Getting to Know the Microsoft Audience Network and Ads

by | May 22, 2018 | AAA Needs Updating, Bing Ads | 0 comments

Bing has been working on many new features to stay competitive in the PPC space. Earlier this month at the Bing Partner Summit, Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Audience Network (MSAN).  Powered by the Microsoft Graph (the API for Microsoft 365) and artificial intelligence (AI), this is a new audience targeting tool focuses on user intent and profiles for ad delivery via Microsoft Audience Ads (formerly Bing Intent Ads or Bing Native Ads).

MSAN Placements

Network sites include:

  • MSN
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Edge
  • other Microsoft partners

The Microsoft Graph

The following is stored in the Microsoft Graph

  • Online searches
  • Web activity
  • LinkedIn professional profiles
  • Demographics

This data is rolled up at such a high level that trends and insights have been developed.  These are now available to advertisers as a new way to target customers in the following ways:

  1. Customer Intent, which consists of:
    1. Remarketing
    2. In-market Audience
    3. Custom Audiences
    4. Product Audiences (available only in the closed pilot)
  2. Customer Profile, which includes
    1. LinkedIn profile targeting (available only in the closed pilot)
    2. Age and gender targeting
  3. Location and Device Targeting

Microsoft Audience Ads

There are two types of responsive ads available:

  1. Image-based ads – these are compatible with other image ads you might already be doing on the Google Display Network or Facebook
  2. Feed-based ads – remarket to customers based on products they have viewed or abandoned in their cart (aka dynamic remarketing) via Product Audiences

Ad Examples

Campaign Set-up

There are two ways you can feature Microsoft Audience Ads:

1. In Your Existing Search Campaigns

In beta only in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. Add new ads with the “Prefer audience ad format” selected.

What it looks like before you select the box

What it looks like after you select the box 

Note: this is not yet available for all of our clients.

2. Set-Up an Audience campaign

This is in closed beta in the US right now, but be on the lookout for it soon! I think it’ll be really interesting to see test audience campaigns using the MSAN.

Have you started using Audience Ads yet?  How have they worked for you?  Comment below to let us know!

Subscribe by Email

Recent Posts