Microsoft is a global corporation known for its Windows operating system and a number of programs for it: from games to office software and cloud solutions. And, among other lines of work, the company also offers solutions for advertisers. In this article, we’ll look at what kind of advertising you can run on Microsoft, where it will appear, and what kind of audience it can reach.
What is advertising at Microsoft?
Microsoft Advertising is an online advertising platform owned by Microsoft. It is similar to Google Ads and allows advertisers to place ads on Microsoft websites and apps, including Bing, Outlook.com, and third-party sites connected to the Microsoft Advertising network. Advertisers can use Microsoft Advertising to reach people across all devices and platforms with text, image, and video ads.
Microsoft Advertising Types
All Microsoft advertising formats are divided into three large groups by genre.
- Search advertising. Ads are shown in the results of the Bing search service depending on the query entered by the user of the search engine. Visually, advertising differs from organic delivery, ads can be expanded with additional interactive elements.
- Native advertising. Banners, as well as text and product ads that appear in the Microsoft Edge browser, on Outlook.com, on MSN (Microsoft news) and on a number of partner sites.
- Media advertising. Videos and banners that users see in various Microsoft services and on partner sites.
Let’s consider each of these types in more detail.
Bing ads
Bing is the second most popular search network in the world, used by 3.03% of users. And although compared to the hegemon Google (92.58% of searches), the audience seems small, but it exists. And if a person chooses a non-mainstream search engine, then the advertisement that you place in Google search will not reach him. And this is only a share of 3% in the world, and there are countries where the percentage of Bing fans is much higher. So, if you are looking for maximum reach, or are looking for non-standard growth points, pay attention to Bing Ads.
What Microsoft search ads look like
Various extensions can be added to the basic ad, including:
- calls,
- addresses,
- additional links,
- image,
- video,
- reviews,
- applications etc.
Who sees ads on Bing
Bing Ads is the key to North America. It has the largest share of users in this region. It is used by 6.7% of users in the USA, 5.39% in Canada, and 3.88% in Mexico.
But, in addition to geographical distribution, there is also a thematic one. So, when analyzing search engines in different countries, in order to estimate the potential coverage, you should also consider Ecosia in addition to Bing.
Ecosia is a social project, a search engine that transfers money from advertising to planting trees.
Ads on this search engine appear from Bing Ads. That is, by setting up advertising in Bing, you have a chance to join this project and sponsor forest restoration if the audience sees your ad in Ecosia. And, accordingly, there is a higher chance of finding an environmentally conscious audience.
Native (contextual) advertising in Microsoft Advertising
Microsoft calls native advertising the ads it serves on its own resources and on a number of partner sites. Visually, such announcements are similar to ordinary posts on these sites, although they are marked with the “Ad” mark.
Native advertising on the Microsoft Audience Network is a great way to reach your target audience. With native advertising, you can target users based on their interests and demographics, making it easier to find the right people for your product or service. Native ads also blend in with page content, making them less intrusive than other forms of advertising.
Display ads at Microsoft Advertising
Display advertising is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience online. Microsoft Advertising makes it easy to create and manage display advertising campaigns, so you can get the most out of your marketing budget.
Microsoft Advertising is a great tool for displaying ads. It is easy to use and can help you reach a wide audience. With Microsoft Advertising, you can create effective display ads that grab people’s attention and drive them to action.
In summary, display advertising is an effective online marketing tool, especially when using the powerful Microsoft Advertising platform. With this platform, companies have access to advanced targeting and customizable visuals, along with a compelling tone that will help them reach new audiences and achieve better results from their digital advertising efforts.
Types of media advertising in Microsoft
When creating display ads, consider your business and its unique advertising goals. Choose from these different display advertising options to implement a powerful addition to your digital marketing strategy.
- Banner advertising. Effective banner ads include clear branding or logos, high-quality visuals, and relevant keywords to capture the viewer’s attention.
- Interactive ads. These ads contain video, audio, buttons, and other interactive elements. These range from animated visual ads to game formats or surveys.
- Interstitial ads. Appear before the content of the site that the user is viewing, or between the content at natural break points.
- Video advertising. Similar to interactive display ads, adding video elements to display ads can improve engagement and retention.
Conclusions: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Microsoft Advertising
For promotion in Europe, Microsoft Advertising can be a useful tool for increasing the reach of media campaigns. Also, Microsoft’s advertising tools make it possible to reach users who use the company’s services in principle, and it is more difficult to reach them using traditional methods for our market.
But it should be taken into account that this “additional” audience is relatively small. It is worth conducting a test campaign, checking the presence of your target audience in the service, and only then planning large campaigns.
If you work with North American markets, Microsoft Advertising should be an important component of the digital mix there. In the US and Canada, Bing accounts for ~10% of searches, so attracting this audience would not be superfluous.
