Bing Ads vs Google Ads: 8 Reasons to Test Microsoft Advertising
Google is the default choice for search advertising, and for good reason. But many advertisers stop there and never test the second-largest search ad network. Bing Ads, renamed Microsoft Advertising in 2019, reaches millions of searchers that Google ads don't, often at a lower cost and with less competition.
Microsoft Advertising isn't a replacement for Google Ads. It's an addition worth testing, especially for B2B companies and businesses targeting older, higher-income audiences. Here are eight reasons why.
Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads at a glance
Microsoft Advertising | Google Ads | |
|---|---|---|
Search reach | Bing, Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo and other partners, plus Windows, Edge and Copilot | Google Search and search partners |
Search volume | Smaller | By far the largest |
Competition | Usually lower | High in most industries |
Cost per click | Often lower for the same keywords | Often higher |
Audience | Skews older, desktop-heavy, many professional users | Broad, mobile-heavy |
Unique targeting | LinkedIn profile targeting by company, industry and job function | Google's own audience and intent data |
Setup | Can import campaigns directly from Google Ads | Built from scratch |
1. Less competition
Many advertisers ignore Microsoft Advertising entirely. That means fewer competitors bidding on the same keywords, which can make it easier to win top positions, especially in competitive industries where Google auctions are crowded.
2. Lower costs per click
Less competition usually means lower prices. Cost per click on Microsoft Advertising is often lower than on Google for the same keywords, though the gap varies by industry and market. Even when volume is smaller, a lower cost per lead can make it one of the most efficient channels in an account.
Our take: don't assume, measure. Run the same core campaigns on both platforms for a few weeks and compare cost per lead or cost per sale, not just cost per click.
3. A valuable audience
Microsoft's search audience skews older and more desktop-heavy than Google's, with many users searching from work computers. For businesses selling to professionals, homeowners, retirees or anyone making a considered purchase, such as financial services, real estate, travel, cars or B2B software, that audience can be particularly valuable.
4. LinkedIn profile targeting for B2B
Microsoft owns LinkedIn, and Microsoft Advertising lets you adjust bids or target based on LinkedIn profile data: company, industry and job function. No other search platform offers this. A software company can bid more when the searcher works in finance or holds a senior IT role, which is a real advantage for B2B advertisers.
5. Built into Windows, Edge and Copilot
Bing is the default search engine in Microsoft Edge and powers search in Windows. Microsoft has also built ads into Copilot, its AI assistant, so advertisers can reach people as they research with AI. Many company computers use these defaults, which is one reason the network reaches so many professional users.
6. Reach across partner sites
Microsoft Advertising doesn't just show ads on Bing. Its search network includes partner sites such as Yahoo, AOL and DuckDuckGo, so one campaign can reach searchers across several search engines.
7. More control over some settings
Microsoft Advertising gives advertisers some controls that Google limits, such as more flexibility with ad scheduling and device bid adjustments at the campaign and ad group level, and the ability to target search partners separately. For advertisers who like hands-on control, this helps.
8. Easy to get started
You don't have to build from scratch. Microsoft Advertising can import campaigns, keywords, ads and extensions directly from Google Ads, and keep them in sync. Most advertisers can launch a test in a day, then adjust bids and budgets once data comes in.
How to test Microsoft Advertising
Import your best-performing Google Ads search campaigns.
Review settings after import, including location targeting, budgets and bid strategies, since some don't map exactly.
Set up conversion tracking with the Microsoft UET tag, so you can compare results fairly.
Add LinkedIn profile targeting if you sell B2B.
Run for at least four to six weeks, then compare cost per conversion with Google.
Scale what works and pause what doesn't.
Is Microsoft Advertising right for you?
It's worth testing if:
You already run Google Ads profitably and want more volume
You sell to businesses or professionals
Your customers skew older or higher income
Your Google costs per click keep rising
It may be less useful if your budget is very small and your Google campaigns aren't yet working well. Fix those first.
Google is still the starting point
For most businesses, Google Ads remains the core of paid search, and Microsoft Advertising adds incremental leads at an efficient cost. Read our guides to Google Ads for startups and Google Ads KPIs to get the foundation right, and see how search compares with social in Google Ads vs Facebook ads.
Get help with paid search
SYMVOLT manages search campaigns across Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising, with tracking that shows which platform brings your customers. If you'd like to test Microsoft Advertising without guesswork, let's talk.
About the author: Jose Fuente is an Advertising Specialist at SYMVOLT.
Comments