By Maria Dykstra — Growth strategist & creator of the AI Visibility Engine™
As featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Social Media Examiner, Fox News, HuffPost, LinkedIn Top Voice.
Connect: LinkedIn
Updated: September 18, 2025
If you’re like most business leaders I consult with, you probably think Google is the only search engine that truly matters. However, when it comes to visibility in generative AI platforms like ChatGPT—the large language model developed by OpenAI—your ranking on Microsoft Bing is even more crucial.
Throughout this article, I’ll refer specifically to ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing to clarify how each entity impacts your content’s discoverability in AI-driven search experiences.
When it comes to ChatGPT visibility, ranking well on Bing can make all the difference. As someone who’s worked with anxious clients (yes, even dentists worried about writing content!), I’ve seen how confusing SEO can feel.
But don’t worry — I’ll break it down in a way that’s easy to follow.
Let’s dive into the why and the how, together.
What Does Microsoft Bing Have to Do With ChatGPT?
This is the most common question I get. ChatGPT — especially the version that can browse the web — doesn’t use Google to pull information.
Instead, it uses Microsoft Bing’s search index ( hereafter referred to as “Bing”).
This means if your site isn’t showing up in Bing’s results, ChatGPT probably won’t see your content at all. And since Bing also powers tools like Microsoft Copilot and AI assistants, it’s more important than ever to start thinking beyond Google. Structured data (a standardized way to organize website information) is especially crucial—see our glossary for definitions.
So if you’re optimizing content to rank in ChatGPT (and you should be), your real focus needs to be on Bing SEO for ChatGPT.
Micro-summary: To rank in ChatGPT, focus on Bing SEO. Bing, not Google, powers ChatGPT’s search results, so optimizing for Bing ensures your content is visible to AI users.
How Do Bing Rankings Impact What ChatGPT Shows?
Let me break it down simply:(SearchPilot, 2023) (SEMrush, 2023)
- Bing’s algorithm decides what content ChatGPT can access
- If Bing can’t crawl or index your site properly, ChatGPT can’t use it
- Better Bing SEO = higher chances your content appears in AI search answers
For example, if you’ve written a helpful FAQ for anxious dental patients, but your site isn’t optimized for Bing, it might never be seen by someone asking ChatGPT, “How do I calm down before a dentist visit?”
What Makes Bing SEO Different From Google’s?
Great question. While both engines care about quality and relevance, Microsoft Bing (Bing) puts more emphasis on: structured data (information organized for machine readability). Check out our structured data glossary for definitions and best practices.
Use structured data, such as schema markup.
Publish fresh content and write clear metadata.
Improve technical SEO. Focus on fast load times and mobile-friendliness.
Build authority and trustworthiness.
Bing even still considers meta keywords, which Google mostly ignores. (Microsoft Official Documentation). This unique factor can give you a competitive edge. (SearchPilot, SEMrush)
Pro tip: Use Bing Webmaster Tools to see how your content performs. It’s free and offers insights that go straight into improving visibility on both Bing and ChatGPT.
Micro-summary: Bing values structured data, fresh content, and technical optimization. Meeting these criteria increases your authority and AI-driven visibility.
Why Is Bing SEO Especially Important for Health & Wellness Brands?
Trust matters, especially in dental care and mental-health niches. AI tools like ChatGPT prioritize accurate, and helpful content. They only surface content they can access. That means being visible on Bing is key.
I’ve seen emerging wellness brands get real results by:
- Updating old posts with structured data
- Adding metadata and descriptive alt text to images
- Writing conversational content that answers real questions (like this blog!)
When you follow these practices, you don’t just get Bing traffic — you show up in AI-powered answers, too.
Micro-summary: Health and wellness brands gain AI visibility by updating content with structured data, metadata, and clear answers, ensuring trust and reach in AI-powered tools.
How Can I Make Sure My Site Is Bing-Friendly?
Great! Here’s a checklist I use with my clients to improve ChatGPT SEO via Bing:
1. Can Bing Crawl and Index Your Site?
- Submit your XML sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
- Check that your site isn’t blocking Bing in
robots.txt - Avoid meta tags that hide pages from bots
2. Are You Using Structured Data?
- Add schema.org markup (use JSON-LD if possible)
- Tag content types: articles, FAQs, reviews, etc.
- Avoid errors — Google’s Rich Results Test can help
3. Is Your Metadata Optimized?
- Write clear meta descriptions with your keywords
- Add meta keywords (Bing still uses them!)
- Use image alt text that’s descriptive and helpful
4. Is Your Content Easy to Read and Trustworthy?
- Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs
- Answer real questions your patients are asking
- Keep your tone warm and simple — like you’re explaining something to a friend
What If I Already Have Great Google Rankings?
That’s awesome — but it doesn’t automatically help with ChatGPT visibility.
Google and Bing use different ranking signals. You could rank #1 on Google and still be invisible to ChatGPT if Bing can’t find your content.
If AI visibility matters to you (and it should), Bing SEO for ChatGPT deserves your attention.
How Do I Track Performance on Bing?
I recommend using:
- Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor:
- Crawl issues
- Keyword rankings
- Backlinks and indexing
- Tools like Ahrefs or SE Ranking (many now include Bing data!)
- Regular performance reviews — just like you would with Google Analytics
These tools help you spot trends and fine-tune your strategy.
What’s One Thing I Can Do Today?
Micro-summary: Taking small, strategic actions—like submitting your sitemap to Bing—can make your site accessible to ChatGPT and future-proof your digital presence as AI search grows.
Start small:
Log in to Bing Webmaster Tools and submit your sitemap.
That one step can open the door for ChatGPT to start seeing your site.
Want help? I offer done-for-you support and training so you’re not figuring this out alone, schedule a visibility audit session.
Final Thoughts: Why Bing SEO Is Your AI Advantage
If you want to future-proof your brand and be part of the AI-driven content wave, don’t ignore Bing.
Key Takeaways
- Bing’s search index powers ChatGPT and other AI assistants—your content must be visible on Bing to be accessible in AI answers.
- Structured data, clear metadata, and technical SEO help you stand out on Bing and, consequently, in ChatGPT responses.
- Health & wellness brands especially benefit from Bing SEO due to AI’s focus on trust and authority.
- Regularly monitor your site’s Bing performance using Bing Webmaster Tools and optimize based on data.
With the rise of tools like ChatGPT, ranking on Bing is now a secret weapon for visibility — especially in industries where trust and clarity matter most.
You don’t need to be a tech wizard or spend hours a day on SEO. Just focus on the basics: structured data, clean metadata, conversational content, and smart tools like Bing Webmaster Tools.
And remember: the more helpful your content, the more likely it is to be shared — by both humans and AI.
Need help optimizing for Bing and ChatGPT?
Let’s work together to make your content easy to find, friendly to read, and visible in all the right places.
Micro-summary: Bing’s algorithm determines what ChatGPT can access. Without Bing visibility, your high-value content is unlikely to appear in AI-generated answers.
Maria Dykstra is a growth strategist, agency founder, and AI visibility expert. She helps founders and marketing leaders win visibility in the AI era—where algorithms and agents, not humans, decide what people see.
At Microsoft, she built ad systems powering $2B revenue across 36 markets. Today, she runs TreDigital (13+ years) and works on agentic AI adoption. She created the AI Visibility Engine™, which makes founder expertise machine-readable and cite-worthy—so brands show up in Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
