Is Bing Ads worth it? For many B2B companies and professional service providers, the answer is yes. Clicks are often more affordable, users frequently search from desktop computers during working hours, and LinkedIn-based audience signals let advertisers adjust bids according to professional attributes. For consumer brands that depend heavily on mobile traffic, however, Microsoft Ads may offer limited value. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your target audience.
“Does anyone actually use Bing?” It’s a question that often comes with a raised eyebrow, usually during the same meeting where someone points out how expensive Google Ads has become.
It’s a reasonable question, but it misses the bigger opportunity.
The more useful question is whether your ideal customers are searching from their office computers, using the browser that came preinstalled on their devices, while looking for solutions to business challenges. If that sounds like your audience, a meaningful portion could already be using Bing without actively choosing it. And in many industries, fewer advertisers are competing for those searches.
Does Anyone Actually Use Bing?
Bing attracts more users than its reputation might suggest, and its audience has some distinctive characteristics. As the default search engine experience associated with Microsoft Edge and Windows search, it reaches plenty of people using company-managed office computers. This creates an audience that often leans towards desktop usage, working hours and established professionals with substantial purchasing authority.
For B2B advertisers, that combination can be valuable.
Picture a procurement manager in Gurugram or a finance director in Dubai searching for “payroll software for 200 employees” at 11 a.m. from a company-issued Dell laptop. They may not have deliberately selected Bing. It simply happens to be the search experience available on their device.
That is where Microsoft Advertising creates an opportunity. You are not necessarily trying to reach the largest possible audience. Instead, you are reaching a particular group of potential customers while they are working, often with fewer advertisers competing for their attention.
Why Are CPCs Lower on Microsoft Ads?
The primary reason is competition. Many businesses invest heavily in Google Ads but never expand their search campaigns to Microsoft Advertising. As a result, identical or closely related keywords may attract fewer competing bids and cost less per click.
The downside is reach. Microsoft Ads generally generates fewer clicks than Google Ads, which makes it better suited as an additional acquisition channel rather than a complete Google replacement.
Industry benchmarks illustrate the potential difference. A BrightBid B2B comparison cited in Whatagraph’s 2026 PPC benchmarks reported average cost per click (CPC) of $1.45 for Microsoft Ads, compared with $2.85 for Google Ads. Average cost per acquisition (CPA) was reported at $38.50 and $48, respectively.
Although Google reportedly converted a slightly higher proportion of clicks, Microsoft still delivered a lower average acquisition cost in that comparison because its clicks were substantially cheaper. That is the central trade-off when evaluating Microsoft Ads against Google Ads.
Of course, benchmark figures are not universal guarantees. Actual performance depends on your industry, competition, targeting, landing pages and conversion tracking. Nevertheless, the combination of lower CPCs and potentially competitive lead costs makes Microsoft Advertising worth testing.
Microsoft Ads vs Google Ads: Which is Better for B2B Leads?
Neither platform wins across every metric. The Microsoft Ads vs Google Ads comparison ultimately comes down to balancing reach, efficiency and audience quality.
Google Ads typically offers greater search volume, while Microsoft Advertising can generate leads at a lower cost in some B2B markets. Microsoft also offers an important targeting capability that distinguishes it from Google: LinkedIn profile targeting.
For many B2B advertisers, a sensible approach is to establish profitable performance on Google first. Once the campaign is delivering consistent results, allocate approximately 10–20% of your search advertising budget to Microsoft Ads as an initial test.
Monitor cost per lead, lead quality and conversion rates before increasing the allocation. If Microsoft delivers qualified leads at an attractive cost, gradually expand the budget. If performance falls short, you can scale back without having committed a significant portion of your advertising spend.
Managing both platforms does not necessarily mean doubling your workload, particularly when campaigns are structured carefully and imports are configured correctly.
As a Microsoft Advertising Partner, one of the questions we hear most frequently is whether Bing Ads is worth the investment. Our experience suggests that Microsoft can be one of the more cost-efficient search channels for B2B and professional services businesses. For mobile-first consumer brands, it may be less relevant.
The biggest mistake is importing a Google Ads campaign and assuming the work is complete. In many B2B accounts, Microsoft can generate a smaller share of the total leads at a lower cost per lead. However, overlooked import settings and campaign configuration issues can quickly undermine that advantage.
— Vishal Singh, Performance Marketing Specialist
Do Microsoft Ads Appear Inside Copilot?
Yes, Microsoft Advertising can extend into Copilot experiences, where eligible ads may appear alongside AI-generated responses. Advertisers do not necessarily need to build an entirely separate Copilot campaign to participate in these experiences.
Instead, ad delivery can draw on eligible advertising campaigns and their existing assets. This makes the quality of your current creative and campaign setup particularly important.
Well-written responsive search ads, relevant Performance Max assets where applicable, and high-quality images can help prepare your advertising for eligible Microsoft AI-powered placements.
Microsoft has been actively developing advertising formats for Copilot, including announcing new ad experiences in March 2025. As these experiences evolve, advertisers should review the latest eligibility requirements and placement options rather than assuming every campaign or asset will automatically appear.
The practical takeaway is straightforward: strong advertising assets matter across more than traditional search results. Generic headlines, incomplete creative and irrelevant imagery are unlikely to improve campaign performance simply because ads can appear in an AI-powered environment.
When is Microsoft Advertising a Waste of Money?
Microsoft Ads is not the right fit for every business. It can become an unnecessary expense when the target audience rarely uses desktop search, search demand is extremely limited, or the existing Google Ads account has not yet achieved profitability.
In these situations, adding another advertising platform can increase management overhead and divide an already limited budget.
For a small takeaway restaurant in Lucknow, for example, local discovery and mobile-focused marketing may be more important than investing in Bing search campaigns. Similarly, a fashion brand that acquires most of its customers through Instagram on mobile devices may see limited incremental value from Microsoft Advertising.
A B2B software company targeting finance leaders, procurement teams or enterprise decision-makers presents a very different opportunity.
Before expanding to Microsoft Ads, make sure your existing campaigns have reliable conversion tracking, relevant landing pages and a sustainable cost per lead. Once those foundations are in place, a controlled Microsoft Ads experiment can help determine whether the platform adds incremental value.
If you are evaluating search engine marketing services, ask prospective agencies how they approach Microsoft Advertising and whether they have managed campaigns for businesses similar to yours.
When comparing providers offering the best search engine marketing services, look beyond promises of easy campaign imports. Ask for evidence of platform-specific optimisation, lead quality analysis, conversion tracking and budget management.
Simply copying Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Advertising is not a complete strategy. The real opportunity lies in understanding the differences between the platforms and using them to reach the right buyers at the right cost.
