Microsoft Ads isn’t just Bing.
Where do your ads show?

The various areas of the e-commerce world are constantly evolving, and platforms that were once primarily used for search now offer comprehensive solutions for every stage of the customer journey.

Microsoft Ads has long outgrown being just about advertising on Bing. It’s now a vast advertising network that enables you to reach users at different moments, whether they’re working, shopping, relaxing, or enjoying entertainment.

From search to Netflix, from e-shops to Outlook and games… Ads can follow users through nearly every stage of their online day. And it’s Microsoft Ads that can deliver them there with maximum effect.

The foundation of the Microsoft Ads advertising network is the Microsoft Search Network. This network covers not only Bing, but also other partner search engines such as Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia.

Within these platforms, the following ad formats can be displayed:

If you want to reach users beyond search engines, Audience Ads are the ideal solution. These ads are part of the Microsoft Audience Network and appear across premium placements such as MSN.com, the free version of Outlook, the homepage and new tab pages in Microsoft Edge, various Windows apps, as well as across a network of partner websites.

Source: Microsoft Ads

Audience Ads have a native look and feel, blending naturally into the content of the page. They often include an image, brand logo, short text, or a clear call to action. In Outlook, they appear directly within the inbox list or in the sidebar panel.

Thanks to their broad reach, Audience Ads are ideal for brand awareness, remarketing or visually engaging campaigns.

For e-commerce businesses, Product Ads are especially important. These ads appear in Bing search results, as well as across the Microsoft Audience Network, for example in carousel formats on MSN.

They include a product image, title, price, seller name, and optionally a promotional description. Product Ads are powered by a product feed uploaded to Microsoft Merchant Center, and thanks to their visual appeal, they have a high conversion potential.

Microsoft Ads also offers the option to run video campaigns, which can appear on news platforms like MSN, within the Xbox gaming network – either on the homepage or during game loading screens – and even on the Netflix streaming platform.

Source: Microsoft Ads

Since 2023, Microsoft has been the exclusive advertising partner for Netflix. This means advertisers can show their video spots to millions of subscribers through the “Basic with Ads” plan. Ads in this plan appear before movies, series, or live broadcasts, similar to traditional TV commercials but with the added advantage of digital targeting.

Source: Microsoft Ads

A modern solution is the so-called Performance Max (P.Max) campaign, which allows ads to be automatically shown across all available formats and networks simultaneously. Based on the provided assets (images, videos, text, logos), Microsoft’s AI creates ad combinations and delivers them where the chances of conversion are highest.

P.Max ads can appear in:

Thanks to its maximum automation and performance, P.Max is an ideal choice for e-commerce stores and brands looking to scale without the need to create separate campaigns for each format.

Microsoft Ads also offers Retail Media solutions, allowing your product ads to appear directly on retail partners’ websites, such as resellers and price comparison platforms. This ensures that your ads reach customers right at the moment they’re ready to make a purchase.

Source: Microsoft Ads

Although Xbox was already mentioned in the context of video ads, it deserves special attention as a unique advertising space within the gaming environment. Microsoft enables ad placements not only in video format, but also as banners, interstitials (full-screen ads shown between gameplay sessions), and even native in-game placements in titles such as Solitaire, Sudoku, and other Microsoft Casual Games.

Source: Microsoft Ads

Thanks to the highly engaged and focused user environment, these formats are especially suitable for brands in lifestyle, gaming, entertainment, or consumer electronics looking to captivate audiences during their moments of relaxation.

Microsoft Ads represents an extremely effective advertising platform that offers a unique opportunity to reach a high-quality audience through a wide range of channels. Thanks to lower competition, expanded targeting options, and broad reach, this platform is particularly valuable for e-commerce owners seeking new opportunities in the digital space.

One of the biggest advantages of this platform is the availability of premium ad placements that capture consumer attention at key moments of their day, during work, shopping, and relaxation.

If you are considering advertising on Microsoft Ads, our BlueWinston team is ready to help. We offer e-commerce owners a wide range of innovative automated solutions that greatly simplify the creation, management, and optimization of ads within the Microsoft Ads environment. With our unique features, you can launch campaigns faster and boost their performance with less effort. For example, our proprietary Labelizer tool allows you to tag products based on their performance, helping increase ROAS by up to 30%.

Don’t hesitate to take advantage of our 30-day free trial, during which you can test our tool directly on your campaigns. To learn more, book a free consultation with our PPC specialists who will gladly provide further information and advise you on how to maximize the results of your Microsoft Ads campaigns.