If you're running Google Ads but ignoring Microsoft Ads, you're leaving money on the table. Here's why the smartest advertisers are allocating 15-25% of their search budget to Bing — and seeing better returns for it.
The CPC Advantage
Across virtually every industry, Microsoft Ads delivers lower cost-per-click than Google. We consistently see 20-35% lower CPCs on Bing compared to Google for identical keywords. The reason is simple: less competition. Fewer advertisers means lower auction pressure, which means more clicks for your budget.
For e-commerce brands running Shopping campaigns, the savings can be even more dramatic. Microsoft Shopping often delivers comparable conversion rates at significantly lower costs.
Real Numbers: What We See Across Accounts
Across our managed accounts, here's what the CPC difference looks like in practice. In B2B SaaS, average CPCs on Microsoft are 30-40% lower than Google. In e-commerce, the gap is typically 20-30%. In professional services (legal, financial, consulting), where Google CPCs can exceed $15-25, Microsoft often delivers the same keywords at $8-15. These savings compound quickly — an advertiser spending $50,000/month on Google could reach an equivalent audience on Microsoft for $30,000-$35,000.
But it's not just about cheaper clicks. The quality of traffic matters, and Microsoft Ads consistently delivers strong conversion rates. In many of our accounts, the cost-per-acquisition (CPA) on Microsoft is 15-25% lower than Google, meaning you're not just paying less per click — you're paying less per customer.
LinkedIn Profile Targeting: The B2B Secret Weapon
Microsoft Ads is the only search advertising platform that offers LinkedIn profile targeting. You can target your search ads based on company, industry, and job function — making it extraordinarily powerful for B2B advertisers.
Imagine showing your SaaS product ads only to marketing directors at companies with 500+ employees in the technology sector. That's the precision LinkedIn targeting provides — and it's exclusive to Microsoft.
How to Set Up LinkedIn Targeting
LinkedIn targeting works as a bid modifier in Microsoft Ads. You create your campaigns as normal, then layer LinkedIn profile targeting on top. You can target by company name (great for ABM campaigns), industry (technology, healthcare, finance, etc.), and job function (marketing, engineering, C-suite, etc.). You can use these as observation-only or set bid adjustments to pay more for high-value profiles.
The real power comes from combining search intent with professional profile data. Someone searching "enterprise CRM software" who also happens to be a VP of Sales at a mid-market tech company is an incredibly valuable lead. On Google, you'd have no way to identify that profile. On Microsoft, you can bid 50% more for exactly that person.
A Different, Valuable Audience
Bing users aren't just "people who forgot to change their default browser." The Microsoft search network audience skews older, with higher household incomes and stronger purchasing power. These users are on Windows desktops at work, using Edge as their default browser, and searching on Bing through Microsoft's Copilot integration.
In fact, Microsoft's AI-powered Copilot is driving significant growth in Bing search volume. As Copilot adoption increases, so does the audience available through Microsoft Ads.
The Copilot Effect
Microsoft's integration of Copilot across Windows, Edge, and Office 365 is quietly transforming the Bing advertising landscape. Every Copilot query that triggers a web search flows through the Microsoft Ads auction. As enterprise Copilot adoption accelerates, the volume of high-intent, professional searches on Microsoft's network grows proportionally. This is a structural shift that smart advertisers are positioning for now.
The demographic advantage is real and measurable. According to Microsoft's own data, 38% of Bing searchers have household incomes in the top 25%. These are professionals making purchasing decisions at work — exactly the audience most B2B and high-consideration B2C advertisers want to reach.
Easy Import from Google
One of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Ads is how easy it is to get started. You can import your entire Google Ads account structure — campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, and extensions — in minutes. This means you can expand to a new platform with minimal effort.
However, importing is just the starting point. We always optimize Microsoft Ads independently — adjusting bids, testing unique ad copy, and leveraging platform-specific features like LinkedIn targeting to maximize performance on each platform.
Import Best Practices
- • Import structure, not bids: Microsoft's auction dynamics are different. Start with manual bids or let Microsoft's automated bidding find the right levels.
- • Review and edit ad copy: What works on Google may need tweaking for Bing's audience. Test different messaging angles.
- • Set up separate tracking: Use Microsoft's UET tag for accurate conversion tracking rather than relying on imported Google data.
- • Don't import everything: If some Google campaigns are experimental or low-performing, leave them out. Import your proven winners first.
- • Schedule regular re-imports: Microsoft offers scheduled imports that keep your accounts in sync — useful for e-commerce brands with frequent product changes.
Microsoft Ads Unique Features Worth Using
Beyond LinkedIn targeting, Microsoft Ads offers several features that Google doesn't:
- • Multimedia Ads: Rich visual ad formats that appear in the main search results with large images — higher CTR than standard text ads.
- • Vertical Ads: Industry-specific ad formats for travel, automotive, and financial services that display rich product information.
- • Audience Network: Microsoft's native advertising network reaches users on MSN, Outlook.com, and partner sites — similar to display advertising but with Microsoft's audience data.
- • Video Extensions: Add video directly to your search ads for more engaging results.
The 20% Rule
We typically recommend allocating 15-25% of your total search advertising budget to Microsoft Ads. This is enough to generate meaningful data and results without overcommitting. As you see results, you can adjust the split based on actual performance data.
The bottom line: if you're only running Google Ads, you're missing a significant segment of high-value search traffic. Microsoft Ads isn't a "nice to have" — it's a competitive advantage that most of your competitors are ignoring.
How to Phase In Microsoft Ads
If you're new to Microsoft Ads, we recommend a phased approach. Start with your highest-performing Google campaigns — the ones with proven keywords, strong ROAS, and clear conversion paths. Import those first, allocate 10-15% of your total search budget, and run for 30 days. Review performance, optimize bids and ad copy, then expand to additional campaigns. Within 60-90 days, most advertisers find their optimal budget split.
Ready to explore Microsoft Ads? Learn about our Microsoft Ads management or get a free audit.