Microsoft Advertising (still often called Bing Ads) is Microsoft’s pay-per-click ad platform that lets you show search ads on Bing and Microsoft’s wider ad network, so you can capture high-intent searches from people who are ready to call, book, or buy.
In practice, it works a lot like Google Ads: you pick keywords, write ads, set a daily budget, and pay when someone clicks. The main difference is the audience and inventory. Microsoft’s search traffic is heavily tied to Windows devices, Edge browser defaults, and Microsoft properties, which can skew a bit more desktop and workplace in many industries. For local Orlando and Central Florida businesses, that can be a quiet win, especially for services people book from a computer during the workday (legal, medical, home services, B2B, and higher-ticket jobs).
When Microsoft Advertising makes sense
We usually recommend testing Microsoft Advertising when one or more of these are true:
- You already run Google Ads and want more lead volume without only raising bids there.
- Your market has high CPCs on Google and you want another channel that often has less auction pressure.
- You sell to professionals or decision-makers (Microsoft can also support LinkedIn profile-based targeting options in certain campaign types, which is useful for B2B).
- Your best leads come from desktop behavior (forms, calls during office hours, longer research cycles).
- You want to reach people who use Bing by habit or default, including many Windows users and some privacy-focused searchers depending on device and settings.
If you want help building and managing a test that actually tracks calls and booked appointments, our PPC management service is built for local lead generation, not vanity clicks.
When it may not be the right first move
If your budget is very small and you have to pick only one platform, Google Ads often has more search volume in most categories. Also, if you are extremely sensitive to where ads appear, you will want to control network settings and placements carefully (for example, limiting or testing partner traffic separately instead of running everything everywhere at once).
Microsoft Advertising vs Google Ads (quick comparison)
| What you’re comparing | Microsoft Advertising (Bing) | Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Great “second engine” for search leads and incremental volume | Often the primary engine for search demand |
| Audience feel | Often more desktop and workplace, depending on industry | Broader reach across devices and intents |
| Competition | Frequently less crowded in many local categories | Usually more advertisers bidding on the same terms |
| Best fit examples | Law firms, dental and healthcare, home services, B2B | Almost every category, especially where volume matters |
How we’d launch it for an Orlando-area business
We keep the first 30 days simple so you get clean data. First, we start with your highest-intent searches (the ones that scream “I need this now”), build tight ad groups, and point traffic to pages that match the search. If you are already on Google Ads, we can mirror the winners and then adapt them to Bing’s results page and audience behavior.
- Track real conversions: calls, forms, booked appointments, and qualified leads (not just clicks).
- Start with the core service keywords and strong negatives so your ads do not show for bad-fit searches.
- Set location targeting to the neighborhoods and service radius you actually cover around Orlando, not the whole state.
- Use call assets and scheduling so calls hit during business hours when someone can answer.
- Test network settings intentionally, so you can see what performs before expanding reach.
The fastest way to waste ad spend on any platform is mismatched intent, so we like to map campaigns to the intent behind each query; if you want a simple framework, see our FAQ on search intent and the main types.
If you tell us your industry and service area (for example, Winter Park dental, downtown Orlando personal injury, or pest control in Seminole County), we can outline a realistic Microsoft Advertising test plan with budgets, campaign structure, and what a “good” lead cost looks like for your category.
