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The Search Audience Your
Competitors Are Ignoring
Millions of people search on Bing every day through Microsoft Edge, Windows, and corporate desktops. They tend to be older, wealthier, and ready to buy. If you are only advertising on Google, you are leaving money on the table. We help Leicester businesses tap into the Microsoft Search Network with campaigns built for performance.
Why Microsoft Advertising Deserves Your Budget
Most businesses pour their entire paid search budget into Google Ads and never think about the Microsoft Search Network. That is a mistake. Bing powers search results across Microsoft Edge, Windows taskbar search, Yahoo, AOL, and many corporate environments where employees cannot change their default search engine.
The result is an audience that is genuinely different from Google users. Research consistently shows that Bing users tend to be older, have higher household incomes, and spend more online. For many Leicester businesses, particularly those selling higher-value products or services, this demographic is exactly the customer they want to reach.
The commercial case is straightforward: lower cost per click, less competition for ad positions, and an audience with above-average spending power. When you combine that with Microsoft Advertising's unique LinkedIn profile targeting, you have a platform that punches well above its market share.
Three Reasons to Advertise on the Microsoft Network
Lower Cost Per Click
With fewer advertisers competing for the same keywords, CPCs on Microsoft Advertising are typically 30 to 50 per cent lower than Google Ads. That means more clicks, more leads, and better return on your ad spend.
Higher-Value Audience
Bing users skew towards higher household incomes and are more likely to be desktop users making considered purchases. This is particularly valuable for B2B, professional services, and premium consumer brands.
Desktop & Corporate Reach
Microsoft Edge is the default browser on every Windows PC. In many corporate environments, employees cannot change it. If you sell to businesses or professionals during working hours, Microsoft Advertising reaches them where they are already searching.
Microsoft Advertising Management Services
We do not just import your Google Ads campaigns and hope for the best. Every Microsoft Advertising campaign we build is structured specifically for the platform and the audience it reaches.
Campaign Setup & Structure
We build your Microsoft Advertising campaigns from the ground up with tightly themed ad groups, compelling ad copy, and keyword strategies tailored to how Bing users search. No lazy Google Ads imports.
Audience Targeting & Demographics
Microsoft Advertising gives you access to LinkedIn profile targeting directly within the ad platform. We use job title, company, and industry data to reach decision-makers that Google simply cannot target.
Shopping Campaigns
We set up and manage your Microsoft Shopping campaigns, connecting your product feed through the Microsoft Merchant Center. Ideal for e-commerce businesses looking for lower-cost product visibility.
Bid Management & Optimisation
We monitor and adjust your bids daily, balancing cost per click against conversion value. Microsoft Advertising often delivers lower CPCs than Google, and we make sure you capitalise on that advantage.
Conversion Tracking & Reporting
We implement Microsoft UET tags, set up conversion goals, and provide transparent monthly reports that show exactly what your ad spend produced. No vanity metrics, just the numbers that matter.
Remarketing & Audience Lists
We build remarketing audiences to re-engage visitors who did not convert on their first visit. Combined with Microsoft Advertising's in-market audiences, this keeps your brand in front of high-intent prospects.
Google Ads vs Microsoft Advertising
Both platforms have their strengths. Here is an honest comparison so you can decide how to allocate your paid search budget.
| Factor | Google Ads | Microsoft Advertising |
|---|---|---|
| Average Cost Per Click | Higher CPCs due to greater advertiser competition across most industries. | Typically 30 to 50 per cent lower CPCs than Google for equivalent keywords. |
| Search Volume | Dominates with roughly 90 per cent of UK search market share. | Around 10 per cent market share, but that still represents millions of searches daily. |
| Audience Demographics | Broad audience across all demographics and income levels. | Skews older, higher household income, and more desktop users. Valuable B2B audience. |
| Competition | Highly competitive. Most advertisers focus their entire budget here. | Significantly fewer advertisers. Easier to achieve top positions at lower cost. |
| LinkedIn Targeting | Not available. Requires a separate LinkedIn Ads campaign. | Built-in LinkedIn profile targeting by job title, company, and industry. |
| Device Distribution | Heavy mobile traffic. Desktop and mobile roughly balanced. | Higher proportion of desktop traffic. Beneficial for B2B and complex purchases. |
We recommend running both platforms for maximum coverage. Microsoft Advertising often outperforms Google on cost efficiency while reaching an audience you would otherwise miss entirely.
LinkedIn Profile Targeting Built In
Microsoft owns LinkedIn, and they have integrated LinkedIn profile data directly into the Microsoft Advertising platform. This means you can target searchers based on their job title, company name, or industry without running a separate LinkedIn Ads campaign.
For B2B businesses in Leicester, this is a significant advantage. You can bid more aggressively when a search comes from a decision-maker at a target company, or exclude junior roles that are unlikely to convert. No other search advertising platform offers this level of professional demographic targeting.
We use LinkedIn targeting to layer professional context on top of keyword intent, ensuring your ads reach the right people at the right moment in their buying journey.
Available LinkedIn Targeting
- Job function (e.g. Marketing, Finance, IT)
- Company name targeting
- Industry vertical targeting
- Seniority-based bid adjustments
- Exclude non-decision-maker roles
- Combine with keyword intent signals
Microsoft Advertising FAQs
How does Microsoft Advertising differ from Google Ads?
Microsoft Advertising serves ads on Bing, Yahoo, and AOL search results, as well as across the Microsoft ecosystem including Edge, Windows, and Outlook. The key differences are lower competition, lower average cost per click, and access to a demographic that tends to be older with higher household incomes. You also get LinkedIn profile targeting, which is unique to the Microsoft platform.
What does Microsoft Advertising management cost?
Our management fees typically start from 400 pounds per month, separate from your ad spend. The exact cost depends on the number of campaigns, targeting complexity, and reporting requirements. We recommend a minimum ad spend of around 500 pounds per month to gather enough data for meaningful optimisation, though many clients start seeing strong results with modest budgets because of the lower CPCs.
Who actually uses Bing and the Microsoft Search Network?
Bing is the default search engine on Microsoft Edge, which comes pre-installed on every Windows PC. It is also built into Windows Search, Cortana, and many corporate environments where IT policies prevent employees from changing the default browser. This means the Microsoft Search Network reaches a significant audience of desktop professionals, especially in B2B sectors, older demographics, and higher-income households.
Should I run Microsoft Advertising alongside Google Ads?
Yes, in most cases. Running both platforms gives you the widest possible search coverage. Microsoft Advertising is not a replacement for Google Ads, but it is an excellent complement. The lower CPCs mean you can often acquire the same leads or sales for less, and the LinkedIn targeting capabilities open up audience segments that Google simply cannot reach. We manage both platforms and coordinate strategies across them.
Related Services
Microsoft Advertising works best alongside a broader paid media and search strategy. Explore our other services:
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Get In Touch
Have a project in mind or just want to discuss how we can help your business? Feel free to reach out to us using the contact form or via phone or email.