Yesterday, Microsoft announced new features for m.bing.com (the company's mobile browser), including improved image search, more local-conscious services and easier mobile commerce options.

The Bing for Mobile internet browsing experience is getting a facelift. Yesterday, Microsoft announced new features for m.bing.com (the company’s mobile browser), including improved image search, more local-conscious services and easier mobile commerce options.

The company explains that it is letting mobile users navigate through image search results more quickly and seamlessly. With this in mind, marketers might want to update the images accompanying content on their sites and publish flattering photos of their business locations to catch the interest of nearby mobile searchers.

Another update, transit directions and real-time transit info, is available to city-dwellers. The feature offers information about public transportation in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle to help on-the-go consumers reach their destinations faster.

Lastly, Bing is making it easier for consumers to make purchase decisions via the mobile web. Microsoft has reorganized its mobile shopping search experience to help users find reviews, product comparisons and answers to shopping questions. The new mobile shopping search features may give a lift to mobile commerce – which Brafton has reported is expected to rise this year.

Nonetheless, Google still reigns supreme for on-the-go queries, dominating the mobile search market. With this in mind, marketers should also follow ongoing Google mobile developments that may help them connect with smartphone and tablet users.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.