Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) delivers paid search advertising across the Microsoft Search Network — including Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia — reaching an audience that is often older, higher-income, and less contested by competitors than Google’s. With lower cost-per-click and easy Google Ads import, Microsoft Ads deserves a share of your PPC budget in 2026.
Why Should You Advertise on Microsoft Ads?
Most advertisers default to Google Ads and ignore Microsoft Ads entirely. This creates an opportunity:
- Lower competition: Fewer advertisers means lower CPCs — often 20-40% less than equivalent Google Ads keywords.
- Unique audience: Microsoft Search powers Bing (default search on Windows, Edge, and many corporate networks), Yahoo Search, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia. These users are not all reachable through Google.
- Higher purchasing power: Microsoft’s audience data consistently shows a skew towards higher household income and education levels.
- Desktop-heavy audience: Bing has a larger desktop share than mobile, which benefits B2B advertisers and high-consideration purchases where desktop conversion rates are higher.
- AI integration: Microsoft Copilot and Bing Chat are driving a new category of search traffic that includes ads, and advertisers on Microsoft Ads are positioned to benefit as AI search grows.
How Does Microsoft Ads Differ from Google Ads?
| Feature | Google Ads | Microsoft Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Search volume | Dominant (90%+ in India) | Smaller but meaningful (5-15% of desktop search) |
| Average CPC | Higher due to competition | 20-40% lower on average |
| Audience targeting | Demographic, interest, in-market | Same + LinkedIn profile targeting (industry, job function, company) |
| Import from Google | N/A | One-click campaign import |
| AI features | Performance Max, Smart Bidding | Performance Max equivalent, Copilot integration |
| Shopping ads | Google Merchant Center | Microsoft Merchant Center |
How Do You Set Up Your First Microsoft Ads Campaign?
The fastest way to start is by importing existing Google Ads campaigns:
- Create a Microsoft Ads account at ads.microsoft.com.
- Use the Import from Google Ads tool — it copies your campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and ads in minutes.
- Review imported settings. Adjust budgets (start at 20-30% of your Google Ads budget for the same campaigns), review bid amounts, and check geographic targeting.
- Set up conversion tracking (UET tag — Microsoft’s equivalent of the Google tag) on your website.
- Enable auto-tagging for accurate analytics attribution.
If you do not have Google Ads campaigns to import, create campaigns from scratch following the same best practices — keyword research, tightly themed ad groups, relevant ad copy, and strong landing pages.
What Is LinkedIn Profile Targeting and How Do You Use It?
This is Microsoft Ads’ most unique feature — unavailable on any other search platform. You can layer LinkedIn profile data on top of search campaigns:
- Company: Target employees of specific companies.
- Industry: Target professionals in specific industries (IT, healthcare, finance).
- Job function: Target by role (marketing, engineering, C-suite, HR).
For B2B advertisers in India, this is powerful. Imagine targeting search ads for CRM software only to users in IT decision-making roles at mid-size companies — something impossible on Google Ads. Use LinkedIn targeting as a bid modifier (bid higher for matching profiles) rather than exclusive targeting to avoid limiting your reach too aggressively.
How Do You Optimise Microsoft Ads Campaigns?
Once campaigns are running, optimise with these steps:
- Review search partner performance: Microsoft Ads serves ads on partner sites (Yahoo, DuckDuckGo). Check whether partner traffic converts at acceptable rates — if not, exclude partner networks.
- Use negative keywords aggressively: Bing’s broad match can be wider than Google’s. Monitor search terms closely in the first few weeks.
- Leverage audience targeting: Beyond LinkedIn profiles, use in-market audiences, remarketing lists, and custom audiences.
- Ad extensions: Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call extensions — use all applicable extensions to increase ad real estate and click-through rates.
- Scheduled imports: If you manage Google Ads actively, set up scheduled imports to keep Microsoft Ads campaigns in sync. But always review changes before they go live.
Is Microsoft Ads Relevant for the Indian Market?
While Google dominates Indian search, Microsoft Ads has growing relevance for specific use cases:
- B2B targeting: Many corporate environments in India use Windows and Edge as defaults, meaning professionals search on Bing during work hours.
- International markets: If you serve clients in the US, UK, or Europe, Bing has meaningful market share in those regions.
- Lower-cost testing: Test ad copy, landing pages, and keyword strategies at lower CPCs before scaling on Google.
- AI search early mover: As Copilot and Bing Chat grow, advertisers already on the platform will benefit from first-mover advantage.
How much budget should I allocate to Microsoft Ads?
Start with 10-20% of your Google Ads budget for the same campaign types. If performance meets or exceeds Google Ads ROI, gradually increase. Some advertisers find Microsoft Ads delivers better cost-per-conversion, justifying a larger share. Never reduce a profitable Google Ads campaign to fund Microsoft Ads — add incremental budget instead.
Can I run Microsoft Ads without Google Ads?
Yes, though it is less common. Microsoft Ads has all the tools needed for independent PPC management — keyword planner, audience tools, conversion tracking, and automated bidding. However, the smaller search volume means it works best as a complement to Google Ads rather than a replacement, especially in India where Google’s search share is dominant.
How do I track Microsoft Ads conversions alongside Google Ads?
Use UTM parameters on Microsoft Ads URLs to track traffic in Google Analytics. Additionally, install the Microsoft UET tag alongside your Google tag for native conversion tracking within the Microsoft Ads dashboard. Google Analytics will show both sources in the Acquisition reports, allowing direct comparison of performance metrics.
