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2 min read
Key Takeaways
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Bing Related Searches drives 2.8-3.9% of referrals across analyzed clients—10x higher than Google's equivalent feature.
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Placement matters: Bing positions Related Searches top-left (where users scan first); Google places it at page bottom.
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Track with URL parameter: Look for 'R5FD' in referring URLs to measure Related Searches traffic in analytics.
The Research Question
Related Searches are search engine suggestions that help users refine their original query. Placement significantly impacts usage—features positioned where users naturally scan (top-left) see dramatically higher engagement than bottom-of-page placement.
Bing positions its Related Searches option near the top of resultson the left-hand side. Knowing that users scan from left to right and top to bottomthis makes perfect sense. Googleby contrastplaces its 'Searches related to' option at the bottom of results.
This raises a question: How many people actually use Bing's Related Searches to refine their query and find websites?
How to Track Related Searches Traffic
When users click a Related Search in Bing after their initial querya unique parameter is appended to the URL (such as R5FD1). This parameter is easy to locate when analyzing referring URLs in analytics applications.
Method: Filter your Bing-referring URLs for strings containing 'R5FD' to isolate Related Searches traffic.
Seven-Day Analysis: Multiple ClientsMultiple Verticals
Using iCrossing's proprietary Interest2action SEO applicationwe analyzed referral data across clients in different verticals:
|
Client |
Related Searches |
Total Referrals |
Percentage |
|
Client 1 |
568 |
15,290 |
3.7% |
|
Client 2 |
429 |
10,943 |
3.9% |
|
Client 3 |
153 |
5,539 |
2.8% |
|
Client 4 |
63 |
1,964 |
3.2% |
Comparison: Google's 'Searches related to' feature averaged less than 0.4% of referrals across the same clients and timeframe—approximately 10x lower than Bing.
The Insight: Placement Drives Behavior
While Bing may never catch up to Google in search engine market shareit has the upper hand when it comes to Related Searches usage. The difference is placement: top-left (where users naturally scan) versus bottom-of-page (where few users scroll).
Understand Your Search Referral Patterns
Search behavior insights like these can reveal hidden traffic sources and optimization opportunities. Understanding how users refine their searches helps you appear where they're actually looking.
Want deeper analysis of your search referral patterns? Contact iCrossing to uncover insights in your analytics data.