Microsoft Ads: The Underrated Channel That's Delivering 3.2× ROAS for Our Clients

Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) is the most underutilized channel in performance marketing. We add it to every Google Ads account we manage. Not because it replaces Google — it doesn't — but because the additional revenue it generates at a lower CPA is one of the easiest wins available to any advertiser already running paid search.

The Bing Audience Is Different

Bing users skew older (35+), higher-income, and often access the web through Microsoft products in professional or home office contexts. For B2B, financial services, insurance, legal, home improvement, and premium consumer products, this demographic is frequently a better fit than Google's broader, younger user base.

The platform commands around 6% of global search market share — but in the US, it's closer to 9–12%, and significantly higher for desktop searches and corporate device usage. Windows devices often have Bing as the default search engine, and many professional users never change it. That's your audience on those searches.

The CPC Advantage

Because fewer advertisers compete on Microsoft Ads, CPCs are consistently 30–60% lower than Google for the same keywords. Combine that with higher-income audience demographics and you often see CPAs that beat Google by a meaningful margin. Not always — but frequently enough that the channel pays for itself within the first 30 days for most accounts.

The lower competition also means you can test new keyword themes and ad copy variations more cheaply on Bing before committing budget to Google. Use Microsoft Ads as a low-cost testing ground for concepts that scale to your main Google campaigns if they prove out.

How to Set It Up

The fastest setup: import your existing Google Ads campaigns directly into Microsoft Ads using the built-in Google Import tool. The process takes 20–30 minutes and brings over campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, and most extensions. Then make these adjustments:

• Reduce all bids by 20% initially — CPCs are lower on Bing, so starting bids can be lower while still achieving strong positions
• Don't import branded campaigns — Bing branded search is much cheaper and performs better with separately built, low-bid branded campaigns
• Review automated rules and bid strategies — some Google automated strategies don't transfer well and need to be reset manually
• Exclude irrelevant placements in the Microsoft Audience Network if you don't want Display-style traffic

After the initial import and adjustment, let the campaigns run for 2–3 weeks before making significant changes. Microsoft's auction dynamics and user behavior differ from Google's, so give the campaigns time to find their rhythm.

What to Expect

In our client portfolio, Microsoft Ads consistently adds 12–18% incremental search revenue at a CPA that's 25–40% better than the Google Ads equivalent. The total budget allocation is usually 10–15% of total paid search spend — a modest investment that generates disproportionate returns.

For a $30K/month Google Ads account, adding $3,000–4,000 in Microsoft Ads typically generates $8,000–12,000 in additional revenue. The incrementality is real — these are users who search on Bing and wouldn't have found you through Google. The math is hard to ignore once you see it in your own data.

When Microsoft Ads Works Best

The channel performs best for: B2B lead generation (corporate users on Windows devices), financial products and services, insurance, legal services, home services, and premium consumer goods with a 35+ buyer. If your Google Ads audience skews older, professional, or high-income, Microsoft Ads is almost certainly underpriced for your specific customer.

Where it works less well: youth-focused consumer products, anything targeting Gen Z, and categories where mobile-first behavior dominates. For those, Google and TikTok will outperform Bing substantially.