Using Microsoft Ads (Formerly Bing) to Expand Your Reach

Using Microsoft Ads (Formerly Bing) to Expand Your Reach

When it comes to pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, Google Ads often steals the spotlight, but it’s not the only player in the game. If you’re looking to expand your digital footprint, lower your cost-per-click (CPC), and reach new audiences, it’s time to take a closer look at Microsoft Ads, formerly known as Bing Ads.

Despite being overshadowed by Google, Microsoft Ads powers search ads not just on Bing, but also on Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo, and even MSN, offering access to over 1 billion monthly users globally. That’s a sizable chunk of the internet that many marketers overlook.

Here’s why Microsoft Ads deserves a spot in your PPC strategy in 2025 and how to make it work for your business.

 Why Use Microsoft Ads?

1. Less Competition, Lower Costs

   • Fewer advertisers mean lower CPCs.

   • Get more clicks for the same budget compared to Google Ads.

   • Especially useful for smaller businesses or cost-conscious campaigns.

2. High-Quality Demographics

   • Microsoft’s search engine audience tends to skew older, more affluent, and desktop-heavy ideal for industries like finance, healthcare, B2B, and luxury products.

   • You’ll also reach users who default to Bing on Microsoft devices (including Edge and Windows-powered machines).

3. Easy Google Ads Import

   • Microsoft Ads lets you import your Google Ads campaigns directly, saving setup time and ensuring consistency across platforms.

4. Cross-Platform Reach

   • Ads appear across a variety of Microsoft-owned and partner platforms, including Outlook, Xbox, LinkedIn (via integrations), and Microsoft Edge, giving you broader visibility.

 Key Features of Microsoft Ads

• Audience Targeting: In addition to keywords, target users by job function, LinkedIn profile, age, gender, device, and location.

• Automated Bidding: Similar to Google, you can choose smart bidding strategies like Maximize Clicks, Target CPA, or Enhanced CPC.

• In-Market Audiences: Reach people who are actively researching or looking to purchase in your niche.

• Responsive Search Ads: Show the most relevant combinations of headlines and descriptions based on user intent.

• Shopping Campaigns: Great for e-commerce brands looking to showcase products visually.

 When to Use Microsoft Ads

Microsoft Ads can be a game-changer for businesses in specific scenarios:

• You’re maxing out your Google Ads budget but want to scale without increasing CPC.

• Your audience skews older, more affluent, or desktop-based.

• You operate in a niche where competition is intense on Google.

• You’re in the B2B, finance, legal, healthcare, or education sectors.

• You want to diversify ad channels to reduce platform dependency.

 Tips to Succeed with Microsoft Ads

1. Don’t Just Copy/Paste

   • While importing from Google Ads is helpful, tailor your campaigns for Microsoft’s audience and platform behaviors.

2. Test Different Match Types

   • Microsoft handles broad, phrase, and exact match types slightly differently—test and refine accordingly.

3. Adjust Bids by Device

   • Microsoft search traffic is more desktop-heavy. Adjust bids based on performance per device type.

4. Use Audience Targeting Layers

   • Add LinkedIn profile targeting for B2B campaigns—something Google doesn’t offer natively.

5. Track Conversions Accurately

   • Set up Microsoft UET (Universal Event Tracking) to monitor conversions, remarketing audiences, and performance insights.

6. Leverage Ad Extensions

   • Just like Google, Microsoft supports sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, and more. Use them to improve CTR.

 Real Results: Case Study Snapshot

A B2B software client running solely on Google Ads decided to allocate 20% of their ad budget to Microsoft Ads. In three months, they saw:

• 18% lower CPC

• 24% higher click-through rate (CTR)

• 12% increase in qualified leads

While traffic volume was lower, the cost-efficiency and quality of leads made Microsoft Ads a profitable secondary channel.

 Final Thoughts

Microsoft Ads isn’t a “Google killer,” but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a strategic complement to your existing PPC campaigns, giving you access to new audiences, lower costs, and less competition.

In a digital world where every edge counts, ignoring Microsoft Ads could mean leaving valuable clicks and conversions on the table.

So if you’re looking to stretch your ad dollars further, test a new channel, or just diversify your paid strategy, Microsoft Ads is more than worth a look in 2025.