Bing AI Performance is no longer just a "were we cited?" report. It is becoming a practical diagnostic surface for AI visibility. Microsoft announced new preview capabilities for Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance: Intents, Topics, Citation Share, and Compare. For Canadian SMBs, these signals are useful because they show why pages may be cited, which themes they belong to, and whether citation patterns are changing over time.
The key is to use the report as a signal, not a scoreboard. Microsoft says these preview features do not turn AI visibility into a single ranking or score. That distinction matters. Citation Share is not traffic share, lead share, or an AI ranking factor. It is an observational metric that can help you decide which pages deserve review.
What changed
| New signal | What it helps answer | SMB use |
|---|---|---|
| Intents | What kind of need the grounding query appears to represent. | See whether citations come from research, comparison, local, commercial, or solve-style contexts. |
| Topics | Which broader themes your cited pages are associated with. | Check whether Bing understands your core services or is grouping you under weak/irrelevant themes. |
| Citation Share | Your share of citations for a grounding query. | Spot where you are strongly represented, barely present, or losing representation over time. |
| Compare | How citation activity changes between periods. | Review whether page updates, IndexNow submissions, or seasonal demand line up with movement. |
Grounding queries are not user keywords
This is the easiest mistake to make. A grounding query is a retrieval phrase the AI system used to support an answer. It is not necessarily what a user typed. Treat it as a window into how the system looked for evidence, not as a traditional keyword report.
That difference changes the workflow. If a grounding query says something like "Halifax SEO audit service page pricing factors," the task is not to stuff that phrase into a page. The task is to ask whether your pricing factors, audit scope, location, and service proof are clear enough for the system and the buyer.
A practical SMB workflow
- Export cited pages monthly. Keep the URL, citation count, grounding query, intent, topic, citation share, and date range.
- Group by page type. Separate homepage, service pages, blog guides, local pages, and contact/audit pages.
- Look for commercial gaps. If blogs get cited but service pages do not, improve internal links and service-page clarity.
- Review weak topics. If pages are grouped under generic or irrelevant themes, clarify headings, opening copy, schema, and supporting proof.
- Annotate changes. Record page edits, IndexNow submissions, profile updates, and new internal links before using Compare.
- Connect to leads. A citation without calls, forms, bookings, or audit requests is still only visibility.
How to turn signals into page work
When Citation Share is high, protect the page. Keep it current, add stronger next-step links, and make sure the answer still reflects the service you want to sell. When Citation Share is low but the intent is commercially relevant, improve the page rather than publishing a near-duplicate article. When the topic is wrong, the issue is often entity clarity: the page may not make the service, location, audience, or proof obvious enough.
IndexNow is useful after meaningful changes because Bing and other participating engines can be notified about updated URLs. It does not guarantee crawling, indexing, ranking, or AI citations. Use it as part of a refresh workflow, not as a magic button.
What not to do
Do not call Citation Share an AI ranking score. Do not compare it directly with Google rankings or Search Console clicks. Do not chase every grounding query with a separate page. Do not assume Bing data tells you what happens in Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity.
For SMBs, the value is focus. Bing's new signals help you see which pages AI systems already use, where your representation is thin, and which topics deserve clearer answers. That is enough to improve the next month of page work without pretending the report explains every AI answer engine.
Buyer questions
Is Citation Share the same as ranking?
No. It is an observational AI citation metric in Bing Webmaster Tools, not a ranking score, traffic share, or quality grade.
Are grounding queries the same as user searches?
No. Grounding queries are retrieval phrases used by the AI system to support answers. They should guide content review, not keyword stuffing.
Should every low Citation Share query get a new page?
No. Often the better fix is improving an existing service page, adding proof, clarifying headings, or strengthening internal links.
Does Bing AI Performance cover Google AI Overviews?
No. Use Bing AI Performance for Microsoft AI experiences, and use Search Console Generative AI reports where available for Google AI features.
Related reading and sources
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External references
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