The New Bing Places for Business: What Small Businesses Should Know in 2025

Google may dominate local search, but Bing just made its strongest move yet.

On October 3, 2025, Microsoft announced a major overhaul of Bing Places for Business, introducing a completely new experience for business owners built on user feedback and modern AI-driven design.

Now accessible at bing.com/forbusiness, the platform makes it easier than ever to claim, manage, and enhance your listing across Bing Search, Bing Maps, and Copilot (AI search), putting your business in front of millions of potential customers outside the Google ecosystem.

What Is Bing Places for Business?

While Google gets most of the attention, Bing Places for Business is Microsoft’s version of Google Business Profile. It lets local businesses appear in Bing search results and on Bing Maps, showing important details like your business name, address, hours, photos, and customer reviews. Bing uses many of the same principles as Google: verified ownership, accurate business info, and user-generated reviews that influence visibility.

If you manage your Google Business Profile, it’s also worth claiming and keeping your Bing Places listing up to date. It not only helps you reach users who search through Microsoft Edge, Windows, or Copilot, but also ensures your business is represented accurately across multiple search platforms, all of which are now paying closer attention to review authenticity and compliance.

What’s New in the October 2025 Update

The new Bing Places for Business was rebuilt from the ground up after months of research with small-business owners. Microsoft listened to what people struggled with most: discoverability, time-consuming setup, and a confusing interface, and addressed each point head-on.

Key upgrades include:

• Unified experience under Bing.com: Everything now lives at bing.com/forbusiness (instead of bingplaces.com), so owners manage their listings inside the main Bing ecosystem for easier access and trust.
• Smarter Imports from Google: You can import your Google Business Profile in seconds with improved accuracy and preservation of details like business hours, contact info, and photos.
• Simplified Dashboard & Bulk Editing: The new interface features real-time status updates and bulk tools for multi-location businesses.
• The Recommendation Tool: Bing now suggests improvements to your listing based on data and engagement signals, such as adding a menu link for restaurants or uploading more photos to drive clicks.
• Automatic Migration: Existing users and their data are being migrated automatically; log in with your current credentials and you’ll be redirected to the new experience.

This is a clear signal that Microsoft is doubling down on local search as a core part of its AI and search ecosystem.

Why Bing Places Still Matters for Local Businesses

Even before the redesign, Bing powered around 3.9 percent of traditional web search traffic and much more when you factor in Microsoft Copilot, Edge, Windows search, and ChatGPT’s Bing integration.

That means your Bing Places listing can show up in:

• Bing Search results and Bing Maps
• AI answers in Copilot and ChatGPT (using Bing as a data source)
• Windows devices and voice searches
• Microsoft Advertising placements

Bing’s user base skews toward older professionals and homeowners. These are the decision-makers most local businesses want to reach. Ignoring Bing means leaving visibility on the table.

The Recommendation Tool: Your Built-In Local SEO Coach

One of the most exciting additions to Bing Places is the Recommendation Tool, which analyzes your listing’s “health” and offers custom suggestions.

Examples include:

• Uploading high-quality photos to increase click-through rates.
• Adding missing links (like your website or social profiles).
• Industry-specific tips such as adding menus for restaurants or appointment links for service businesses.

Think of it as a simple AI assistant for local visibility built right into your dashboard.

How Bing Places Strengthens Your Overall SEO

• Consistency Signals: Search engines cross-reference your business info across platforms. A complete Bing listing strengthens Google trust signals, too.
• AI Visibility: Copilot and ChatGPT often pull local data from Bing, so your listing can surface in AI-generated answers.
• Voice Search Optimization: Devices that use Bing as a backend draw directly from Bing Places data.
• Local Ad Integration: Microsoft Ads connect seamlessly with your listing for optional paid visibility.

Best Practices to Make the Most of Bing Places

• Keep your name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistent across all platforms.
• Choose the most accurate categories and add photos that match your services.
• Use the Recommendation Tool monthly to improve your score.
• Sync with Google quarterly to ensure updates carry over.
• Check your analytics dashboard for insights into views and clicks.

The Future of Local Search Is Multiplatform

Google may still be king, but Bing is building the next generation of search. One that’s integrated with AI assistants, Microsoft products, and enterprise tools used by millions.

By claiming and optimizing your Bing Places listing now, you’re future-proofing your business for the AI search era, where visibility on both Google and Bing matters more than ever.

A Small Step That Expands Your Reach

The new Bing Places for Business isn’t just an alternative to Google. It’s a complementary visibility channel built for the AI age. It takes minutes to set up and can help you appear in places where your competitors aren’t even looking yet.