Google versus Bing

TL;DR

If you search for "speed test" with Google or Bing, you will get very one-sided comparable results. In particular, Ookla's speed test is mentioned.

A handful of other speed tests are mentioned - including speed tests based on the Ookla speed test - the speed tests adviced by the Ultimate Speed Test Test are hardly mentioned.

The differences between the search results are negligibly small.

Test approach

For this simple test we compare the results from Google and Bing when we search for the phrase "speed test".

For this test we only investigate the results of the first result page.

To ensure that the Search Engine Results Page is not personalized, a clean browser is used with a ZenMate VPN connection to the United States (although according to Traceability at a Glance, the location is Unknown).

Note that the result pages will vary over time. So it is important to know that these test were performed in 2023 at January 10, January 30 and March 27.

Main findings

Both search engines links mainly to Ookla's speedtest.net or to clones of Ookla's speedtest.net. In the graph below you find the percentages of links to Ookla (and clones) per speed test.

More than half of the links in results pages of the search engines Google and Bing structurally refer to Ookla-based speed tests/pages.

Besides Ookla and Ookla clones the following speed tests occured in the search results:

1. Fast.com
2. M-Lab
3. Xfinity speed test
4. Google Fiber speed test
5. Speedcheck.org

Note that 4 of these 6 unique speed tests appear in the speed test top 10.

Google's search results

The results of google.com are (see also the image below):

1. An option to run an Internet Speed test (based on M-Lab)
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest, plus four additional links
3. A link to Fast.com
4. A link to the Speakeasy speed test, plus two related questions
5. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
6. A link to the Xfinity speed test
7. A link to TestMySpeed (https://testmyspeed.onl/)
8. A link to Speedcheck.org
9. A link to the Internet Speed Test of HighSpeedInternet.com
10. Eight suggestions for related searches

Testing these links learned that TestMySpeed after some time redirects to graivaik.com (luckily a parked domain), hence TestMySpeed is presented without clickable link. It was not possible to send feedback to TestMySpeed (there is no contactform or e-mail address), so only feedback has been sent to Google.

The Speakeasy, Spectrum and TestMySpeed speed tests are clones of the Ookla speed test.

The HighSpeedInternet is powered by M-Lab.

Hence the folllowing unique speed tests are shown at Google's result page:

1. Ookla's Speedtest with 8 links
2. M-Lab with 2 links
3. Fast.com with 1 link
4. Xfinity speed test with 1 link
5. Speedcheck.org with 1 link

It is clear that there is room for improvement. The following stands out:

1. You get the opportunity to start the M-Lab test directly (+)
2. Google Fiber speed test is not mentioned (-)
3. The golden standard (Ookla's Speedtest) is mentioned (+)
4. The bulk of the links (8 out of 13) refers to Ookla's Speedtest (-)
5. Only one recommended speed test (M-Lab) is mentioned (-)
6. There is a link to a low quality page (TestMySpeed]) (-)

Bing's search results

The results of bing.com are (see also the image below):

1. A clickable image to open Ookla's Speedtest.net
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest.net, plus six additional links followed by 4 related questions
3. Additional information regarding Ookla's Speedtest.net, from Wikipedia, followed by 8 related searches
4. A link to the Google Fiber speed test plus additional links to the HighSpeedInternet speed test and fast.com
5. A link to the Xfinity speed test
6. A link to Ookla speed test settings plus additional links to the HighSpeedInternet speed test and fast.com
7. Links to video's of Speed Test (which phone is faster, Galaxy S22 vs iPhone 13)
8. A link to AT&T's Internet Speed Test
9. A link to Fast.com
10. Four people also ask questions
11. A link to the Internet Speed Test including a clickable image
12. A link to the Verizon Speed Test
13. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
14. A link to Speedcheck.org
15. Eight suggestions for related searches

More important, Bing's result page doesn't show Microsoft's own speed test (which is also available in the Edge browser).

The AT&T's Internet Speed Test and the Spectrum speed test are based on the Ookla speed test. The Internet Speed Test (of HighSpeedInternet) is powered by M-Lab.

Hence the folllowing unique speed tests are shown at Bing's result page:

1. Ookla's Speedtest with 13 links
2. Fast.com with 3 links
3. M-Lab with 2 links
4. Xfinity speed test with 1 link
5. Google Fiber speed test with 1 links
6. Speedcheck.org with 1 link

Also for Bing, it is clear that there is room for improvement. The following stands out:

1. There is no option to start a speed test directly (-)
2. Google Fiber speed test is mentioned (+)
3. The golden standard (Ookla's Speedtest) is mentioned (+)
4. The bulk of the links (13 out of 21) refers to Ookla's Speedtest (-)
5. The M-Lab speed test is mentioned indirect via the Internet Speed Test (-)
6. Only two recommended speed tests (Google Fiber, and M-Lab (although indirectly)) are mentioned (-)
7. It is not clear if the Verizon Speed Test is an unique speed test or a clone (+/-)

The big question now is, what question should be asked to see the Microsoft speed test in Bing search results?

