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Microsoft announced that they will begin charging for access to the Bing Search API through the Windows Azure Marketplace.
Microsoft said the charges will start at approximately $40 (USD) per month for up to 20,000 queries each month. The pricing will likely go into affect in the next 3 to 6 months.
In the next several weeks, Microsoft will document the schedules for this transition and during that transition, Microsoft will encourage users to use the Bing Search API for free. Then at some point, Microsoft will start billing you for use.
If you are already using the Bing Search API, keep watch of the developer blog for updates. Those doing 3 to 4 million queries will likely hear directly from Microsoft.
SEOs and Webmasters are shocked Microsoft is going this route. They felt any upside people have to use Bing, keep it, especially for developers and early adopters.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
Comments:
Michael Martinez
04/16/2012 06:09 pm
Recent rumors that Microsoft may put try to sell Bing to Facebook seem to suggest that Microsoft is losing heart in the highly competitive search industry. They have committed several strategic blunders at the consumer level: 1) They showed themselves weak by fighting so hard to steal the Yahoo! search market share 2) They have made it increasingly difficult for average Webmasters to promote Bing's search capabilities 3) They have made it increasingly difficult for Websites to keep content in the Bing index (you need click-throughs) Every move seems to be designed to squander Microsoft's consumer cache and leave Bing in the shadow of its own failures. I don't know who is calling the shots at Bing but they need a new leader. The current one has been a disaster. Google has routed Bing every step along the way.
Bobby Gaglini
04/17/2012 06:43 pm
I agree with everything you say except for the very last part. Bing has real-time results and ranking factors from Facebook and Twitter. Google has...*shudder* G+. Aside from this loss, I believe you're right. Google has routed Bing.
Devan N P
04/18/2012 06:08 am
Yes true, i also get the email sounds like it. it makes me confused to find a solution to get a free API from other providers..