Google Ads vs Bing Ads
Think of a search engine and you’ll likely think of Google. This corporation has an unmistakable stranglehold over the internet search market. However, it may surprise you to learn that it’s not quite the only game in town, which is why we have explored the benefits of Google Ads vs Bing Ads in this article.
Google is more than just a website – “Googling” is officially recognised as a verb in the OED
Bing and Yahoo!, both of which have a PPC model operated by Microsoft to rival Google Ads, still have their fans. Some security-conscious users also utilise the privacy afforded by DuckDuckGo.
Bing is arguably the closest challenger to Google’s dominance, though. Let’s review whether Microsoft Advertising could be considered a viable alternative to Google Ads for your business.
Can you advertise on Bing?
Just like Google is a by-word for search engines in 2021, Google Ads is a popular shorthand for a PPC advertising model. There is an alternative in the form of Microsoft Advertising, though. This is service is more commonly known as Bing Ads, its name until a rebrand in April 20191.
Microsoft Advertising does not only offer PPC services on the Bing search engine. Microsoft acquired Yahoo! – once the world’s most popular search engine, albeit in a period of extremely limited competition – back in 20092 and AOL in 20153. This means that Microsoft Advertising offers PPC services on three separate search engines.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads – the tale of the tape
If you’re going to follow a PPC model, you will want to ensure that it is worth your while. That means attracting eyeballs to your site through the adverts that you are paying for. This chart from Oberlo4 summarises the market share of search engines in 2020.
Google accounted for almost all internet search engine traffic in 2020
We could almost terminate this article right now and declare a winner by KO. Google is an absolute behemoth of the search engine world. In terms of sheer traffic, there is no comparison in the battle of Google Ads vs Bing Ads.
Do not close down the page just yet, though. There are reasons why you should consider utilising Microsoft Advertising in your digital strategy.
Despite being the butt of many jokes, Bing still has dedicated users, especially among older web users. Microsoft Advertising can reach as many as 63 million web searches that are not catered by Google Ads5. That is potentially a lot of conversions being left on the table.
Cost should also be a consideration. The real costs of successfully using the Google Ads service can quickly start to escalate. Microsoft Advertising is considered considerably cheaper. When weighing up the PPC rate of Google Ads vs Bing Ads, take a look at this comparison chart from ReportGarden6.
The cost differences of Google Ads vs Bing Ads could have a significant impact on your ROI
As you’ll see, the average PPC rate on Microsoft Advertising is more than half that of Google Ads. Granted, this is because there is considerably less competition – a reflection of the smaller user base. However, this means that users that do search via Bing are likelier to click on your ad.
This could make a difference to your bottom line – although Google Ads still have a higher conversion rate. This is to be expected, given that so many more users still turn to Google for their online queries.
Reasons to use Google Ads vs Bing Ads
Let’s summarise the advantages of Bing Ads vs Google Ads in a simple table.
| Advantages of Google Ads | Advantages of Microsoft Advertising |
| A drastically larger market share | Ad placement on three separate search engines |
| The favoured search engine of Millennials and Generation Z | Cheaper CPC rates |
| Diverse, global market share | Higher CTR |
| Higher conversion rate due to market share | Older, potentially more affluent users |
| Audience and content-based marketing | A more account-based marketing approach |
Weigh up which of these factors would benefit your business most and make a decision.
Conclusion: Google Ads vs Bing Ads – who is the winner?
No professional business could, with a clear conscience, recommend ignoring Google Ads in favour of Bing Ads. Google is just too big to pass over. However, there are definite advantages to using Microsoft Advertising alongside Google Ads. If you can only use one service, Google Ads is the market leader. Do not sleep on Microsoft Advertising, though.
If this information has surprised you, why not reach out to us for further insights into the PPC market? Our expert team have a wealth of knowledge surrounding this industry and can work with your business to ensure significant returns on your advertising expenditure. We are waiting to hear from you.
References and further reading
- https://app.beebom.com/bing-ads-re-branded-microsoft-advertising
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8174763.stm
- nytimes.com/2015/06/30/business/aol-in-deal-with-microsoft-to-take-over-display-ad-business.html?_r=0
- oberlo.co.uk/statistics/search-engine-market-share
- https://instapage.com/blog/bing-ads-vs-google-ads
- https://reportgarden.com/10-reasons-to-use-bing-ads
Image Credits – https://pixabay.com/users/377053-377053; www.oberlo.co.uk/statistics/search-engine-market-share; https://reportgarden.com/10-reasons-to-use-bing-ads