Should You Be Buying Keywords on Bing?

Most companies focus the bulk of their PPC efforts and budget on Google Ads. But savvy marketers know the value in diversifying to other search engines like Microsoft Bing. In this article, we’ll explore the opportunities of buying Bing keywords and why it should be part of your paid search strategy.

The Untapped Potential of the Bing Network

It’s easy to forget that Google doesn’t have 100% share of the search market. While they are certainly dominant, competitors like Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo make up a sizable chunk as well. Specifically when looking at Bing:

• Bing holds around 25% of the desktop search market and 15% on mobile in the US
• They have over 150 million active monthly users just in the US and Canada
• On average 1 in 4 people use Bing for at least some of their searching

That’s millions of monthly searches being conducted that you are missing out on if solely focused on Google. Tapping into the Bing Network opens up more opportunities to drive valuable traffic and leads.

Benefits of Advertising on Bing

Here are some of the compelling benefits of buying keywords and advertising on Bing that make it worth considering:

• Increased visibility – Expanding to Bing allows you to reach people not on Google.
• Higher ad position – Less advertiser competition results in higher ad placement.
• Reaches new audiences – Tap different demographics like older users less active on Google.
• Lower CPC rates – Get the same clicks for less spend versus Google.
• Additional traffic source – Diversity lowers dependency on just Google.

Savvy marketers utilize a cross-network approach spanning both Google and Bing for greater exposure. Let’s look at campaign setup best practices.

Guidelines for Setting Up Bing PPC Campaigns

When building out your Bing PPC efforts, follow these guidelines:

• Mirror your Google strategy initially – import keywords, match types, etc. then optimize further
• Ensure ads and landing pages are congruent across networks
• Factor in audience nuances between the platforms in messaging
• Allocate 10-25% of total paid search budget to Bing
• Track conversions separately from Google to isolate performance
• Watch impression share metrics to optimize bids and targeting

The process doesn’t have to be overly complex. Start small, mirror proven winners from Google, then scale up campaigns over time as you unlock additional opportunities.

But Does Bing Actually Convert for Local Businesses?

This is the big question. While increased visibility sounds nice, what really matters is profitability through conversions and ROI.

Our experience managing Bing PPC campaigns for local advertisers has shown strong conversion performance that meets or exceeds their Google efforts once effectively optimized. The numbers don’t lie – Bing can deliver!

Not Just Search – Leverage the Microsoft Audience Network Too

Another advantage of the Bing Ads platform is unlocking inventory on third-party sites through the Microsoft Audience Network (MSAN). This includes premium native placements on:

• MSN
• Outlook
• Microsoft News
• Xbox
• Hundreds of partner websites

Utilizing placements like content match, interstitials and video ads expands your exposure and positions you in front of engaged user intent on relevant publisher pages.

Tap Into Bing’s Untapped Potential Now

The verdict? Local advertisers stand to gain meaningful traffic, conversions and ROI from incorporating Bing PPC into their digital marketing strategy.

To discuss launching Bing campaigns tailored for your business goals, contact our in-house paid search experts at Local Marketing Inc. We’ll help you capitalize on this often overlooked opportunity!