When it comes to search engine giants, the one obvious behemoth that towers above the rest is Google. Starting from one of the first tools on the Internet, the company has grown to be a multi-faceted conglomerate, leaving its PPC competition in the dust…

Or does it? Surprisingly, Microsoft Advertising (formerly known as Bing Ads) has a lot to bring to the table. Here’s a quick overview of the benefits of why Microsoft Ads is beneficial to some advertisers.

Why Advertise on Bing?

While Bing is sometimes considered the “second choice” search engine, there are many hidden perks to using Microsoft Ads, formerly Bing Ads. One of these is the sheer amount of unique users.

While it may seem like the search engine has no users, the reality is that about 36% of search market share comes from Bing. With over 500 million users on the platform it has more than enough traffic to hold its own. Here are some of the ways Microsoft Ads benefits advertisers.

Demographic Leverage

Depending on an account’s target demographic, Microsoft Ads can bring a lot to the table.

  • The network has a large amount of parents, as almost 30% of users have children.
  • Around one-quarter of people “Bing”-ing it has a household income in the top 25%.
  • 37% of Bing searchers hold college degrees.
  • An even split of men and women are using the search engine.

If an account wants to target, for instance, a college graduate in their fifties who works in a higher level position, the Microsoft search network could be the perfect platform. While it may not have the same volume as Google, it could help advertisers who need to reach a specific demographic that they know converts well. A more predictable and refined audience helps to save time and generate ROI.

Lower Cost-Per-Click (CPC)

Bing’s search engine has a great advantage over competitors, financially: decreased cost-per-clicks (CPCs). For example, one of our healthcare clients, who advertises on both Google and Bing, spends 50% less on CPCs using Microsoft Ads compared to Google Ads. For an account on a limited budget, this could help reach more relevant users while spending less.

This difference is partially due to lower traffic volume, but also because competition is not as prevalent, making it easier to reach relevant audiences. If advertisers can balance traffic quality and spend, it is possible to save quite a bit of money with Microsoft Advertising.

Should You Use Microsoft Ads or Google Ads?

All reasoning and facts considered, what search engine advertising platform should you choose? In the end, it just depends on your account, your products or services being offered, and your budget. At WTM Digital, we have many clients that choose to use both Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising in order to reach as many potential customers as possible, achieve their bottom line and get “the best of both worlds.”

It definitely doesn’t hurt to experiment with ad platforms to find what is best. If you want to understand more about how Microsoft Advertising fits into the big picture of digital marketing, tune in to our webinar on January 30th. Learn more and register here!