How to Choose the Best Ad Platform? Bing Ads vs. Google Ads

If Google Ads are the king of Pay-Per-Click, Bing Ads are not less. After all, they have support from Microsoft, a tech giant. The total spent on Bing Ads (also known as Microsoft Ads) was $7.8 billion in 2020. That is a significant increase in spending by 35%. It clearly shows the power of Bing Ads. 

So, whether it’s Google Ads or Bing Ads, both have their pros and cons. 

But when Bing Ads experts met Google Ads experts, it led to online warfare. Some might advise you to advertise a business on Bing, whereas others may be favoring Google. With choosing between two highly impactful platforms, making a decision is challenging. If you read blogs by Google marketers, Google Ads would seem the best option. On the other hand, going through articles by Bing scholars will leave you clueless. 

Therefore, to help understand why Bing is better than Google for your business or vice-versa, you need a detailed analysis of both platforms. Let us find out which is the best Ad platform for your business. 

• Bing Ads vs. Google Ads: The introduction 

Bing Ads are a type of search engines Ads. They can help you promote your business to the target audience. But for a long time, the professionals neglected Bing Ads in the past.  With nearly 1 billion searches every month, Bing grabs the second place among advertising platforms after Google. 

Supported by Microsoft, Bing Ads appear in searches on three engines, like Yahoo, Bing, and AOL. Considering this, Bing Ads changed to Microsoft Ads two years ago. But the thing about this platform is that your Ad campaign will run on all the search engines. As a result, it will broaden your audience reach. 

With Bing Ads, you can choose from various styles based on your goals and needs. These are:

• Pay-per-click ads
• Responsive search ads
• Multimedia ads
• Dynamic search ads
• Product ads 

Google Ads are the most popular paid ads throughout the world. It comes with no surprise 92% of the global search engine market share is held by Google. The platform receives nearly around 100 billion monthly visits. It makes Google the best platform for enterprises to advertise their products or services. 

When it comes to ads, Google offers two types – display ads and search ads. 

Display Ads are intended to boost your brand awareness while helping you generate more leads. These are image-based ads, which you can place wherever your audience spends more time. For example, you can choose from websites, apps, or videos. 

Unlike display ads, search ads are text-dependent. You can use search ads to target the audience looking for you on the search engine. Of course, they use relevant keywords. 

• Bing Ads vs. Google Ads: Silent features 

No doubt, the reach of Bing Ads is not as broad as Google Ads. But the former offers advantages that later may not. Are you thinking of bailing out Bing Ads? If yes, then look at these silent features. 

1. Compared to Google Ads, Bing Ads offers more options for device targeting. It means you can target audiences depending on the device and operating system they use. 
2. Both Google and Bing offer Ad group targeting. But with Bing, you can configure ad campaigns individually and in groups. 
3. If you want to switch from Google to Bing, you do not need to start from scratch. It is because you can import your Google Ad to Bing Ad manager and save money and time. 
   
   Considering the market share, conversions, and reach, Google Ads does not need more features to stand out. However, you should know what Google offers what other advertising platforms do not. 
   
   • Both display ads and search ads have separate networks. For example, search networks help your ads to appear on particular applications and websites. Hence, turn potential leads into customers. On the contrary, display networks target audiences where they spend the most time. 

• Bing Ads vs. Google Ads: The advantages 

Coming to the pros of Bing Ads, the first thing is your ad campaign will run on Bing, AOL, Yahoo, and other associated sites. Thus, you can target audiences on all the platforms. 

Needless to say, the search traffic of Google is way more than Bing. But the top ad platform means more competition to rank their websites. Since Bing has fewer visits, your ad campaign is likely to perform better. Additionally, the cost-per-click on Bing is much cheaper than Google. 

When it comes to Google, the platform offers substantial perks to marketers. The benefit that we cannot ignore is the massive user base. If you choose Google Ads to run your campaign, you can use any of these two networks – Display and Search networks. 

Google has updated its demographics targeting abilities so that you can target the right audiences. While Google Ads are expensive, they ensure a better conversion rate and sales. 

• Bing Ads vs. Google Ads: The limitations 

Along with these benefits, both advertising platforms have a fair share of pros. We will explore them here. 

Bing Ads costs 35% less than Google Ads, but you will out potential leads and customers on Google. Also, the user interface of Bing Ads is more complicated and less flexible. For example, in Google Ads, you can have 2-3 headlines and 90 characters, whereas Bing Ads allow 1-2 headlines and 80 characters. Before we forget, you should know that several reviews from marketers say Bing has customer support flaws.

Yes, Google Ads have shortcomings as well. The high demand and competition on this platform is the disadvantage for marketers. It means if you want your Ad to perform well, you should nail it in terms of strategy. Even small mistakes can turn your marketing efforts futile.

It goes the same with Google. You will miss out on potential audiences on other search engines. Did we mention Google stricter rules and regulations for content than Bing? Google does not allow ads promoting gambling, political issues, alcohol, and adult-themed. 

In closing 

If you ask who the winner is, the answer is both. Bing and Google have their pros and cons and have exclusivity. The choice between Google Ads and Bing Ads depends on various factors, like your goals, target audience, creative asset, and budget. For example, if you have a limited budget and retargeting your audiences, advertise your business on Bing. On the other hand, if you want a high volume of leads at a faster pace and can afford more money, hire a Google Ads expert. 

If you are looking for a successful Ad campaign, hire an AdWords expert at SoftProdigy. We house a team of skilled marketers who can help you get desired results. 

FAQs

1. Is it worth it to invest in Bing Ads?
   
   Of course, Bing Ads are not suitable for every business. But it is a worth investment for those with a limited budget and promoting expensive products. Also, it is the best alternative to Google Ads if you want to personalize ad groups and campaigns. 
   
   
2. Is Bing Ads expensive?
   
   Compared to Google Ads, Bing Ads cost 35% less money. The average cost-per-click is around $7.99 for Bing Ads and $20.08 for Google Ads.
   
   
3. Is Bing Ads more beneficial than Google Ads?
   
   Bing and Google are the two leading ad platforms and offer numerous benefits. When it comes to choosing a better option, it is not an easy win. After all, both have unique features, pros, and cons. The choice is usually based on specific goals, creative assets, and budgets. 
   
   
4. What is the difference between CPC and PPC in advertising?
   
   We can consider CPC and PPC as the two sides of a coin. CPC stands for Cost Per Click, and PPC refers to Pay Per Click. PPC is a marketing approach, and CPC is a performance metric. If you want to gain qualified leads, you need to increase the cost per click. 
   
   
5. Is Google Ads cost fixed?
   
   Firstly, the cost of your Google Ads depends on your budget settings and goals. But Google gives you the flexibility to set your Ad price as per your preferences. Plus, you will pay based on the number of user interactions on your ad campaign. 
   
   
6. Are Bing Ads effective?

With Bing Ads, you can target audiences on three platforms – Bing, AOL, and Yahoo. It improves reach and conversion rate. As per a study by Wordstream, Bing Ads has a 1.25 average click-through rate, and for Google Ads, it is 0.86.