Customised news content on company websites looks set to become even more important to businesses, after a recent study indicated an increasing number of people turning to websites as their first port of call for news.
Researchers for Microsoft’s search engine Bing found that 60 per cent of people surveyed consider websites with news content to be their preference. They considered such sites to be the most effective way of getting the latest headlines.
The information lends weight to the theory that improving search engine optimisation is directly linked to having a customised news feed on a site.
As a result of the findings, Bing has implemented a host of changes that will make it quicker and easier for internet users to find the specific news content they are looking for.
Users of the search engine – which is aiming to be a direct rival of Google with its technology and information provisions – will be able to submit their location, which will allow the search engine to provide news and weather reports from that particular region.
Writing in a blog, Jacquelyn Krones of Bing said news articles are being indexed at a higher speed, while news query intent has also been improved.
"Now it's the perfect place to start your day: get the headlines, figure out what to wear based on the forecast and really get into the details on stories that interest you the most," she remarked.
