Bing Adds Snippet Controls Tags; Like Google

Last September, Google added methods for controlling elements of your search results snippets. Last week, Bing also announced similar controls that it will begin supporting later this Spring. Bing said "Now, with these new features, webmasters will have more control than ever before to determine how their site is represented on the Bing search results page."

Here are these new snippet meta tags:

1. max-snippet:[number]

   Specify the maximum text-length, in characters, of a snippet in search results.

   Example :

   <meta name="robots" content="max-snippet:400" />

   • If value = 0, we will not show a text snippet.
   • If value = -1, there is no snippet length limit.


2. max-image-preview:[value]Specify the maximum size of an image preview in search results.
   Example:

   <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:large" />  

   • If value = none, Bing will not show an image preview.
   • If value = standard, Bing may show a standard size image.
   • If value = large, Bing may show a standard or a large size image.
   • If value is not none and not standard and not large, webmaster does not specify a limit.

3. max-video-preview:[number]
   Specify the maximum number of seconds (integer) of a video preview in search results.
   Example

   <meta name="robots" content="max-video-preview:-1" />  

   • If value = 0, Bing may show a static image of the video.
   • If value = -1, allow any preview length.

You can combine them as well.

When is this launching? Bing said "Over the following weeks, we will start rolling out these new options first for web and news, then for images, videos and our Bing answers results. We will use these options as directive statement, not as hints."

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.