EOFY has a way of turning overlooked tasks into urgent ones. If your Bing Places listing is still unclaimed, now is a practical time to change that.
Google dominates the local search conversation, but Bing still reaches a meaningful share of Australian business users, particularly those working on Microsoft devices where it runs as the default search engine. Leaving your listing unclaimed means leaving a visibility gap that costs nothing to close.
There is also a tax angle worth knowing about. Marketing-related expenses, including the time and cost involved in setting up or updating digital business listings, can be tax-deductible. Getting your Bing Places listing in order before 30 June means this work could count towards this financial year’s deductions.
If you are interested in working with a marketing agency in Brisbane, it is worth adding this to your pre-EOFY checklist.
Why Claiming Your Bing Places Listing Matters Before EOFY
Even if your team rarely uses Bing internally, plenty of your potential customers do. Microsoft devices run Bing as the default search engine, and most users never change it. That is a steady stream of searches happening on a platform where your business may not even appear.
The EOFY angle is worth paying attention to as well. The time and cost involved in claiming and setting up a business listing can fall under marketing expenses, making it potentially tax-deductible. Work completed before 30 June may be claimable in this financial year, which makes now a sensible time to act rather than add it to next year’s list.
Your Digital Solution helps Brisbane businesses set up, optimise and manage digital listings across platforms including Bing Places, with a focus on consistency, visibility and trust.
What You Need Before You Get Started
Getting your listing claimed properly takes less time than most people expect. Before you begin, have these basics ready.
Your NAP Details
Your business name, address and phone number need to match exactly what appears on your other online listings. Consistent NAP data builds trust with search platforms and helps your rankings across the board.
Business Verification Information
Bing may ask for details like your registration number or business email address during the verification process. Having these on hand will keep things moving.
The Right Category
This one is worth taking seriously. Many listings lose potential leads simply because they are filed under a vague or mismatched category. Choose something that accurately reflects what you actually offer, and if you are unsure, a marketing agency in Brisbane can point you in the right direction based on what is performing locally.
Simple Steps to Claim Your Bing Places Listing
The process is straightforward once your information is ready. Work through these steps and you should have your listing live without much trouble.
Step 1: Search for Your Business
Head to the Bing Places website and select “Claim or add your business.” Type in your business name before creating anything new. Bing sometimes generates listings automatically from public data, so there may already be an entry worth claiming.
Step 2: Claim or Create Your Listing
If a listing exists, follow the prompts to claim it. If nothing comes up, select “Create new listing” and build it from scratch.
Step 3: Fill In Your Details
Add your contact information, trading hours, business description and service area. Keep everything consistent with your other online listings, particularly your business name and address.
Step 4: Verify Ownership
Bing will ask you to confirm ownership via phone call, email or postcard. Choose whichever method suits you and complete the verification before moving on.
Step 5: Publish and Keep It Current
Once verified, publish your listing. You do not need to check it constantly, but your trading hours and contact details should always be accurate, particularly during EOFY when clients may be making quick decisions about who to call.
What Else to Watch Out For
Duplicate Listings
If your business has moved or changed names at any point, older listings may still be sitting in the system. Search carefully and remove anything outdated to avoid confusing potential customers or search engines.
Consistency Across Platforms
Make sure the details you enter match your Google Business Profile. Small inconsistencies across platforms can quietly undermine trust with both search engines and the people searching for you.
Changes That Flow Through to Other Platforms
Some updates made in Bing Places can carry across to connected directories. Take a moment to double-check before saving anything, particularly if you are correcting older information.
It is also worth keeping a record of when changes were made. If you plan to include listing setup or management as part of your EOFY marketing expenses, having a clear paper trail will make things easier come submission time.
Your Digital Solution works with Brisbane businesses to audit and align business listing information across Google, Bing and social media, helping to ensure accuracy, consistency and better visibility across the board.
FAQ
Q: Is Bing Places worth claiming if most people use Google?
A: Yes. While Google leads the market, Bing still powers searches on Microsoft devices like Windows computers and Edge browsers. Many users never change their default search engine, so having a Bing Places listing helps your business appear in those searches without extra advertising spend.
Q: Can claiming or updating a Bing Places listing be tax-deductible in Australia?
A: Often, yes. The Australian Taxation Office generally treats marketing and advertising costs as business deductions. If claiming or optimising your Bing listing is part of your marketing activity and completed before 30 June, the associated costs may be deductible for that financial year. It’s always best to confirm the details with your accountant.
Q: How long does it take to claim a Bing Places listing?
A: Most businesses can complete the setup in around 15 to 30 minutes. The process usually involves searching for your business, claiming or creating the listing, adding your details and verifying ownership via phone, email or postcard.
Q: What details do I need to claim my Bing Places listing?
A: You will typically need your business name, address and phone number (NAP), business category, trading hours and verification information. Keeping these details consistent with your other online listings helps search engines trust your business information.
Q: Should I claim my Bing listing myself or use a marketing agency?
A: You can do it yourself, but many businesses choose to work with a marketing agency to ensure the listing is set up correctly and aligned with platforms like Google Business Profile. An agency can also help optimise categories, descriptions and consistency across directories.
Q: What happens if my business already has a Bing listing?
A: Bing sometimes creates listings automatically using publicly available business information. If this happens, you can simply claim the existing listing and update the details. It is also a good idea to remove duplicate listings so customers and search engines are not confused by outdated information.
Get Found and Get Ready for Tax Time
Bing Places is not the platform that dominates marketing conversations, but that is partly what makes it worth acting on now. It is a low-effort way to show up for an audience that is already searching, and when the setup work is completed before 30 June, it may qualify as a deductible marketing expense for this financial year.
If your Google Business Profile is already in good shape, this is the natural next step. Covering both platforms means fewer gaps in your visibility and one more legitimate cost to show your accountant.
Your Digital Solution is a marketing agency in Brisbane that identifies practical digital actions that support both growth and smart budget management. If you want help getting your listings in order before EOFY, reach out today and we can talk through what makes sense for your business.
