The Bing Copilot Optimization Checklist for 2026 (Download PDF + Excel)
Kamaraj Mathiarasan (Kim)
Last updated on
Microsoft Copilot runs on the Bing index, so Copilot optimisation is, first and foremost, winning at Bing: get indexed, rank, and be citable there. It is the Microsoft-specific execution of our broader GEO checklist . This is the checklist we run for B2B SaaS clients at PipeRocket Digital.
It is interactive. Tick each item as you finish it, your progress saves in your browser, and you can download the whole thing as a PDF or Excel.
How to use this checklist
Because Copilot draws on Bing, most of the work is Bing SEO that many teams neglect. Get indexed and ranking in Bing first, then apply the answer-first and authority layers.
The Bing Copilot Optimization Checklist for 2026
Get surfaced in Microsoft Copilot, which runs on the Bing index: verify in Bing, index fast with IndexNow, allow the crawlers, and publish citable content. Tick items off as you go. Your progress saves automatically, and you can download the whole thing as a PDF or Excel.
0 of 17 complete
1. Win Bing first (Copilot runs on Bing)
2. Let the crawlers in
3. Rank and answer well in Bing
4. Authority & entity
5. Measure
Win Bing first
Verify and configure the site in Bing Webmaster Tools, submit your sitemap, and confirm your key pages are indexed by Bing. Use IndexNow to get new and updated pages picked up fast, and fix Bing-specific crawl and indexing issues in the Bing tools. Copilot cannot cite what Bing has not indexed.
Let the crawlers in
Allow Bingbot and do not block Microsoft’s AI crawlers in robots.txt, server-render content so it can be read without JavaScript, and keep the site fast and technically clean.
Rank and answer well in Bing
Optimise for Bing’s ranking factors (Bing weights on-page and exact-match signals a little differently from Google), front-load a clear, quotable answer, structure content as question-and-answer blocks with lists and tables, and win Bing featured snippets, which feed Copilot answers.
Reinforce authority and entity signals
Keep your entity facts consistent across the web, earn mentions and links from sources Bing and Copilot trust, and add relevant, valid structured data.
Measure
Track your Bing organic performance in Bing Webmaster Tools, test target prompts in Copilot and note whether you are cited, and monitor referral traffic to reinforce what gets surfaced.
Go deeper
This is one of the checklists in our marketing checklists hub . It sits under the GEO checklist umbrella; pair it with the ChatGPT SEO checklist (ChatGPT search also uses Bing) and the AI crawler access checklist .
How we use this at PipeRocket Digital
Bing is undervalued precisely because it powers Copilot and ChatGPT search. If you want a senior team capturing that overlooked visibility, talk to us .
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bing Copilot optimization?
Bing Copilot optimization is getting your brand and content surfaced in Microsoft Copilot, which is powered by the Bing search index. It centres on winning at Bing (indexing, ranking, IndexNow), allowing Microsoft’s crawlers, and publishing citable, answer-first content that Copilot can reference.
How do I get my site into Microsoft Copilot?
Get indexed and ranking in Bing, since Copilot draws on the Bing index. Verify the site in Bing Webmaster Tools, submit your sitemap, use IndexNow for fast pickup, allow Bingbot, and publish clear, citable content with valid schema. Strong Bing presence is the foundation of Copilot visibility.
Does Copilot use Bing or Google?
Microsoft Copilot uses the Bing index, not Google. That makes Bing SEO, which many teams ignore in favour of Google, directly relevant to Copilot visibility. The same Bing presence also benefits ChatGPT’s search feature, which leans on Bing too.
What is IndexNow?
IndexNow is a protocol (backed by Microsoft/Bing) that lets you instantly notify search engines when pages are added or updated, so they are crawled and indexed faster. It is especially useful for Bing and, by extension, Copilot, because faster indexing means faster eligibility to be cited.
Is Bing SEO worth it for B2B SaaS?
Increasingly yes, because Bing powers both Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT’s search feature, and it is far less competitive than Google. Getting your key pages indexed and ranking in Bing is a low-effort, high-leverage way to expand into AI-assistant visibility that most competitors ignore.
