Consider this: 80-90% of searches on the internet happen on Google. That number is higher when it comes to mobile searches. That means if you’re advertising on Google, your competition is growing rapidly every single day, and ad costs rise with it. So, how do you make sure your ads reach the right people without overspending?
It might be time to add Microsoft Advertising to your strategy. While Bing accounts for only about 2–6% of all search traffic, it offers highly targeted cost-effective opportunities to reach niche audiences your competitors may be missing. Many businesses rely on Microsoft tools, using Edge as their main browser, or searching directly from Bing, Outlook, and even Windows programs.
As Paid Advertising Strategist Alex Schwimmer points out, Microsoft Advertising can help businesses uncover low-cost ad placements and untapped revenue potential. By diversifying your ad reach, you can access new customers at a fraction of the cost, while complementing your Google ad strategy.
Types of Ads Microsoft Offers
You’ve reviewed your budget and have found space to expand your advertising efforts to Microsoft Advertising. After consideration, you realized that you are missing out on a great resource that offers low costs with the potential for high returns.
Now, the next step is to understand the full scope of Microsoft’s advertising options. Similar to Google Ads, Microsoft Ads operate on three distinct networks: Search, Display, and Shopping. To make the most of your campaign, it’s important to know the different ad formats available on each network.
“They run ads similarly to Google Ads with responsive search ads, dynamic search ads, expanded text ads, call ads, and video ads but one ad type that’s exclusive to Microsoft is the multimedia ads.”
Search Network Ads
Appear directly in Bing, Yahoo, and partner search engine results when users search for specific keywords.
- Text Ads: Simple, keyword-driven ads that appear above or below search results.
- Responsive Search Ads: Automatically test different headline and description combinations to find the best-performing ad.
- Dynamic Search Ads: Use your website content to automatically generate relevant ads and match them to user searches.
Display Network Ads
Run on Microsoft’s partner websites, apps, and platforms, allowing you to reach users while they browse online content.
- Image Ads: Visually engaging ads designed to attract attention across websites and apps.
- Video Ads: Short video content that helps capture audience interest in a more dynamic way.
- Native Ads: Ads designed to blend seamlessly with the content on the site where they appear.
Shopping Ads
Perfect for e-commerce businesses, these ads display your products directly in search results with images, prices, and descriptions.
- Product Ads: Showcase product details and images to drive traffic directly to your product pages.
- Smart Shopping Ads: Automate bidding and placement for optimal performance across networks.
Where Microsoft Ads Appear
Microsoft ads surface across two primary networks, reaching users in multiple everyday environments:
Microsoft Primary Search Network
- Bing
- AOL
- Yahoo
- DuckDuckGo
- Windows search bar and Microsoft Office programs
Microsoft Audience Network
- MSN
- Microsoft Edge
- Outlook
- Publisher Sites (e.g., CBS Sports and USA Today)
Largest Advantages of Microsoft Ads
If you’re only running campaigns on Google, you might be missing out on a powerful opportunity. Microsoft Ads brings fresh potential to your marketing strategy by reaching a different demographic, offering lower costs, and providing precision targeting options you can’t find anywhere else.
“Some of the largest advantages of Microsoft Ads is you are able to reach an older demographic, scale your platform, and there’s less competition — which often leads to lower average cost per click. And they have also several exclusive paid advertising features that are not found on other networks, like Google Ads.”
Customer
Microsoft Advertising offers many advantages including reaching a new demographic of users. The average age of a person searching through Bing or discovering your ad through a Microsoft page or network is 45-64 years old. Research shows that these individuals are less likely to turn on ad blockers, have more influence on purchasing decisions, and have more brand loyalty.
Competition/Cost
The bottom line is that you are facing less competition, which leads to more affordable keyword auctions, and lower CPCs. On average, you’ll spend less than half what you would spend on Google Ads.
Customization
Microsoft Advertising targeting strategies are detailed and customizable by location, time of week, day, device and more. And they have several exclusive paid advertising features that aren’t found on other networks. Google Ads also offers extensive targeting options, but with broader categories, making it a bit less precise.
