Independent research suggests that Bing has cornered 12.7% of the market in the 12 months since it launched.

However Google has 62.6% and Yahoo 18.9%, according to figures from ComScore.

At a Microsoft summit to discuss Bing’s progress, the search engine’s executives admitted that there was “a long road ahead” for the site.

“There is something that we are doing that is clearly resonating but that said we are a low share player,” Satya Nadello of Microsoft’s online division told BBC News.

“We have barely gotten into double digits but we want this to grow into a significant business for Microsoft. It is a huge market where there is a significant profit pool that can be achieved.

“But we definitely wouldn’t be in it if we were not going to play to win.”