If you’re like most people, you probably think of Microsoft Ads (or Bing Ads, as they were previously known) as a very distant second place to Google. Fewer people use it, and it just seems to have the overall perception that it is less… good. But that’s not entirely the case. In this blog, we’re not going to try and convince you to ‘Bing it’ the next time you want to know some obscure fact. But rather, we’re going to talk about all the reasons that you should be considering Microsoft Ads as a viable alternative for your search engine advertising efforts.
Microsoft ads (commonly known as Bing Ads) are similar to Google Ads in quite a number of ways. And depending on your business type and the competitiveness of your market, Microsoft Bing ads can be a very helpful way of getting your brand in front of people.
Why You Should Use Microsoft Bing Ad Campaigns
As marketers, we’re constantly looking for alternative ways to reach a wider audience for our clients. When you’re looking at search engines, Bing is first among these alternate avenues, and with good reason. Bing has been seen to be popular with different audiences and demographics to Google, and as such, can provide some unique marketing opportunities that Google has a hard time reaching.
Better still, the relative lack of popularity when of Bing when compared to Google makes it a much less competitive advertising platform. This means that the cost-per-click (CPC) of Microsoft Bing ads regularly comes in well under the cost of Google Ads.
Microsoft Ads vs. Google Ads
Anyone who is sceptical of advertising on Bing will, of course, be comparing it to Google. So here are some comparisons across a few different areas advertisers focus on.
Audience
While Google undoubtedly has a broader reach, Bing boasts a unique audience of over 63 million searchers not reached by Google. This can offer your business the chance to reach a new and diverse set of potential customers.
Partner Network
Bing’s Partner Network includes the Microsoft network, such as Yahoo and MSN. This means that when you advertise with Microsoft Ads, you’re provided with a wider range of advertising opportunities.
Ad Scheduling
Unlike Google, Microsoft allows you to adjust your ad scheduling at the ad group level, providing more granular control over when your ads appear. The distinction here is that Google lets you do most of the editing and scheduling at a campaign level.
For example, if advertising electronics were the ad campaign, then advertising laptops and also phones would be two ad groups within that campaign that Microsoft would allow you to customise. Google Ads, on the other hand, would not allow this kind of specific customisation.
Import your High-Performing Google Ads campaign to Microsoft Bing Ads
In the same way that Apple makes it easy to switch from Android (and vice versa), Microsoft makes it easy to import your successful Google Ads campaigns directly into Bing Ads.
This feature allows you to leverage your top-performing campaigns across a new platform, potentially reaching a new audience without having to do too much legwork in order to set it up. This may not blow the minds of most clients, but it certainly excites our PPC team.
Create Quality Ad Copy & Images
As with any digital ad platform, compelling ad copy and visually appealing images are crucial to attract and engage users. A/B testing can help you determine what resonates with your target audience. Not a distinction between the two platforms, but nice to know you’re not missing out by using Microsoft Ads.
Keyword Research
Using Microsoft Ad’s in-built keyword planner tool is essential for identifying the right keywords to target your audience effectively. This makes it more user-friendly for marketing professionals and amateurs alike.
Improve Your Targeting
Just like Google, Microsoft Bing allows for audience segmentation, letting you tailor your ad campaigns based on factors like time of day, device type, and geographical location. Something plenty of businesses can benefit from.
Use UET Tags
Universal Event Tracking (UET) tags allow you to track what users do after they click on your ad. This can provide insights into whether users bounce or convert from your landing page, and can help optimise your campaigns for better results, and everyone loves better results.
Track your Quality Score
Bing’s Quality Score gives you a performance indicator compared to your competitor’s ads. It’s based on factors like CTR, ad relevance, and landing page experience and can guide you in improving your Bing Ads performance.
Need a Microsoft Bing ads agency to expand your PPC advertising reach for a fraction of the cost of using Google Ads? Then get in touch with the Reform Digital team today.
