The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Bing Ads (Microsoft Ads) for Small Business

Why Bing Ads (Microsoft Ads) Matter for SMBs

When most people think of online advertising, they immediately think of Google Ads. But there’s a powerful alternative that’s often overlooked: Bing Ads, now known as Microsoft Advertising.

Why It Matters:

Lower cost-per-click (CPC):
Microsoft Ads can cost 30–50% less than Google Ads.
Less competition:

Many industries are underutilizing Bing, leaving valuable traffic on the table.

Powerful audience:

Bing powers Yahoo, AOL, MSN, and is the default search engine on Windows Edge, Cortana, and many desktops—especially in corporate, older, and higher-income demographics.

LinkedIn integration:
Unique to Microsoft Ads, you can target by job title, company, or industry, which is perfect for B2B.

If you’re a small business looking to diversify your marketing strategy or reduce ad costs, Bing Ads is a smart place to start.

Importing Google Ads Campaigns to Microsoft Ads

The easiest way to get started with Bing Ads is by importing your existing Google Ads campaigns.

Step-by-Step:

Sign in or create a Microsoft Ads account at ads.microsoft.com.

Click “Import from Google Ads.

Follow the prompts to connect your Google Ads account.

Choose which campaigns, budgets, and settings to import.

Review and customize for Bing’s ecosystem.

Tip: Microsoft Ads supports many Google Ads features, but double-check bids, device targeting, and location settings after import.

Take Advantage of Demographic Targeting

Microsoft Ads gives you granular control over your audience, helping you fine-tune your ad spend.

Key Demographic Options:

Age

Gender

Device type
(desktop, tablet, mobile)

Location

Time of day / day of week

Language

How to Use It:

Tip: Bing Ads’ desktop dominance makes it great for targeting professionals, older users, and researchers.

Use LinkedIn Profile Targeting (Exclusive to Microsoft Ads)

One of Microsoft Ads’ most powerful features is LinkedIn profile targeting—not available on Google.

Target By:

Company

Industry

Job function

Example Use Cases:

How to Set It Up:

Tip: This is extremely effective for B2B lead generation, webinars, or niche services.

Set Up Bing Shopping Campaigns for E-Commerce

If you sell products online, Microsoft Shopping Campaigns can display your products directly in search results—just like Google Shopping.

Requirements:

How to Launch:

Where Your Products Appear:

Bing.com search results

Microsoft Start

MSN

Yahoo Search

Edge browser’s shopping interface

Tip: Bing Shopping often has lower CPCs than Google and reaches users in purchase-ready mode.

Final Thoughts – Why SMBs Shouldn’t Overlook Bing Ads

If you’re only advertising on Google, you’re missing a portion of your audience—and likely overpaying for it.

Bing Ads Benefits Recap:

Bing Ads can help you diversify your ad strategy, reach untapped audiences, and improve ROI—especially if you’re in B2B, home services, professional services, or online retail.

What to Do Next

Create a Microsoft Ads account

Import your Google campaigns or set up a new one

Explore demographic and LinkedIn targeting

Test Bing Shopping if you sell products online


Monitor and compare performance against Google Ads

Feel Lost? Contact ETOS

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