Pepsi vs Coca-Cola. Messi vs Ronaldo. McDonalds vs Burger King…Google vs Bing.
The fight for supremacy between the internet’s two biggest search engines has been one of the great battles of the 21st century. While Microsoft’s Bing has certainly carved itself a share of the market, there is no doubt Google has come out on top. A recent study estimated 92% of search engine users opt for Google, compared to 3% for Bing.
Naturally, due to the difference in the number of users on each search engine, Google’s dominance over Bing has also been translated into the world of search advertising. In 2021 the revenue Google generated from search ads was $209.49 billion, dwarfing the $8.53 billion generated by Bing. BUT this certainly doesn’t mean Bing Ads (now known as Microsoft Ads) shouldn’t be considered as part of your paid marketing strategy.
In this article we will educate you on what Bing Ads is, explain its strengths, highlight the opportunities it brings, and ultimately answer the question… “Is Bing Ads worth it?”. ‘Spoiler alert‘ – yes it is.
What is Bing Ads (Microsoft Ads)?
So, what is Bing Ads? Now known as Microsoft Ads, it is a lesser known form of search engine advertising. Similar to the process for Google Ads, as an advertiser you bid on particular target keywords that you feel will bring in leads / sales / enquires. The aim is for your advert to show at the top of the Bing Search Engine Results Page (SERP), or on one of their partner networks (such as Yahoo), when a user inputs a relevant query.
Like Google Ads, Microsoft provides an intuitive platform where you can build campaigns, ad groups and ads. It also offers a range of targeting parameters that allow you to control when and who your adverts are served to.
In terms of the ad creation process, Bing Ads is very similar to Google Ads, so you won’t have to spend too much time educating yourself on how to use it. Microsoft has even included a feature within the Bing Ads platform that allows you to import your campaigns directly from Google Ads! Not only will this save you the hassle of building an account from scratch, you can be selective with elements that get pulled across e.g particular ad groups, or certain cost-per-clicks.
Why You Should Consider Bing Ads
Microsoft Ads provides you with the opportunity to showcase your search and display adverts across Bing, Yahoo and their respective networks. “But does anyone use Bing or Yahoo anymore?”. Don’t worry, we know that’s what you’re thinking! Time and time again, when we mention Microsoft Ads to clients that is their initial response. But in reality, a lot of people still do.
It is estimated that 900 million searches are made on Bing everyday.
It’s no secret that Bing Ads has a lower market share than its rival Google, and your target keywords will therefore have lower search volumes. However, this actually presents an opportunity. Microsoft Advertising has significantly less competition which means lower cost per clicks across keywords that would typically be more competitive. In many instances it can be a more cost effective solution than Google Ads.
The key thing to remember… if someone is searching for keywords that you know will bring you leads, then it doesn’t matter what search engine they are using! So, “Is Bing Ads Worth it?”. It most certainly is.
The Key Benefits of Bing Ads
I appreciate that if you had never previously heard of Microsoft Ads, this article so far may have been ‘information overload’. Therefore, to make your life easier (especially if you need to relay this information to your Marketing Director) we have summarised the key benefits below.
- Less competition means lower costs and potentially improved cost per acquisition.
- Bing is the default search engine for users on internet explorer. For this reason, the platform brings with it a significant volume of engaged users.
- Setting up a Microsoft Ads account is quick and simple. You can also import your campaigns over from Google Ads which saves a huge amount of time from having to set them all up again!
- Microsoft Ads regularly offers £100 free credit for all new users. As a Microsoft Ads agency we can ensure you receive the coupon and it is applied to your account once live.
How Do You Get Started?
As with Google Ads, if you decide that you would like to advertise on Microsoft Ads it is vital that your account is built in a way that ensures your ads are shown to the right people, with the right mindset, at the right time. Otherwise, you could leave yourself open to significant spend wastage. This is where we can help…
If you are looking to explore the potential of Microsoft Ads, get an account audit or need an agency to optimise your existing set up, then you are in the right place! Our PPC specialists have extensive experience managing Microsoft Ads accounts and can help you take advantage of a channel many of your competitors may not be utilising effectively.
To learn more about our Microsoft Ads services you can call us on 0207 288 6204 or email us at beth@signifydigital.com.
