The Frustration of Being Blocked by a Major Search Engine

Why Is Bing Blocking My Website?

Update – September 2026: Finally, Some Good News

When I originally wrote this article in January 2025, AI Business Help had effectively disappeared from Bing. Unfortunately, because several other search engines rely wholly or partly on Bing's search index, the problem went considerably further than simply not appearing on Bing itself.

I am therefore very pleased to be able to add an update I have been waiting a long time to write:

AI Business Help is finally appearing in Bing-supported search engines.

Almost two years after launching the website, and more than 18 months after writing the original article below, the situation appears to have finally changed.

What makes this particularly interesting is that I still don't know why.

There was no message saying, "We've reviewed your website." There was no explanation of what had originally caused the continued exclusion, nor, as far as I am aware, any notification telling me that a restriction had been removed.

The site simply started appearing.

And when I say appearing, I don't mean somewhere on page 20 where nobody is ever likely to find it.

At the time of writing, searching for "AI Business Help UK" produces some remarkable results compared with where the website was when I originally wrote this article:

• Bing: 1st organic result, immediately below Bing's AI-generated answer

• Yahoo: 1st position

• DuckDuckGo: 4th position

For a website that previously couldn't get into Bing's index at all, that is quite a turnaround.

From Invisible to Number One

There is a certain irony here that isn't lost on me.

In January 2025, I was writing an article asking why Bing apparently wouldn't allow my website into its search results.

Now, when I search Bing for "AI Business Help UK," the website sits at the top of the conventional search results.

I'm obviously delighted with that result. Since launching AI Business Help in October 2024, the website has grown enormously. What began as a relatively small collection of articles has developed into a substantial resource covering AI in business, practical AI help, development, science, philosophy, society and my own experimental AI research.

But perhaps the strangest part of the whole experience is that I still can't tell you exactly what changed.

The Original Problem Still Matters

When a website disappears from a major search index, the owner needs to know why.

If I had broken a rule, I wanted to know which rule I had broken.

If there was a technical problem, I wanted to know what needed fixing.

If the site simply needed time to establish trust and authority, that would also have been useful information.

Instead, I spent a very long time effectively guessing.

During that period I continued doing what I believed was right: improving the website, fixing technical issues, producing original content, monitoring SEO, improving performance and simply allowing the site to mature.

Eventually, something changed.

Whether that was because the domain became older, the site accumulated sufficient content and authority, an automated trust signal changed, an earlier restriction expired, Bing's algorithms changed, or something else entirely, I simply don't know — and I don't want to pretend that I do.

Perhaps Persistence Was the Answer

There is, however, one useful lesson I can take from the experience.

If you have arrived at this article because you are experiencing something similar, don't automatically assume that being excluded today means you will be excluded forever.

Check your website carefully. Fix genuine technical and SEO problems. Follow the search engines' published guidelines. Concentrate on creating useful, original content. Keep improving the site.

And then, frustratingly, you may simply have to give it time.

In my case, persistence eventually appears to have paid off.

So, almost two years after launching AI Business Help, I can finally add a much happier ending to the article below.

I went from being unable to get AI Business Help into Bing's search results to ranking first on Bing and Yahoo for "AI Business Help UK", while also reaching fourth position on DuckDuckGo.

I still don't know exactly why Bing kept the door closed for so long.

And I don't know exactly why it eventually opened.

But I'm very glad it did.

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When I launched my website, the last thing I expected was to face a ban from Bing. As part of Microsoft, a company that has invested heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated it into almost all their software, I assumed Bing would welcome a site focused on AI—its uses, applications, and benefits. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.

The Challenge of Dealing with Bing

Admittedly, I made mistakes when I first launched my website. Fundamental errors like misconfigured canonical URLs and poorly managed meta content led to my site being banned by all major search engines. However, I quickly learned from my mistakes, resolving the issues by optimizing the site structure—moving JavaScript files to the bottom of pages, merging CSS files, and ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Google was quick to recognize the improvements, reinstating my site in their index. The relief was immense. Yet, my efforts to regain Bing’s favor have been met with silence and frustration. Despite resubmitting my site through Bing Webmaster Tools, fixing errors, and setting up IndexNow for automatic content submission, I’ve been unable to break through Bing’s opaque system.

Why Bing Matters

Some might question the necessity of being listed on Bing when Google dominates search engine traffic. However, the reality is more complex. Many search engines, such as Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and even niche AI search engines, rely heavily on Bing’s index for their data. If your site isn’t listed on Bing, you lose visibility on these platforms too. While they don’t match Google’s traffic, they play an important role in SEO through backlinking and diversifying traffic sources.

This concentrated power in just two search engines, Google and Bing, means that being excluded from one is a significant setback for any website.

Discovering the Ban

My realization that Bing had blocked my site didn’t come from an alert or warning in Bing Webmaster Tools. Instead, it was through the simplest test: typing my website’s URL into Bing and seeing no results. Investigating further, I ran URL inspections in Webmaster Tools and confirmed the block.

 

Searching for Answers

 

Turning to Bing’s Webmaster Guidelines, I scoured their policies for clues. The only potential issue I could identify was my use of AI-assisted content creation. My process involves drafting articles manually, then using AI tools to refine the language, ensuring clarity and quality. While this approach produces unique and well-written content, it’s possible Bing’s algorithms flagged it mistakenly.

Adding to my frustration is the inconsistency in enforcement. Sites listed on Bing routinely violate its policies with poor content, intrusive pop-ups, and even malware. In contrast, my site—free of such issues and optimized for multiple devices—remains blocked.

Turning to SEO Tools

 

To further refine my site, I turned to third-party SEO tools. They provided valuable insights, helping me address additional areas for improvement. Yet, even with these updates, I was met with generic responses when I reached out to Bing support. Requests for specific feedback were met with vague references to their policies, leaving me in the dark.

The Frustration of a Broken Process

 

Corporations often market themselves as customer-centric, but the reality of dealing with Bing has been disheartening. Automated responses and AI chatbots make it nearly impossible to get meaningful support. While I understand the challenges of managing millions of submissions, there should be a clear, human-driven process for genuine website owners to resolve issues, especially when livelihoods are at stake.

The Need for Regulation

The immense power wielded by Google and Bing calls for stronger regulation. Businesses depend on search engines for visibility, yet being blocked often comes without clear explanations or recourse. Governments should mandate transparency, requiring search engines to provide detailed reasons for bans and actionable steps for resolution. In today’s internet-driven world, being excluded from search engines is akin to being invisible in the marketplace.

Moving Forward

For now, all I can do is continue reaching out to Bing, hoping for a meaningful response. In the meantime, I’ll rely on social media and other platforms to drive traffic to my site, though this approach is far from ideal.

Ultimately, businesses and governments alike must push for accountability in how search engines operate. For website owners, the stakes couldn’t be higher—visibility isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity.

Reaching out

Have you had a similar experience? Did you get it resolved? If so how did you get it resolved?

I would like to hear from you if you have a story to tell about being blocked from a major search engine and your experience at reaching out to the search engine for help. Use my contact form below to send me a message and if it is appropriate then I will add it to the article. 

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