which mistakes to avoid so the listing comes out clean and actually helps you.

Why Bing is worth it (it's not just about search)

Bing is no longer just a backup search engine. Its local business data also feeds other Microsoft products — results in the Edge browser, Microsoft maps, and increasingly the AI assistants and answer engines built on their technology. When someone asks an AI assistant "where can I find a salon near me," the answer may draw on information you did (or didn't) put on Bing.

In short, it's a channel most of your competitors ignore. That makes it a real opportunity: small effort, low competition, visibility in places you aren't right now. It won't bring a flood of customers overnight, but it completes your business's digital map and makes you findable where others aren't.

What to prepare before you start

So you don't get stuck halfway, gather your information first. You'll need:

• A Microsoft account (free — if you have an Outlook, Hotmail, or Live email, use that)
• Your exact business name, as it appears on your storefront and documents
• Full address and a phone number you actually answer
• Your business category (e.g. beauty salon, dental practice, auto repair)
• Opening hours, website address, and a short description
• A few good photos: logo, exterior, interior, products, or work

One detail that matters enormously: write your name, address, and phone exactly as they appear on Google and on your website. This consistency (called NAP — Name, Address, Phone) is what tells search engines they're talking about the same business.

The listing steps, one by one

The process is guided, but here's the map so you know what to expect:

• Go to bingplaces.com and click "New User" (or "Get Started").
• Sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Search for your business by name and city. If it already shows up (Bing sometimes generates listings automatically), you claim it. If not, choose "Add new business."
• If you already have a Google Business profile, Bing offers to import it — this auto-fills most fields and is the fastest route. Still, check every line after importing.
• Complete or correct all the details: category, hours, description, photos.
• Save and move on to verification.

Don't rush the category and description fields — that's where you decide which searches you show up for. Be specific, not generic.

How to verify your business

Verification confirms you're the owner, and only after it does the listing go public. Bing usually offers one or more methods, depending on the business:

• By phone or SMS — you get a code at the business number, enter it, and you're done in minutes.
• By email — if the address is tied to your business domain.
• By post (a postcard with a PIN) — for some addresses; here you wait a few days to a few weeks for the code.

Choose the instant method (phone/SMS) if it's available. After verifying, keep in mind the information doesn't always appear in search right away — Bing needs some time to process and publish the listing. That's normal, you didn't do anything wrong. Don't create duplicate profiles in the meantime; that tangles things up more than it helps.

After listing: maintenance and mistakes to avoid

A good listing isn't "set and forget." A few rules that make the difference:

• Keep your details identical across Google, Bing, and your site. An address written differently in three places confuses both people and AI.
• Update holiday hours and any phone or address change right away.
• Add fresh photos now and then — a living listing inspires more trust.
• Run from anyone who promises you "guaranteed number one" on Bing or Google. Nobody can guarantee that; it's a clear sign of a bad actor.

If you'd rather not juggle all your local profiles yourself, at MPO Web Studio we set them up and keep them in sync as part of your online presence — fully remote, wherever you are in the country. We build you a free website demo first, with transparent pricing and no hidden costs. One WhatsApp message and we'll tell you exactly where to start.