Microsoft Bing: page visits and app downloads up since AI integration
Use of Microsoft Bing's search engine and the Bing apps on mobile have surged since the company launched the first Bing Chat version according to a Reuters report.
The launch of Bing Chat has increased interest in Bing and the artificial intelligence feature that Microsoft added to the search engine. It was clear that page views and downloads would increase because of that, but it was not clear by how much, and whether it would reduce Google's lead significantly.
A Reuters report suggests that Bing page views increased by 15% from February 7 to March 20, 2023. Google at the same time saw a drop of 1%. While that may not look like much, a single percent of search traffic equates to millions of users. Google is still in a commanding lead globally. Statcounter sees Google dominate search with a market share of 93.7% as of February 2023. ä
Microsoft Bing app downloads jumped as well since February. On February 4, Microsoft's Bing app was downloaded about 100,000 times. In the days and weeks that followed, the average download count jumped to 810,000. Google app downloads still dominate, but the company saw a slight decline in downloads from 2.98 million on February 4 to 2.91 million afterwards.
Reuters analyzed data provided by Similarweb. Similarweb data lists Google Search at 90.88% of the global search market, followed by Yahoo Search, which still has 3.18% of the market, and Bing, which has 2.98%. A 15% increase in page views may be enough to capture the second place, right after Google, in March 2023.
Microsoft managed to increase app downloads by more than 800% in just six weeks. It remains to be seen if Microsoft Bing page views and app downloads continue to growth in the coming months, or if most of the increased activity can be attributed to curiosity.
Closing Words
Google did launch Bard earlier this week, but limits access to its AI service to certain geographical reasons and users. It seems unlikely that Bard's launch can reverse the trend on its own. If Google would unlock the limitations, and if Bard would prove to be useful, then it could be a factor.
For now, Microsoft seems to have the upper hand, and if Open AI manages to keep up the pace in regarding the release of new features, it could very well be the beginning of a downwards trend for Google and an upwards trend for Microsoft.
Much depends on whether Internet users believe that AI can improve their search experience in meaningful ways.
Only a short while. Everyone will then forget about it. Today, Google and Bing are both terrible. Only Yandex provides results in a manner similar to that of Google and Bing prior to 2017.
Yandex can be pretty hit and miss, but when it “hits”, it’s really amazing.
…almost as if that was the entire point, all along.
They have a sucky browser, a sucky search engine (not before too long I’ll also start saying they have a sucky OS, too…) – if you can’t win on a meritocratic ground, create theatrical “wow factor” and “buzz”.
Go back to r/google
Lol you think I use anything Google? Not sure why you felt the need to guess but you guessed wrong. Although assuming I use reddit at all is the biggest implied insult.
You must be living atop the Himalayas.
Got a free spot?
Are you trying to be funny? I don’t have any google services or programs installed on my computer, occasionally I will cross-reference search results from other browsers, with Google, just to ensure I am getting the right results (does that count?). I use an old android 4.2.2 phone which is completely de-googled (maybe that counts, in your book?). My work suite is Office 2007 and my email is protonmail. People make it out like it’s impossible not to rely on these things, and that’s a stupid way to look at it – it’s more of a spectrum, the less you care about having control, the more of these types of services you’ll use.
and I will never say someone is “inferior” or “worse” morally for doing so, so don’t try that angle either :) People are allowed to not care, many have far more important priorities! I just don’t like your tone dude.