No winner, it's a draw

Based on the findings above it is clear that there is no winner.

Both search engines heavily promote Ookla speedtest and return more or less the same search results.

The quality of the search results leaves much to be desired. Most of the speed tests adviced by the Ultimate Speed Test Test are not mentioned.

The January 30 results

As Michael Martinez wrote in the SEO Experiment Acid Test “repeat the experiment”.

So I did at January 30.

Google's search results

The results of google.com are (see also the image below):

1. An option to run an Internet Speed test (based on M-Lab)
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest, plus four additional links
3. A link to Fast.com
4. A link to the Speakeasy speed test, plus two related questions
5. A link to the Xfinity speed test
6. A link to Speedcheck.org
7. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
8. Four people also ask questions
9. A link to the Internet Speed Test - AT&T Official Site
10. Six grapical suggestions for related searches
11. Eight suggestions for related searches

This is almost the same list as shown January 10. TestMySpeed (https://testmyspeed.onl/) is replaced by the Internet Speed Test - AT&T Official Site (an Ookla powered speed test).

Bing's search results

The results of bing.com are (see also the image below):

1. A clickable image to open Ookla's Speedtest.net
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest.net, plus 9 additional links followed by 4 links to other content from speedtest.net
3. Additional information regarding Ookla's Speedtest.net, from Wikipedia, followed by 8 related searches
4. An option to explore 6 related pages
5. A link to Fast.com
6. Another link to Ookla's speedtest.net
7. A link to the Google Fiber speed test plus additional links to the HighSpeedInternet speed test and fast.com
8. A link to the Xfinity speed test including a clickable image
9. A link to the Internet Speed Test including a clickable image
10. Four people also ask questions
11. A link to Speedcheck.org including a clickable image
12. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
13. A link to AT&T's Internet Speed Test
14. A link to the Speakeasy Internet Speed Test including a clickable image
15. Eight suggestions for related searches

Again, this is almost the same list as shown January 10.

The March 27 results

Check, check, double check. These are the results of March 27.

Google's search results

The results of google.com are (see also the image below):

1. An option to run an Internet Speed test (based on M-Lab)
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest, plus four additional links (plus a link to more results from speedtest.net)
3. A link to Fast.com
4. A link to the Speakeasy speed test, plus two related questions
5. A link to TestMySpeed (https://testmyspeed.onl/), an Ookla clone with a bad user experience, hence not linked
6. A link to the Xfinity speed test
7. A link to the Google Fiber Speed test (an Ookla clone!)
8. A link to the PCMag's Speed Test
9. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
10. Three "Related to this search" suggestions (internet speed test free, speed test in megabytes per second, ping test)
11. A more results indicator

This result is very one-sided. In addition to 10 links to Ookla or Ookla clones, there is 1 link to M-Lab (the possibility to immediately perform an internet speed test), 1 link to Fast and 1 link to the Xfinity speed test. Three quarters of the links are related to Ookla's speed test.

Bing's search results

The results of bing.com are (see also the image below):

1. A clickable image to open Ookla's Speedtest.net
2. A link to Ookla's Speedtest.net, plus 14 additional links followed by 4 links to other content from speedtest.net
3. Additional information regarding Ookla's Speedtest.net, from Wikipedia, followed by 8 related searches
4. Five unrelated "Explore more" (on Wikipedia) options
5. A link to the Google Fiber speed test plus additional links to the HighSpeedInternet speed test and fast.com
6. A link to the Internet Speed Test including a clickable image
7. Three related searches plus short answers
8. Eight links to Bing's News related to Speed Test
9. An option to explore 8 related pages
10. Seven unrelated "Trending on Bing" options
11. A link to AT&T's Internet Speed Test
12. A link to the Xfinity speed test including a clickable image
13. Another link to Ookla's speedtest.net
14. Four people also ask questions
15. A link to Fast.com
16. A link to the Spectrum Internet Speed test
17. A link to Speedcheck.org including a clickable image
18. Another link to the Google Fiber's Speedtest (ref=rqeem.net)
19. 14 links to video's related to speed tests
20. Eight suggestions for related searches

Bing has again managed to make the page even busier. The question is whether this is what you are looking for. In any case, a link to the ultimate speed test test is missing.

The result pages of Google and Bing as images (January 10)

The result pages of Google and Bing as images (January 30)

The result pages of Google and Bing as images (March 27)