Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Bing Webmaster Tools Treats HTTP and HTTPS as the Same Property
Bing Webmaster Tools does not differentiate between HTTP and HTTPS URLs, treating them as the same property. This contrasts with Google Search Console, which requires separate properties for each protocol variation. When importing data from Google to Bing, users should be aware of this unified approach. Bing expects HTTPS but will fallback to HTTP if HTTPS data is unavailable.
Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding Bing Webmaster Tools’ Unified HTTP and HTTPS Property Handling
Key Differences in Property Management Between Bing and Google
Bing Webmaster Tools simplifies website management by combining HTTP and HTTPS versions of a site into a single property. This is a notable departure from Google Search Console’s method, which treats each protocol as a distinct property that needs individual setup.
Insights from Bing Webmaster Tools Team
- Unified Property View: Bing Webmaster Tools users see HTTP and HTTPS versions as one entity, regardless of which one is imported.
- Practical Implications: This approach acknowledges the rarity of sites serving different content on HTTP and HTTPS, which is generally considered a problematic setup.
- Fallback Mechanism: Bing expects HTTPS data but will default to HTTP or other ports if HTTPS information isn’t available.
What This Means for Webmasters
If you are moving data or managing properties across Bing and Google platforms, it’s important to keep this distinction in mind. Importing Google Search Console properties into Bing Webmaster Tools results in a consolidated view, streamlining site management and reporting on Bing’s platform.