Exclusive Features of Microsoft Ads
In addition to its customization options, Microsoft Ads offers a range of exclusive features designed to help advertisers reach new and highly targeted audiences.
One of its biggest advantages for B2B marketing is its integration with LinkedIn, making it the only platform outside of LinkedIn itself to offer LinkedIn Profile Targeting. Through Microsoft Search and the Microsoft Audience Network, advertisers can use LinkedIn’s workplace and career-based targeting data — such as company, industry, and job function — to adjust keyword bids and deliver tailored ads. This allows brands to connect with business influencers, decision-makers, and executives using content aligned to their professional interests, resulting in higher engagement and conversions.
Beyond LinkedIn integration, Microsoft Ads also provides:
- Multimedia Ads: Rich, visually engaging ads with large images, headlines, and text displayed directly on Microsoft’s SERPs.
- Action Extensions: Prominent, clickable CTA buttons integrated into search ads to drive immediate action.
- Professional Service Ads: Industry-specific formats designed for sectors such as insurance, real estate, health care, and tax services.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Third-party programs that support Google ads commonly support Microsoft Ads as well.
Together, these features make Microsoft Ads a powerful tool for businesses aiming to expand their reach and drive meaningful results.
Integration With Google Ads
One of Microsoft’s biggest advantages is how easily it syncs with Google Ads. This makes expanding your strategy simple and low risk.
Campaign Management
- Familiar structure: Campaigns > Ad Groups > Ads/Keywords
- Simple one-click import from Google Ads, including campaigns, ad copy, keywords, and extensions
Targeting & Features
- Robust targeting: keywords, location, device, and demographics
- Comprehensive tracking and reporting: conversion tracking, remarketing lists, and performance insights
- Flexible bidding and budgeting options
Campaign Types
- Supports Search, Shopping, Video, Performance Max, and Display campaigns
Expanding Into Microsoft Ads
If you are hesitant to shift some of your ad budget to Microsoft, remember the benefits listed above and understand that it will be less expensive. You will get your name out there to a more targeted audience and have a bit more control over who sees it and when.
Why Expand Into Microsoft Ads
If they are interested in scaling their advertising program, Microsoft ad offers placements on varying websites, affordability, because there’s less competition, so it’s more affordable average cost per clicks, which leads to more affordable average cost per conversion. And then exclusivity. So, they do offer unique features, like multimedia ads. And action extensions.
- Scalability: The ability to scale further than placements on their current platform
- Microsoft houses between 2%–6% of the internet’s search volume
- Affordability: With lower average CPCs, advertisers can achieve higher click volumes at lower cost than other platforms, which ultimately reduces overall CPA
- Exclusivity: Access to unique features such as LinkedIn Profile Targeting to target specific demographics and multimedia ads to display enriched visual assets across the SERP
Maximize Results With Microsoft Advertising
To get the most out of Microsoft Advertising, start with a smaller budget — around 5–15% of your total budget. Then, migrate top-performing campaigns on Google: Search, Performance Max, or Shopping. Sync the company’s LinkedIn account to gain access to the LinkedIn Profile Targeting feature. And review the search term report and final conversions to verify quality.
Key Takeaways
Microsoft Ads add another dimension to your overall advertising strategy. Perhaps start with successful Google Ads campaigns and migrate for additional conversions.
- Affordable: Lower CPCs and CPAs compared to Google Ads
- Easy to Integrate: One-click import from Google Ad
- Exclusive: Unique tools like LinkedIn targeting and multimedia ads
- Low Risk, High Reward: Expand reach with minimal extra spend
Another Dimension to Your Ad Strategy
From my research and experience, diving into both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, is that Microsoft offers a more affordable solution and they are easy to integrate from Google Ads to Microsoft Ads within just a few clicks. And there are a lot of exclusive features found on Microsoft Ads that are not found on Google Ads that you should be taking advantage of.
Bottom line: If you’re already succeeding with Google Ads, adding Microsoft Advertising can amplify your results, lower costs, and connect you with valuable audiences your competition is missing.
