PPC’s Guide | Bing Ads: The Underrated PPC Platform

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a powerful tool for businesses to increase their online visibility, drive traffic to their websites, and generate leads.

While Google Ads dominates the PPC landscape, there is another platform that should not be overlooked: Bing Ads.

Despite being often overshadowed by its competitor, Bing Ads has a lot to offer to businesses looking to expand their digital marketing efforts.

In this article, we will explore why Bing Ads is an underrated PPC platform and how it can benefit your business.

What are Bing Ads?

Bing Ads is a PPC advertising platform owned by Microsoft that allows businesses to place ads on Bing, Yahoo, and AOL search engines. It works similarly to Google Ads, where businesses bid on keywords relevant to their products or services and pay each time a user clicks on their ad.

Bing Ads offers various ad formats, including text ads, product ads, and dynamic search ads.

Bing Ads vs. Google Ads: Key Differences

While Bing Ads shares many similarities with Google Ads, there are some key differences to keep in mind:

• Audience: Bing’s audience tends to be older, more educated, and more affluent than Google’s audience.
• Search Volume: Bing has a smaller search volume than Google, but it still reaches millions of users.
• Competition: Bing Ads has lower competition than Google Ads, which means businesses can get more visibility for their ads at a lower cost.
• CPCs: Bing Ads generally has lower cost-per-clicks (CPCs) than Google Ads, making it more cost-effective for businesses.
• Targeting Options: Bing Ads offers more advanced targeting options, such as demographic targeting, location targeting, and device targeting.
• Integration: Bing Ads is integrated with Microsoft Advertising Network, which includes Microsoft Edge, MSN, and Windows 10, reaching more users.

Advantages of Bing Ads

Here are some of the advantages of using Bing Ads for your PPC campaigns:

Lower Competition

As mentioned earlier, Bing Ads has lower competition than Google Ads. This means that businesses can get more visibility for their ads at a lower cost. With less competition, businesses have a better chance of reaching their target audience and generating leads.

Cheaper CPCs

Bing Ads generally has lower CPCs than Google Ads, making it more cost-effective for businesses. In fact, studies have shown that Bing Ads can result in up to 33.5% lower CPCs compared to Google Ads. Lower CPCs mean that businesses can stretch their advertising budget further and get more clicks for their money.

High-Quality Traffic

Bing’s audience tends to be older, more educated, and more affluent than Google’s audience. This means that businesses targeting these demographics can get high-quality traffic to their websites. Additionally, Bing users tend to have a higher intent to purchase, making them more likely to convert into customers.

Better Ad Positioning

Bing Ads has better ad positioning than Google Ads. Since Bing has less competition, ads have a better chance of appearing at the top of the search engine results, giving them greater visibility to potential customers. This can result in higher click-through rates and more conversions for businesses.

Advanced Targeting Options

Bing Ads offers more advanced targeting options than Google Ads. Businesses can target their ads based on demographics, location, device, and even the time of day. This means that businesses can tailor their ads to reach their ideal audience, resulting in higher engagement and conversions.

Integration with Microsoft Advertising Network

Bing Ads is integrated with Microsoft Advertising Network, which includes Microsoft Edge, MSN, and Windows 10. This means that businesses can reach more users beyond the Bing search engine. The integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem also allows businesses to take advantage of additional targeting options, such as targeting users based on their LinkedIn profile information.

Improved Performance on Mobile Devices

Bing Ads has shown to perform better than Google Ads on mobile devices. With mobile search traffic continuing to grow, it’s important for businesses to ensure their ads are optimized for mobile devices. Bing Ads offers various features that can help businesses create mobile-friendly ads, such as call extensions and click-to-call buttons.

Disadvantages of Bing Ads

Here are 5 disadvantages of Bing Ads that advertisers should be aware of:

Lower Traffic Quality

Compared to Google’s extensive search network, Bing Ads may bring in fewer visitors. Additionally, the traffic quality is lower, resulting in less engagement and fewer conversions. This means advertisers may have to spend more to get the desired outcome, without necessarily getting the same results as with Google AdWords.

Keyword Normalization

Bing Ads has keyword normalization, which means the platform corrects spelling, uses synonyms, and disregards stop words. While this feature may help target niche keywords, it can also limit the scope of ads and make them less visible to a wider audience.

Lower Conversion Rates

Because of the lower traffic quality and fewer visitors, Bing Ads tend to have lower conversion rates than Google AdWords. This translates to higher costs per conversion, which can quickly add up for advertisers on a tight budget.

Limited Standalone Potential

While Google AdWords can stand on its own as a primary advertising channel, Bing Ads may not have the same potential. Advertisers may need to use Bing Ads in conjunction with other advertising channels to create a complete marketing strategy.

Tips for Running Successful Bing Ads Campaigns

Here are some tips to help businesses run successful Bing Ads campaigns:

Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial to running successful PPC campaigns. Businesses should research their audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors to create ads that resonate with them.

Use Relevant Keywords

Choosing the right keywords is essential for PPC success. Businesses should use relevant keywords that match their target audience’s search queries. They should also use negative keywords to avoid irrelevant clicks.

Create Compelling Ad Copy

Creating compelling ad copy is crucial to standing out in the search results. Businesses should use strong headlines, engaging ad copy, and clear calls to action to entice users to click on their ads.

Take Advantage of Ad Extensions

Ad extensions can help businesses improve the visibility and effectiveness of their ads. Businesses should take advantage of ad extensions, such as call extensions, sitelink extensions, and location extensions, to provide users with additional information and options.

Monitor and Adjust Your Campaigns

PPC campaigns require ongoing monitoring and optimization to achieve the best results. Businesses should regularly review their campaign performance, adjust their bids and ad copy, and test new strategies to improve their ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bing Ads worth it?

Yes, Bing Ads can be a cost-effective way for businesses to reach their target audience and generate leads.

How much does it cost to advertise on Bing?

The cost of advertising on Bing depends on various factors, such as the competitiveness of your keywords and your targeting options.

Can Bing Ads help with local SEO?

Yes, Bing Ads can help businesses improve their local SEO by targeting users in specific geographic areas.

How does Bing Ads compare to Facebook Ads?

Bing Ads and Facebook Ads have different targeting options and audiences. Depending on the business’s goals, one platform may be more effective than the other.

Can Bing Ads integrate with Google Analytics?

Yes, Bing Ads can integrate with Google Analytics to provide businesses with additional insights into their campaign performance.

Conclusion

While Google Ads may be the most well-known PPC platform, Bing Ads should not be overlooked. Bing Ads offers various advantages, such as lower competition, cheaper CPCs, and advanced targeting options. By following best practices and tailoring their campaigns to their target audience, businesses can successfully leverage Bing Ads to drive traffic to their websites and generate leads.