On 13 October 2026 Microsoft Bing added Topics Portfolio (Beta) to the AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools. It groups the AI search queries where your site is cited into themes and shows where competitors are cited instead. Businesses already verified in Bing Webmaster Tools should check for the new tab and use it to spot content gaps.
It is free, and it is one of the few places a small business can see anything about how AI search engines use its content.
Key takeaways
- Microsoft Bing launched Topics Portfolio (Beta) in Bing Webmaster Tools' AI Performance report on 13 October 2026.
- It groups the grounding queries where your site is cited into topics, showing topic size, sites cited and query counts.
- Top Opportunity Queries highlight prompts where other sites are cited and yours is not, with volumes shown as ranges.
- Bing says to treat the numbers as directional, and smaller sites may see few or no topics until there is enough data.
What happened
The Bing Webmaster blog post of 13 October 2026, by Krishna Madhavan, Saral Nigam and Vivek Jain, introduces Topics Portfolio. It "groups the grounding queries where your site appears into broader thematic clusters". Grounding queries are the searches Bing's AI runs behind the scenes to find sources for an answer, for example in Copilot.
The topics come from your own site's AI search activity rather than a generic list. The report has three parts:
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Topics landing page | A personalised list of topics where your site has a meaningful presence |
| Top Opportunity Queries | Strong queries where other sites are cited and yours is not, with citation volumes as ranges |
| Topic detail pages | KPI cards for Topic Size, your citations and query count, plus tables of your grounding queries and opportunity queries |
The metrics
- Topic Size: approximate total citations across all sites for the topic in the selected period.
- Sites Cited: approximate number of sites appearing for queries in the topic, a guide to how crowded it is.
- Queries: approximate number of distinct grounding queries in the topic.
You can choose a one-, two- or three-month window, and give feedback on each topic or query with thumbs up or down.
The caveats
Bing is candid about limitations. The tab appears only "if there is sufficient data for your site", and topics with too little activity are hidden, so smaller sites may see few topics or none. "Topic classification is AI-generated and can occasionally be imperfect", and branded queries can show up as opportunities. Bing's advice: "Treat the numbers as directional signals for planning, not as a precise ledger."
Who this affects
- Content-led businesses, such as professional services, B2B suppliers and publishers, that want to be cited in AI answers.
- Agencies that report on AI visibility and want first-party data rather than third-party estimates.
- Small local businesses, who may not see data yet but should still be verified so data builds up.
Bing is a smaller search engine than Google in most countries, but its AI answers reach people through Copilot and Microsoft products. Our earlier post on Bing Webmaster Tools AI reports covers the wider context and UK market share figures.
Practical checklist
- Verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools if you have not. Our setup guide explains how, including importing from Google Search Console.
- Submit your sitemap and check it with our free sitemap checker.
- Turn on IndexNow so Bing hears about new and updated pages quickly. See our guide to automating indexing with IndexNow and sitemaps.
- Check Bingbot is not blocked in robots.txt or by firewall rules. Use our robots.txt tester.
- Open AI Performance and look for the Topics Portfolio tab. If it is missing, your site may not have enough data yet; check back monthly.
- Review opportunity queries. Ignore branded noise, then ask whether you have a page that genuinely answers each one. If not, consider writing it.
- Strengthen pages in your strongest topics with clear answers, up-to-date facts and structured data.
- Record a baseline. Note your citations per topic now so you can compare in three months.
For other ways to measure AI visibility, see our roundup of AI search visibility tools. If you would rather have these reports land in your inbox automatically, our guide to automating SEO reporting shows the approach, and Make It Flow can help set it up.
FAQ
What is Topics Portfolio in Bing Webmaster Tools?
It is a beta feature in the AI Performance report, launched on 13 October 2026. It groups the grounding queries where your site is cited in Bing's AI answers into themes, and shows topic size, how many sites are cited and where competitors are cited instead of you.
Why can't I see the Topics Portfolio tab?
Bing shows it only if there is sufficient data for your site, and hides topics with too little activity. Smaller or newer sites may see few topics or none. Keep your site verified, your sitemap submitted and IndexNow running, and check again over the coming months.
What are grounding queries?
They are the searches Bing's AI systems run to find sources when composing an answer, for example in Copilot. They are not always the exact words a user typed. Seeing them helps you understand which questions your pages are being used to answer.
Does Topics Portfolio show clicks or traffic?
No. It shows citations and query counts, as approximate figures. Bing says to treat the numbers as directional signals for planning rather than precise data. Use your analytics to measure actual visits from Bing and Copilot.
Should I write content for every opportunity query?
No. Some opportunity queries will be off-topic or branded queries for other companies, which Bing acknowledges. Focus on queries your business can answer with genuine expertise and that matter commercially. A few strong, accurate pages beat many thin ones.
Related reading
- Google's AI Content Guidance Update, October 2026: What UK Sites Should Change: Google updated its generative AI content guidance on 1 October 2026: fact-check everything, including titles, alt text and schema. What UK websites should do.
Sources
Written by the MakeItFlow team
We build the website audit these guides are based on. Every fact is checked against the primary sources listed above and this guide was last reviewed on 25 October 2026 . How we research and check
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