When it comes to search advertising, Google Ads and Bing Ads (now Microsoft Advertising) often get treated like interchangeable options. But the truth is, these two platforms are very different animals, and you can’t just copy and paste the same strategy from one to the other. While both are focused on search, they each have their own strengths, challenges, and nuances. Let’s explore how your strategy needs to adapt depending on which platform you’re using.
The key differences: Google’s volume vs. Bing’s cost-efficiency
Google Ads
Google is the undisputed leader in search, commanding around 90% of the global market share. This dominance means that campaigns on Google often reach a far larger audience. However, with great volume comes greater competition, and as a result, Google Ads can be costly. The auction environment is fast-paced, with advertisers needing to work extra hard to make every penny count.
- Higher competition: Google’s reach is huge. But the more users there are, the more expensive and competitive the space becomes. You’re not just bidding against a few competitors – you’re bidding against everyone, and the auction moves fast.
- Mobile-first: A big chunk of Google’s traffic comes from mobile users, so it’s essential that your ads are optimised for mobile-first indexing.
- Automation: Google relies heavily on automation. While it can feel like you’re handing over a lot of control to the algorithm, it’s crucial to make the most of it. Automating bidding, targeting, and ad placements is what keeps you competitive in such a fast-moving space.
Bing Ads
On the flip side, Bing offers a different proposition. While the volume of traffic is lower, it can often be more affordable. CPCs are typically lower, and although the traffic quality may sometimes be perceived as less valuable, it still provides an opportunity for cost-effective advertising.
- Lower volume, lower cost: While Bing doesn’t have the sheer volume of users that Google does, it’s also cheaper. If you’re looking to get more out of your budget, Bing often provides a more cost-effective way to reach your audience.
- A different demographic: The Bing user base tends to be a little different. You’ll find more desktop users, and in particular, older demographics or those using Microsoft products like Outlook. This can present an opportunity to target specific customer segments.
- Less competition: With fewer advertisers on Bing, there’s less bidding competition. This can be an advantage if you’re looking to make your budget stretch further.
How to tailor your strategy for each platform
While both platforms are focused on search ads, how you approach them needs to be quite different. Let’s explore how to create the right strategy for each platform.
Google Ads
Google is built for scale, and to make the most of that, you need to leverage its automation tools.
- Lean into automation: Google Ads thrives on machine learning. Use Smart Bidding, Responsive Search Ads, and other automated features to keep pace with the competition.
- Mobile optimisation: Google’s mobile-first indexing means your ads need to be optimised for mobile devices. If you’re not focused on mobile, you’re missing a huge chunk of traffic.
- Smart campaigns: These use automation to simplify your campaigns, making it easier to scale without having to micromanage every detail.
Bing Ads
Bing is a bit more manual, and that can actually work to your advantage if you want more control over your campaigns.
- Clear messaging: Bing’s users tend to be a little more straightforward in their search behaviour. Ads that are clear, focused on benefits, and backed up with strong trust signals tend to do better here. Make your value proposition clear and simple.
- Use all available extensions: Bing often shows more ad extensions, which means you’ve got more room to make an impression. Take full advantage of this extra real estate for callouts, phone numbers, and site links.
- Target niche queries: Bing attracts longer, more niche search queries. These are often easier to target than on Google, where the competition for broad keywords is fierce. This means you can target specific, highly relevant search terms.
Better data means better budget allocation
No matter which platform you are running campaigns on, the more data you can feed into the algorithms, the smarter they get at making decisions. This leads to better budget allocation, more efficient campaigns, and ultimately, better results for your business.
By linking customer LTV, location, and behaviour data, you can help the algorithm better understand what’s driving long-term success and where to allocate your budget more effectively.
Final takeaways
At the end of the day, Google and Bing may both focus on search advertising, but they operate in very different ways. Google offers a vast audience with high competition and heavy reliance on automation. Bing on the other hand, provides a more affordable and less competitive environment, with greater opportunities for control and targeting of niche queries.
If you treat them as separate platforms, each with its own strengths and nuances, you can unlock the full potential of both. Whether you’re aiming for scale and automation with Google or looking for cost-effective control with Bing, adapting your strategy to each platform will ensure better results across the board.
