Bing AI Performance Report for GEO
Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance shows AI citations, grounding queries, and cited pages. Learn how to use it for GEO and AEO.
Updated May 17, 2026
Bing AI Performance is important because it gives publishers a direct view into how their content appears in AI-generated answers across Microsoft surfaces. For GEO and AEO teams, it turns AI visibility from guesswork into a measurable signal: cited URLs, grounding queries, citation activity, and trends over time.
What Bing announced#
On February 10, 2026, Bing introduced AI Performance in Bing Webmaster Tools as a public preview. The report shows how publisher content appears across Microsoft Copilot, AI-generated summaries in Bing, and selected partner integrations.
Primary sources:
What the report measures#
| Metric | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Total citations | How often your content is shown as a source in AI answers | Track overall AI visibility |
| Average cited pages | How many unique pages are cited per day | Identify whether visibility is concentrated or broad |
| Grounding queries | Phrases used when retrieving cited content | Find content expansion opportunities |
| Page-level citation activity | Which URLs are referenced | Improve and internally link cited pages |
| Visibility trends | Citation change over time | Detect gains, losses, and update impact |
Bing is clear that citation counts are not the same as ranking, authority, or placement inside an individual answer. They are visibility signals, not a complete attribution model.
Why this matters for AEO#
Generative Engine Optimization focuses on being cited in AI answers. Agent Engine Optimization goes further, but citation still matters because agents and answer engines need reliable sources before they act.
Bing’s report helps answer three practical questions:
- Which pages are already trusted enough to cite?
- Which queries are being used to ground AI answers?
- Which content should be expanded, refreshed, or clarified?
How to act on grounding queries#
Grounding queries are especially useful because they reveal the retrieval language behind AI answers. They may differ from the keywords you target in traditional SEO.
| If the query shows… | Do this |
|---|---|
| A concept you cover lightly | Add a deeper section or standalone page |
| A comparison intent | Add a table and decision framework |
| A product or protocol name | Add entity context and source links |
| A local or industry qualifier | Add use-case-specific examples |
| A question format | Add FAQ and direct answer blocks |
The AI citation strategy guide provides a broader framework for turning citation opportunities into content updates.
How to improve cited pages#
When a page is cited, do not rewrite it blindly. Improve it in ways that preserve its clear focus.
High-value updates include:
- answer-first introduction
- clearer H2 headings
- comparison tables
- source-backed claims
- updated dates where appropriate
- internal links to deeper supporting pages
- FAQ questions that match grounding language
Avoid stuffing in every related keyword. AI systems need clarity more than volume.
Freshness and IndexNow#
Bing connects AI answer visibility with freshness. Its AI Performance announcement points publishers toward IndexNow as a way to notify participating search engines when content is added, updated, or removed.
That matters for AEO because stale pages can poison trust. If an AI system cites an outdated protocol status, pricing rule, or crawler policy, the page becomes less useful.
The IndexNow guide for AI search covers the implementation path.
How to report AI visibility internally#
Teams should separate AI visibility reporting from classic SEO reporting.
| Classic SEO report | AI visibility report |
|---|---|
| rankings | cited pages |
| clicks | citations and assisted journeys |
| search queries | grounding queries |
| landing pages | source URLs in AI answers |
| conversions | agent-assisted or AI-referred outcomes |
Keep both. A page can rank well but receive few AI citations, and a cited page may not produce many direct clicks.
FAQ#
Is Bing AI Performance available to every site?#
Bing announced it as a public preview in Bing Webmaster Tools. Availability and data coverage may evolve.
Does a citation mean my page ranks highly?#
No. Bing describes page-level citation activity as how often URLs are cited, not ranking or placement.
What is a grounding query?#
It is a phrase used when retrieving content that supports an AI-generated answer.
How does this help AEO?#
It shows which pages AI systems already use as sources, which helps prioritize updates before adding execution-layer actions.
Should I use IndexNow?#
For frequently updated content, yes. It helps participating search engines discover updates faster.