Through each update, Microsoft is attempting to make Bing Search a potent threat to Google. That means making sure the search is powerful and functionality it high. The latest feature update for the service introduces Microsoft’s intelligent tips feature. With this ability, users can see more information on searched items. This is specifically for hotel searches and is a feature we first reported back in May. Among the information surfaced is higher rated hotels in the area around the one you’re looking at. Other information provided by intelligent tips include price and location. It’s a nice touch and we’d like to see Microsoft expand this feature beyond hotels in the future. Speaking of intelligentially handling price, Bing Search now provides price trends in searches. So, the service provides a trending price over a specific date range. Again, this is limited to hotel searches but is a handy tool we hope is expanded.
New Features
Microsoft has given Bing more tools to handle home services, such as pricing and scheduling. When looking for providers in a location, Bing will surface quote information and other data by leveraging integration with Yelp and 10 other platforms. “That’s why we built cost ranges to provide transparency for home services like sink installation costs and toilet repairs. These ranges show a visual distribution of prices, specific to your zip code so they’re tied to your location. We want you to feel empowered to plan your budget and even negotiate a quote with a specific provider!” Lastly, Bing is also offering an improved experience when searching coupons and deals. The search now aggregates deals from all listing types and shows them when users search for a retailer or coupon. Among the insights offered in the search are the expiry date of the coupon.
