Microsoft Bing Ads vs Google Ads

Microsoft vs Google Ads — it’s an online ad titan showdown!

Google Ads have always been the king of PPC.

However, in 2020, marketers had spent a total of $7.8 billion on Microsoft Advertising (or previously known as Bing Ads), an increase of 35% since 2016. This means we should not underestimate Microsoft presence in the advertising game!

We are going to examine what PPC is, then take a look at the advertising options, user demographics, and more. You will learn about both types of ads and make an informed decision on which is best for your business.

Let’s get this showdown on the road!

Here’s the outline, feel free to skip to a section that interests you the most.

• What is Pay-Per-Click
• An Overview of Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads
• Paid Search
• Display Ads
• Shopping Ads
• Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads: Pros & Cons
• Should I Use Microsoft or Google Ads?

• Relevancy: how close your ad and landing page align with search queries
• How your bid compares to your competitors’ bids in the online advertising auction
• Historical ad performance and Click-Through Rate (CTR)

A combination of these factors will determine your chance of “winning” the top ad position.

Note that there is no set price when it comes to PPC. It depends on your industry, seasonality (e.g., Christmas season), trends (eg. COVID-19), location keyword competitiveness, and the lifecycle of your customer.

We discussed Google and Bing Ads in the Paid Search section of our blog, “How to Choose the Right Advertising Channel”. Yet, both of these ad platforms have PPC options that encompass more than Search Ads. Both also offer: Display and Shopping Ads. We’ll break them down one by one, Microsoft vs Google Ads style.

Before we dive into that, here’s a quick overview of Microsoft and Google and their user demographics.

Microsoft Advertising / Bing Ads

Microsoft Bing User Demographics

• 85% of people who use Bing are in the US
• Bing accounts for 30% of all searches in the US
• 87% of Bing users come from Internet Explorer
• Bing’s user demographic leans towards blue-collar when compared to Google
• Over 70% of users are aged 35 or older
• The average age of Bing users is 45 years old
• 46% of users are married
• 30% of users have children at home
• 38% of those who use Bing have a household income of more than $100,000

Google Ads

Google User Demographics & Facts

• Google has over 1 billion active monthly users
• Compared to Bing, Google’s users are younger and more tech-savvy
• Google’s userbase demographic is pre-dominantly white-collar
• An average user spends 12 minutes every day on Google
• 80% of all companies focus on Google Ads for their PPC strategy
• Google.com is the most-visited domain in the world
• Google processes 40,000 search queries every second
• Google owns 73% of the Paid Search market
• Google generates 62% of all search queries in the US

Paid Search is known as PPC, where your business shows up in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). The purpose is to appear in front of potential customers so they can find your product or service.

Paid Search ads require planning, strategy, and ongoing management. You need to:

• Craft keywords
• Write compelling copy
• Build an effective landing page
• Make bid adjustments on the go and more

• Rank better amongst competitors
• Capture people with high purchase intent
• Hyper-target audiences based on their demographic, and interests, etc
• Make data-driven decisions while having control over ad dollars

Expanded Text Ads

Dynamic Search Ads

Bing Smart Search

Responsive Search Ads

Product Ads

Text Ads

Responsive Ads

Dynamic Search Ads

Call-Only Ads

Shopping Ads

We will elaborate on this ad type in the Shopping Ads section.

• Build brand awareness
• Retarget audiences
• Drive website traffic, conversions and so much more

• Microsoft Edge
• MSN
• Outlook
• Windows
• Xbox

Microsoft Audience Ads

Responsive Display Ads

Uploaded Image Ads

Engagement Ads

Gmail Ads

Here are three benefits of running Shopping Ads on both Bing and Google:

Stand Out From the Crowd
Shopping Ads show up at the top or sidebar of search results, which are optimal ad placement areas. Plus, visuals of your product make it pop.

Take Up more Real Estate
You could show up multiple times in search results. How? If your brand runs Shopping Ads in conjunction with Search Ads and has decent SEO, you could show up in the shopping ad section, the text ad AND organic search!

Set-Up is Easy as 1-2-3
You sync your eCommerce website with Google or Microsoft. Your product listings directly feed into the ad platforms!

Microsoft Shopping Ads

• Bing Shopping ads have a 45% higher Click-Through Rate (CTR) than Google.
• The average Cost-Per-Click (CPC) of Bing Shopping Ads is 30% lower than Google’s.
• Bing’s Shopping Ads’ average Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA) is 40% lower than Google.
• The average Bing user spends 35% more when shopping online, versus on Google.

Google Shopping Ads

Product Shopping Ads have an image of the product, description, price, and the hyperlink directs users to your website.

Showcase Shopping Ads has the product image and description which expands when clicked on. It then showcases other related products on your website.

Microsoft

Pros of Microsoft Advertising

• Aside from Microsoft Bing, you gain access to several different networks, including Yahoo and MSN.
• It captures an entire user base that Google can’t.
• Bing ads cost less than Google; they have an average lower Cost-Per-Click (CPC).
• Bing is great for targeting US audiences that are: older, blue-collar, and with higher income.
• Bing shows more ads at the top of the search results page, allowing people to find brands easier.
• There is less competition for desirable keywords.

Cons of Microsoft Advertising

• As the second-largest search engine in the world, Bing has a smaller market share.
• A smaller market share also means less traffic.
• Bing is predominantly used in the US, which means you’re less likely to reach international audiences.

Google

Pros of Google Ads

• Google owns the largest market share in the search engine industry.
• Google has robust keyword tools for advertisers to explore and grow campaigns.
• The Google Display Network connects to over 2 million third-party sites. This means your ad reach is endless!
• Google Ads can complement your SEO efforts and amplify your presence in Google search results.
• Google Ads have strong retargeting capabilities.
• Google provides excellent data insights for advertisers to make optimizations.

Cons of Google Ads

• Competitive keywords can cost a lot but are not necessarily effective.
• Google Ad campaigns are complex, which will require a lot of time and hands-on management.
• Your budget can limit your campaign — once your dollars run out, your ads turn off.

Phew, we know that was a lot of information to take in. We hope the comparisons of Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads can help you decide which one is right for your business!

When it comes to marketing, our approach is never to put all your eggs in one basket. A multi-pronged approach is ideal for reaching audiences across channels.

• So, if you plan to advertise in North America, we recommend running Google and Microsoft Ads concurrently.
• If you would like to break into the US market, Microsoft will make a difference in penetration into the middle-aged demographic.
• If you have a tighter budget and can only go with one platform, go with Google Ads. It offers more advertising options, and the audience reach is unparalleled.

Pay-Per-Click is in constant ebb and flow. Advertisers need to be on top of their game to monitor and adjust bids for optimization. It is time-consuming and can be a challenge if brands don’t have the time or familiarity with the platforms. For this reason, we recommend you consider working with an agency, who are Certified Ad Partners of Google and Microsoft can offer expertise.

Take War Room, for example. They plan and execute customized campaigns. Their experts make real-time adjustments to ensure the ads are always performing optimally. Then, they help identify opportunity gaps to improve your current and future campaigns.

An agency can take over the technical and complex parts of digital marketing, saving you time and wasted ad dollars. Plus, you get more time back in your day to focus on what you do best.

Whether you choose to go with one or both channels, Microsoft and Google can boost your online presence and drive conversions. Find a way to incorporate it into your advertising strategy today!