First Google, Now Bing? Encrypted Search Plague Spreads

Pete Prestipino
by Pete Prestipino 14 Jan, 2014
First Google, Now Bing? Encrypted Search Plague Spreads

SEOs probably don't have much hair left to pull out, but if they did, that's exactly what they would probably do with an important discovery over the weekend.

Apparently, Bing is now enabling searchers to conduct queries over Bing SSL search - that's right; just like Google, they too are now supporting "encrypted search" - spreading the plague of "keyword not provided" even further. What that means is that search marketers won't be able to access the keywords that consumers users to find their site should they use the secure URL (HTTPS).

A Microsoft spokesperson told Search Engine Land that they are "evolving" the rollout of HTTPS at Bing and will keep the SEO/SEM community "top of mind" as they continue to develop their implementation. Ladies and gents, it's another dark day for the SEO community.

 

 
Pete Prestipino
Pete Prestipino
Digital marketing executive with proven experience in all aspects of search engine optimization (SEO), performance-based advertising, consumer-generated/social media, email marketing, lead generation, Web design, usability, and analytics. - 20-year Internet marketing veteran, currently serving as the Digital Marketing Campaign Manager at Antenna Group (formerly Chicago Digital). - Former Editor-In-Chief of Website Magazine, and a regular speaker on Web technology digital marketing strategy - Author of several books on digital marketing Including Web 360: The Fundamentals of Web Success; Affiliate 360: The Fundamentals of Performance Marketing; Domains 360: The Fundamentals of Buying & Selling Domain Names, and SEO 360: The Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.