Bing Testing Favicons In Search Result Snippets

Bing is testing displaying favicons in the search results, next to the title of the search snippet.

A reader, Joshua Hedlund, emailed us a screen shot of this test. Bing has confirmed this is not a browser extension modifying the search results, but rather one of Bing’s many tests to the search results user interface.

Here is a screen shot of Bing with favicons in the search results:

I am personally unable to replicate this but a Microsoft spokesperson told us:

We’re constantly updating and refining the Bing search experience, and before any changes are implemented they undergo intensive testing and experimentation to ensure the best possible user experience. We have nothing further to share at this time.

Bing has been spotted testing favicons in search ads, while Google has been also spotted testing favicons in the search results back in 2009. Recently, Google began showing favicons in AdSense ads.

For more on Bing’s user interface changes, click here.

About The Author

Barry Schwartz

Barry Schwartz a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry can be followed on Twitter here.