Bing.com Updates Homepage and Launches New Layout, although Not HTML5 Yet

I’m sure there are plenty of you who are too excited for the NFL Kickoff 2011 to notice any small changes over at Bing.com. Or maybe you are celebrating the new football season by playing some Tecmo Super Bowl (I highly recommend this one).

Well we’ll have none of those fun and games here at WebRanking. Only serious business for us, and today I’m here to write about Bing, and the subtle new changes to their homepage. This may or may not just be in preparation for their expected HTML 5 homepage, either way, it’s a nice change. Especially for those of you who didn’t know there was a way to actually find out what the image you were looking at actually was. Oh yes, there certainly was.

Bing Redesigns Home page, Launches New Format

Bing.com Refreshes Homepage, Launches New Layout

Moves the Facebook Like Button

Now as you’ll notice by the excellent markings I’ve made to the image itself, Bing has moved the Facebook Like button to within the photo. This is probably in hopes to draw more attention to it, and maybe help people get the point that they are actually "Liking" the Bing Image, and not Bing.com itself… don’t worry, we like you Bing! I really think this move will help them get a lot more likes. Time will tell.

Bing Changes the position of the Facebook Like Button

Facebook Like Old position on the left, new on the right.

You’ll also notice that they no longer show the exact number of people that are liking the image, they are rounding it. That’s probably just to save space.

Changes Location of Site Navigation

They have also moved the menu options on the left of the image, and stuck them up there on the explorer bar. That’s right, up there by your wonderful Bing Rewards button. Man, I sure hope I win some free stuff in the sweepstakes I entered!

Updates the Image Navigation Buttons

Last but not least, in fact, this is probably the best change, the control buttons for the image have changed. The buttons are no longer boxy, outdated, and hard to see. They are well rounded, and easily noticeable. Most importantly, they changed the copyright © symbol, to a nice "information" symbol. This new information button, believe it or not, has the exact same function as the © button did. You hover over it with your mouse, and it gives you a description of the image. I’m guessing that people didn’t know this functionality existed (I figured it out just a month ago), so they made it a little more user friendly. Good job Bing!