July 11, 2024 - Google accounts for over 90 percent of the global search engine market — making it the world’s most popular search engine — but this doesn’t mean you should overlook the lead-generating potential of Microsoft Ads — in particular through its search engine Bing.
Let’s break down how both Google and Microsoft Ads differ and what they share in common.
1. Demographics
Perhaps one of the most notable differences between these two search engines is their differing user age demographics.
People ages 18-34 are more likely to go with Google, while people ages 35-plus are more likely to search with Bing, according to Similarweb, a software development and data aggregation company.
It’s also important to note the potential financial implications of Bing. Over one-third of Microsoft users boast an annual household income of over $100,000, while almost half of the users boast an income of $75,000.
2. Competition
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Google has a higher search volume than Bing, meaning fierce competition among advertisers vying for high-demand keywords. This, in turn, can drive up the cost of clicks.
On the other hand, Microsoft Ads faces less competition, resulting in costs per-click pricing that may be 33 percent lower than Google. This can provide a cost-effective alternative for advertisers looking to maximize their budget.
3. Campaign Level Settings
Both Google and Microsoft provide comprehensive settings to customize your advertising efforts and allow daily budget settings — perfect for an insurance agent targeting customers within a set geographical range. Image assets can also be included in search with display select campaigns.
Notably with Google, ad scheduling can be set to business hours, ensuring ads only run when a business is open. Conversely, Microsoft offers ad scheduling and location targeting at the ad group level, enabling more granular targeting. For example, a bakery can target morning commuters from 6-9 AM and the lunch crowd from 11 AM-2 PM with specific ad groups.
4. Keywords
Keywords are the cornerstone of any search campaign, but Google and Microsoft offer different approaches to handling them.
Google offers three targeting match types: broad, phrase and exact, with three negative match types available to block irrelevant traffic.
Microsoft provides three targeting match types but only phrase and exact match negatives. Typically, phrase match negatives are used for single words to maintain consistency across networks.
5. Ad Formats
Both platforms provide a variety of ad formats to cater to different marketing needs. Google Ads offers a wide range of formats, including text ads, video ads and shopping ads, making it versatile and comprehensive. This variety allows advertisers to create dynamic and engaging ads that can capture the attention of different audience segments. Google’s flexibility in ad formats makes it suitable for various marketing strategies, from brand awareness campaigns to direct response advertising.
On the other hand, Microsoft Ads focuses on essential formats, providing straightforward and effective options for advertisers. While it may not offer as many formats as Google, the available options are robust enough to meet most advertisers’ needs. Microsoft’s ad formats are designed to be clear and impactful, ensuring that the message is effectively communicated to the target audience.
6. Targeting Options
Google Ads excels with its extensive targeting options, including demographics, interests and behaviors. It’s a targeting powerhouse that allows for highly specific audience segmentation. Advertisers can fine-tune their campaigns to reach the exact audience they want, making Google’s targeting options ideal for complex marketing strategies that require precision.
Microsoft Ads offers unique targeting features like LinkedIn profile targeting, which is particularly useful for B2B campaigns. This integration allows advertisers to target users based on their professional information, such as job title, company and industry. Additionally, Microsoft’s targeting options include demographic and geographic targeting, enabling advertisers to reach a well-defined audience. While not as extensive as Google’s, Microsoft’s targeting options provide valuable tools for advertisers aiming to reach specific professional and demographic segments.
7. Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant behind-the-scenes role in both Google’s and Microsoft’s advertising platforms. Google’s AI capabilities include sophisticated algorithms for smart bidding, dynamic search ads and responsive search ads. These tools leverage AI to optimize ad performance, targeting and conversion rates.
Microsoft is not far behind, integrating AI into its advertising solutions with features like automated bidding strategies, audience segmentation and performance forecasting. Microsoft’s AI tools also offer integration with LinkedIn data, enhancing targeting precision for B2B marketers.
The competition between AI systems could further revolutionize paid search by enhancing the personalization and efficiency of ad campaigns. These advancements may also lead to more
8. Integrated Search Engines
Although Google and Microsoft extend their reach by integrating with other search engines, they do so in distinct ways.
Google’s advertising network allows ads to appear on millions of websites, apps and Google-owned properties like YouTube and Gmail. This extensive network ensures your ads reach a broad and varied audience.
Microsoft Advertising integrates with a number of affiliate-owned search engines like Yahoo. These partnerships expand Microsoft’s reach, capturing a diverse audience. The Microsoft Audience Network further enhances this reach by including various websites and apps.
9. Language Options
Google Ads supports a diverse range of languages, making it a global advertising powerhouse. This allows advertisers to reach audiences in multiple regions and cater to diverse linguistic groups. Whether targeting Spanish-speaking audiences in the US or Mandarin speakers in China, Google’s extensive language options ensure ads connect with people worldwide.
Microsoft Ads, while supporting fewer languages, still covers essential ones needed for most campaigns. This includes major languages like English, Spanish, French and German. Despite having fewer languages, Microsoft is still sufficient for targeting key markets and effectively reaching audiences in major regions across the world.
10. Ad Metrics
While both platforms excel in detailed analytics and digital reach, Microsoft provides a more cost-efficient approach.
Google Ads typically sees higher click-through and conversion rates due to its user engagement and broad reach, featuring detailed metrics for precise campaign adjustments.
Microsoft Ads often offer lower costs per click (CPC) and per action (CPA), resulting in higher ROI. The platform’s lower competition and robust metrics, including LinkedIn integration, provide valuable professional demographic insights.
Microsoft Ads vs. Google Ads – Melon’s Take
The truth is, Microsoft and Google complement each other when it comes to paid search goals.
At Melon Local, we believe both have a strong potential for lead generation — at least when strategized properly! That’s why we take the time to learn what your goals are so we can create the right campaign to match your wallet and local market. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget to mention we always strive toward a minimum 30 percent average conversion rate on all our digital ads — although we often have a tendency to “ex-seed” this expectation!
Learn why over 2,000 agencies across the U.S. trust Melon Local with their digital marketing needs by scheduling a demo today!