Microsoft Bing To Start Encrypting Search Traffic By Default From This Summer

Microsoft Bing has already been offering users the option to encrypt search traffic. Today, Microsoft announced that they are beginning the process of encrypting search traffic by default from this Summer This means that traffic originating from Bing will increasingly come from https://www.bing.com as opposed to http://www.bing.com.

With the move to encrypted search by default we will continue to pass along a referrer string so that marketers and webmasters will be able to identify traffic as coming from Bing. However, to further protect our users’ privacy, we will not include the used query terms.  We will still provide some limited query term data available without compromising the security of customer data through our various webmaster and advertiser tools, which include:

1. Use Search Query Terms Report. Available in the Bing Ads UI or through the API, the Search Query Terms Report lets you see what search queries triggered your ads and the associated performance metrics such as clicks, impressions and conversions.
2. Adopt Universal Event Tracking. Universal Event Tracking can provide enhanced performance metrics (e.g. bounce rates, duration per visit, pages per visit and total visits) associated to the query and keywords you bid on so you can better understand conversion performance. For advertisers, Universal Event Tracking is also the foundation to allow for Remarketing in Paid Search (currently in pilot).
3. Sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools. Take advantage of Bing Webmaster tools as we will maintain keyword and ranking data inside the tools. With Bing Webmaster Tools you can be sure your site gets indexed in Bing, get access to research tools and reports that can help your search ranking and help you understand what led people to your website.

Source: Bing