Microsoft Ads, the channel most accounts underweight.
Microsoft Advertising (Bing) reaches a distinct audience pool at lower CPCs than Google. We treat it as its own channel — not a Google copy/paste — with the same standard applied to both.
Most accounts copy/paste their Google setup into Microsoft Ads. It's a different channel.
Microsoft Advertising serves a different audience: older skew, higher household income, desktop-heavy, over-indexed in finance, healthcare, and B2B. The queries are different, the intent is different, and the CPC dynamics are different.
Microsoft Ads underperforms when it's run as a Google copy/paste. Built as its own channel — with audience-distinct campaigns, query strategy specific to the platform, and budget sized to its incremental contribution — it's often the highest-margin paid channel in the mix.
Three structures that make Microsoft its own channel.
Build the account for Microsoft's audience, not Google's.
Campaign architecture and audience strategy designed for the platform's distinct user base. Match types, ad copy, and bid strategy tuned for Microsoft's auction dynamics — not imported from Google.
Use Microsoft's owned audience signals.
LinkedIn profile data integration available only on Microsoft Ads. Audience targeting by job title, company size, and industry that no other search platform offers.
Measure what Microsoft adds, not what it duplicates.
Geo holdouts and audience overlap analysis identify what Microsoft contributes beyond what Google would have captured. The answer is rarely zero. It's often substantial.
Our approach
- 01Microsoft-specific account architecture, not Google replication
- 02Audience strategy that leverages LinkedIn signal integration
- 03Query and copy strategy built for Microsoft's auction dynamics
- 04Cross-channel measurement that isolates incremental Microsoft contribution
- 05Budget sized to the value Microsoft produces, not its share of search volume
Outcomes
- Microsoft spend held to incremental contribution, not just channel parity with Google
- LinkedIn audience signal leveraged where it produces material lift
- Confidence to scale Microsoft budget where the incremental value warrants it
Common questions about Microsoft Ads.
- Is Microsoft Ads worth running for our brand?
- Depends on audience and category. Finance, healthcare, B2B, and higher-AOV consumer brands typically see strong incremental contribution from Microsoft. Younger consumer brands with mobile-only audiences typically see less. The strategy conversation is where we figure that out.
- Should Microsoft Ads campaigns mirror Google?
- No. Microsoft's audience and query patterns are distinct enough that copy/pasting from Google leaves performance on the table. We build the Microsoft setup for the Microsoft audience.
- How do you use LinkedIn profile data on Microsoft Ads?
- Microsoft is the only search platform with native LinkedIn audience integration: target by job title, company size, industry, and seniority. For B2B and high-consideration consumer categories, that audience signal moves performance materially.
- How do you handle audience overlap with Google?
- We measure it. Geo holdouts and platform-specific incrementality analysis tell us what Microsoft contributed beyond what Google would have captured. That number — not Microsoft's share of search volume — sets the budget.
- How is QRY different from a typical Microsoft Ads agency?
- Most accounts run Microsoft as an afterthought, with Google's setup imported. We treat it as a distinct channel with its own strategy, measure its incremental contribution clearly, and size budget against what it actually adds to the business.
Talk through your Microsoft Ads opportunity.
Start with a short strategy conversation. We'll assess fit and outline what Microsoft could add to your paid program.