Looking to Appear in Copilot? Here’s How to Get Your Website Indexed in Microsoft Copilot

Looking to appear in Copilot responses? You’ve found your answer. Learn how to get your website indexed in Microsoft Copilot using the following steps now:

How to get indexed in Microsoft Copilot

Follow along to learn how to get indexed in Microsoft Copilot:

1. Make your site accessible to Bing crawlers

First, ensure your robots.txt file allows Bingbot (Bing’s crawler) to crawl your website. If you’ve been practicing search engine optimization (SEO), it’s likely Bing has the necessary access to crawl and index your site.

The reason for this access (within the context of appearing in Microsoft Copilot) is that Microsoft Copilot uses Bing’s search index to help generate its responses.

2. Evaluate noarchive and nocache meta tag usage

Compared to other generative search experiences, Microsoft Copilot is unique in its publisher controls. Through the following meta tags, publishers can control how Microsoft Bing uses their content:

Publishers, however, need to consider the usage of these tags for other purposes and search experiences. A website focused on the stock market, for example, may need to use noarchive to ensure users see the most accurate data.

That’s why businesses need to evaluate the role of these tags within their AI search and SEO program before making changes that could affect visibility across search platforms.

3. Produce content worth citing

Next, evaluate your content by asking the following questions:

• Is this content unique or a replica of everything else on the topic?
• Is the content informed by our first-hand experience and opinions?
• Is the content something someone would bookmark or share with a friend?

If you’re answering “No” more than “Yes,” it’s time to enrich your content with:

• First-hand experience or opinions
• External or internal research
• Interactive experiences, like a quiz

Consider also rethinking your content strategy. If you’re focused on topics with the greatest reach vs. the greatest relevance to your audience, you’re likely wasting resources.

4. Build an authoritative brand

Producing content worth citing is one part of appearing in Microsoft Copilot. The second part (which often comes from that citable content) is building an authoritative brand.

This brand-building can happen through:

• Attracting backlinks from reputable sites in your sector
• Earning reviews from clients on your local listings and website
• Getting recommended on forums, like Reddit, Quora, or more niche sites
• Achieving respected partnerships or certifications with industry leaders

When you have an authoritative brand, it becomes easier for Microsoft Copilot to recommend your business (vs. a competitor) to users in relevant conversations.

5. Target conversational searches

Microsoft Copilot has a voice mode that allows users to request responses using voice searches. With the voice mode, users receive more natural and conversational responses based on the emotional and non-verbal cues they pick up in the user’s voice.

You can optimize your website and content for voice search to increase your chances of being indexed on Microsoft Copilot by:

• Optimizing for long-tail keywords because people tend to use longer sentences when searching with voice
• Including a frequently asked question (FAQ) section with concise answers and target keywords to increase your chances of appearing on relevant AI search results
• Optimizing for local search engine optimization (SEO) by integrating your location and address details on your website and Google Business Profile listing
• Ensuring your website is mobile responsive because most voice searches happen on smartphones and smart speakers

FAQs about appearing in Microsoft Copilot results

Get answers to the most common questions around appearing in Microsoft Copilot results now:

How does Microsoft Copilot build its index?

Microsoft Copilot uses the following to build its index:

• Training data, which can include information from the Internet
• Bing data, which includes Bing’s search index

How do I track my visibility on Microsoft Copilot?

Track your visibility on Microsoft Copilot using Bing Webmaster Tools.

Bing Webmaster Tools includes an AI Performance report, which shares your citations by URL and the grounding queries that surfaced those URLs on Microsoft Copilot, Bing’s AI-generated summaries, and select partner integrations with Copilot.

Can I advertise on Microsoft Copilot?

Yes! You can advertise on Microsoft Copilot with Copilot search ads, which are powered by Performance Max (PMax) campaigns and appear below Copilot’s responses.

Get discovered on Microsoft Copilot with award-winning optimization solutions

AI search engines are a new concept, so GEO experts are your best bet for ranking. At WebFX, we have a team of GEO experts who understand the nuances of indexing and ranking on Microsoft Copilot and other  generative search engines.

When you work with us, you get turnkey GEO solutions for maximizing AI visibility. Our solution include a GEO audit, a custom AI search strategy, and the implementation of different search optimization tactics. Contact us online or call us at 888-601-5359 to start the conversation with one of our strategists!