7 Reasons Bing Could Eventually Eclipse Google

From least important to most important, here are 7 reasons that Bing could ultimately overtake Google:

1. Bing is an easy verb. All the time I hear people say “Google it” or “I Googled.” Never do I hear “Yahoo it” or “I Yahoo’d.” Same goes for MSN and Live. Bing, however, fits right in.

2. Consumers are becoming more savvy about search. Most people know Google as “the” search engine. However, as consumers become more search savvy (as witnessed by the increasing length of the average query), alternatives like Bing (and Yahoo and Ask and Mahalo) will benefit. Savvy searchers might start to use both Bing and Google to conduct searches, or perhaps start to use Bing for this type of search, Mahalo for that search, etc.

3. Google’s popularity will inevitably suffer a major blow. Google is slowly undergoing the inevitable transition from “media darling” to “big ugly corporation.” The fact of the matter is this: when you make billions of dollars in profits, it won’t take long for the people of the world to accuse your company of insatiable greed and “taking advantage of the little guy.” This inevitable drop in popularity will probably be the result of a major gaffe, and that could give Bing a major boost.

4. The TV ads are great. The best aspect of Bing.com right now is the excellent television advertising. “Search Overload Syndrome” is a very smart way to explain exactly what is wrong with search engines. More importantly, they’re speaking to people that haven’t completely embraced Google.

My favorite line: “Bra, I was stoked when I caught that tasty barrel.”

5. Microsoft is a force. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying Microsoft is a force in the world of computer technology. From their ubiquitous operating system Windows to their class-leading productivity software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Microsoft knows how to make great products.

6. The results aren’t too bad. There are a lot of examples that show Google is still superior to Bing in terms of showing the best quality results, but that’s changing rapidly. If you look at the improvement in Microsoft’s search engine over the last 18 months, it’s pretty impressive. If Bing can continue that level of improvement, the gap between Google’s search engine results and Bing’s search results will be small.

7. Yahoo has reached the breaking point. It’s said that Yahoo isn’t financially healthy (at least the stock market doesn’t think so), yet because of their wildly successful portal Yahoo.com they’re too big to disappear. Still, Yahoo is likely too small and/or financially constrained to compete with Google or Microsoft. My guess? Yahoo Search becomes a proxy of either Google or Microsoft in the next 18 months, clearing the way for a Bing vs. Google showdown.

Please note that the title says that Bing could overtake Google. Later this week – 7 Reasons that Bing will Never Eclipse Google.