We use cookies to measure ad performance and improve the site. Read our privacy policy.
Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) management
Free Microsoft Ads audit
Takes about a minute
30-40%
Typical CPC discount vs. Google
MSFT
Microsoft Ads Certified
Partner Certified, too
14+
Industries managed
Start here - the basics
If you've never heard of Microsoft Ads, you're not alone - it's one of the most under-used advertising platforms among small businesses, largely because Google Ads gets all the attention.
Microsoft Ads is Microsoft’s pay-per-click advertising platform. It was originally launched as "Bing Ads" in 2012, and Microsoft rebranded it to "Microsoft Advertising" in 2019 to reflect that ads now run across more than just Bing search - but the "Bing Ads" name has stuck for a lot of people, and that’s fine; it’s the same platform.
It works on the same core mechanic as Google Ads: businesses bid on keywords, and ads appear when someone searches for those terms. The difference is where those ads show up - Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo, and a network of syndicated partner sites, reaching a meaningful slice of desktop search traffic that a Google-only strategy never touches.
For a small business, that translates into a simple opportunity: less competition bidding on the same keywords, which generally means lower cost per click and more visibility for the same budget.
Quick definition
A pay-per-click platform (formerly Bing Ads) that shows your ads to people searching on Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft’s partner network - bid on keywords, pay per click, reach an audience Google alone doesn’t fully cover.
Choose search terms relevant to your business and set a maximum bid per click.
Your bid and Quality Score combine to determine ad rank against other advertisers on that keyword.
Across Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft’s syndicated partner network.
Only when someone actually clicks your ad - not for impressions or views.
Every format available
Microsoft Ads isn't limited to text search ads - the platform has grown to cover most of the same formats Google Ads offers, plus a couple Google doesn't have at all.
Text ads shown on search results pages when someone searches a matching keyword - the core, highest-intent ad format on the platform, and where most of your budget should start.
Headlines and landing pages generated from your site content, catching searches your keyword list might miss.
Product listings with image and price, often importable from an existing Google Merchant feed.
Automated campaigns spanning Search, Audience, and Shopping inventory toward a ROAS goal.
Native-style ads across MSN, Outlook.com, and Microsoft Edge - a channel Google Ads simply doesn’t have.
Image-enhanced search ads that stand out visually against plain text listings on the results page.
The case for a second channel
Most businesses treat it as an afterthought if they've heard of it at all. That's usually a mistake - the platform reaches a distinct, often more valuable audience a Google-only strategy never touches.
Microsoft’s network skews toward users aged 35-65 with higher household income - a strong match for home services, healthcare, financial, and B2B advertisers whose ideal customer looks exactly like that profile.
The same keywords that cost $30+ on Google often run 30-40% cheaper on Microsoft Ads, simply because fewer advertisers are bidding - a modest budget buys more visibility.
Microsoft Ads can layer LinkedIn’s company, industry, and job function data onto Search campaigns - a genuine differentiator for B2B advertisers with no Google Ads equivalent.
Why small businesses shouldn't pick just one
Running both isn't about doubling your budget - it's about making a limited budget stretch further and reducing how much you rely on a single, increasingly expensive auction.
Brings volume - the largest search audience, essential for total demand, even at a higher cost per click.
Brings efficiency - 30-40% lower CPC means a small budget covers more searches, often lasting the full day instead of running out by noon.
Relying on one auction means its price swings control your entire budget. Splitting spend across both smooths that out - and because Microsoft Ads is typically cheaper per click for similar intent, blended cost per acquisition usually drops rather than just adding spend.
Same discipline, platform-specific tuning
Every keyword is scored 1-10 on the same three components Google uses, calculated independently on Microsoft's own auction data.
Built from Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, and Landing Page Experience - the same three components as Google, scored independently on Microsoft’s own auction data.
Often higher on Microsoft Ads for the same ad copy, since less competition means more page real estate per ad - but it still has to earn the click.
CTR = clicks / impressions × 100
Tracked on a shared measurement stack with Google Ads so blended return across both platforms is directly comparable, not two separate scorecards.
ROAS = revenue / ad spend
How we manage your account
Existing Google Ads structure imported as a baseline, or a fresh market audit if starting new.
Bids, match types, and audience layers rebuilt for Microsoft's auction and demographic profile.
Campaigns go live with Universal Event Tracking verified against your Google Ads conversions.
Ongoing optimization with blended reporting across both platforms, monthly.
Real accounts, real platform mix
Not every account should run Microsoft Ads alone - these are real client results where it ran as a genuine second channel, not a copy-paste import.
Questions people search before they ask us
Ready when you are
A free audit reviews your account (or your market, if you're starting fresh) for Microsoft Ads readiness - audience fit, keyword overlap, and what a realistic blended CPA improvement would look like.
.svg){kind=icon}
