One of the latest headlines that grabbed the eyeballs is, Bing has became the second most popular search site on the Internet after Google. However, Bing is far away from beating the Google in the search arena. Recent report suggests that the Redmond conglomerate is planning to set up several changes to its search interface and HTML links to take on Google in coming year. 

Let’s check out some reasons how Bing may narrow that gap with Google search in 2012.

Bing partnerships with Facebook and Twitter 

In 2011, Bing partnered with both Facebook and Twitter, something that Google didn't do. Google is completely relying on its own social networking site Google+. Where Facebook has over 800 million active users, Google+ has just nearly 30 million users. Facebook’s partnership with Microsoft helped Bing to improve its overall market share in 2011, and will likely yield even bigger results in 2012.

Bing’s integration with Xbox and Kinect 

Xbox is one of Microsoft's biggest and most surprising successes other than operating systems, Office, and the enterprise suits. It is found, in 2011, Microsoft has enhanced integration with both Xbox and the newer Kinect gaming system. This will definitely pay off in 2012 as well. 

And because the gaming demographic is a young one, if Microsoft may convince gamers to use Bing instead

Bing’s W4 Search model 

The internet is enormous with millions and millions of URLs consumed every bit of time. Numerous users are likely to pose indefinite number of queries. Hence a search engine should be efficient enough to understand and respond to user’s query from its data store. 

According to a Bing’s search official, the company has an efficient structured model called the W4 model which predict - who, when, where, what of possible purposes effectively. 

Bing DeskBar

To pose a threat on Google’s search base, Microsoft is also working on software known as Bing DeskBar. The new software would integrate corporate local files and Web searches. In order to enhance user’s experience, it would also include a ‘people’ category to search e-mails and messages from Facebook and Twitter. 

Web apps based on HTML5

In a future project, Bing will incorporate rich Web apps based on HTML5. This way, Bing will augment the search criteria by giving detailed information for user’s query. The search will also broaden up to more personal data to deliver custom results.

Bigger reach in mobile will grow market share

No doubt, the success of Android platform is helping Google search. Google has dominated mobile search as it is the default search engine in iOS and all Android powered handsets. It is expected to do so in 2012 also. But Microsoft will make its own gains. In November, Microsoft released a very good updated Bing app for Android and iOS, which reviewers believe, is better in some ways than Google's mobile search. 

Moreover, Bing would be default search engine in all Windows Phone 7 powered handsets which are likely to gain market share in 2012. 

However, it is not possible that Microsoft will overtake Google or even come close in 2012? But, for sure Bing will become a formidable competitor in coming year for Google. 

Well! 2011 was a good year for Bing. Let’s hope, next year would be better.