Bing Webmaster Tools Warns Of Microsoft Edge Compatibility Issues While Hacked Content On The Rise
Microsoft announced that those who use Bing Webmaster Tools may encounter compatibility issues with the new Microsoft Edge browser. Edge is the new browser introduced in Windows 10 and replaces Internet Explorer. Microsoft is discontinuing support for Internet Explorer except for version 11 and suggested that users upgrade to Windows 10 and Edge to check for compatibility issues with their websites.
The SEM Post reported that for those who didn’t want to upgrade their systems and browsers, that there is an online tool that can be used to check for compatibility issues. It isn’t necessary to have a Bing Webmasters Tools account in order to test your site. Just add the URL to your site, and the tool will test it. The site scan will also check for out of date libraries as well as layout issues and accessibility.
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— Edoozeh (@edoozeh) February 1, 2016
Microsoft did say they were sending out emails to users who use the Bing Webmaster Tools to let them know about the need to check their sites. Although they did recommend upgrading both Windows 10 and downloading Edge for use, they said the email was in no way intended to be a sales pitch for Windows 10.
Edge currently has a three percent market share, so webmasters may not want to be concerned with compatibility issues. Use of Edge in both Windows 10 and as a standalone download has been in decline among users. For those who do want to make changes to their sites, Google Analytics may provide some insight into how many users who visit your site actually use Edge, and usage may be so low that it isn’t worth making the change.
As previously reported bt the Inquisitr, Microsoft changed Windows 10 to a recommended update for Windows 7 and 8.1 users, and in the future, Windows 10 may not be free to those who choose to upgrade. Many Windows users were frustrated with the new updates because they felt Microsoft was trying to push the updates on them, and Microsoft backed down. For those users who have installed Windows 10 either accidentally or on purpose, they still have the option of rolling back the update as long as it is done within 31 days.
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— Mark Strauss (@TOGOMedia) January 20, 2016
Search Engine Land reported that hacked content is also on the rise for websites, so while using Bing Webmaster Tools to check for compatibility issues is a good idea, it’s also a good idea to check websites for security issues. The hacked content was reported in Google, and it uses some of the old school tactics like bait and switch. Google said the changes were not related to the recent algorithm updates Google performed.
Some sites have reported finding malware warnings in the Google Search Console while no warnings were reported through Bing Webmaster Tools. Using the Google Transparency Safe Browsing Diagnostic Tool may help webmasters identify the specific issues they are having as neither the Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools will give a specific reason for the messages.
Other problems that may show up in Google include a message that says, “this site may be hacked.” In situations like this, it is important to run a security scan of a website and identify any problems as files or redirects may have been added to the site and can cause major problems.
Bing replaced MSN as Microsoft’s answer to Google, which is the number one search engine in the world. Using Bing Webmaster Tools, combined with Google Webmaster tools allows webmasters to achieve approximately an 80 percent coverage in the search engines. Identifying where visitors come from and what browsers they use and then creating search engine optimized content allows webmasters to achieve high search engine rankings.
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