Bing Ads Best Practices: How to Stop Wasting Your Budget

Kerry Anderson • June 19, 2026

Are You Getting Real ROI From Microsoft Ads?

Bing Ads best practices are the difference between a campaign that quietly drains your budget and one that consistently delivers qualified leads and sales at a lower cost than Google.

Here is a quick overview of the most important practices to follow:

Install UET tracking before launch - set up Universal Event Tracking and verify it fires correctly before spending a dollar
Structure campaigns around tight themes - group keywords by intent, not just topic, and use single-theme ad groups
Use negative keywords from day one - build shared exclusion lists covering brand blockers, competitor terms, and informational queries
Import Google Ads campaigns correctly - use the import tool but always run post-import fixes on match types, bids, and tracking
Layer LinkedIn profile targeting - add job title, industry, or company size filters to reach professional audiences no other search platform can match
Start with Maximise Conversions bidding - only switch to Target CPA or Target ROAS after collecting 20 to 30 conversions in a 30-day window
Write RSAs with 10 to 15 headlines - include a mix of benefits, proof points, and calls to action; pin sparingly
Review search term reports weekly - mine for converting queries to promote and irrelevant terms to exclude

Most small business advertisers treat Microsoft Ads as an afterthought, setting up a quick import from Google and leaving it on autopilot. That approach wastes budget on the wrong audiences, misfired match types, and campaigns that never collect enough data to improve.

The reality is different. According to Microsoft, Bing commands a 38.1% PC market share in the United States and reaches over 6.4 billion monthly PC searches. Industry data consistently shows Microsoft Ads CPCs running 20 to 35% lower than Google Ads equivalents in many verticals. For one book retailer, Gandalf, this platform delivered a reported 1,316% return on ad spend - proof that the audience is real, the intent is high, and the opportunity is significant for advertisers willing to run campaigns properly.

The challenge is not whether Microsoft Ads works. The challenge is knowing how to set it up, structure it, and optimise it so it actually performs.

I'm Kerry Anderson, co-founder of RankingCo and a digital marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience running paid search campaigns across Google and Microsoft Ads for businesses of all sizes. I have worked across Bing Ads best practices extensively, helping clients build connected search strategies that reduce wasted spend and compound returns over time.

Key Bing Ads best practices vocabulary:

Bing Ads Best Practices: Maximising Search ROI

To generate consistent profitability from Microsoft Advertising, you must view your paid search campaigns as a connected growth system. Rather than treating Bing as an isolated channel, successful campaigns align keyword intent with landing page experiences, audience data, and advanced automation.

For small businesses in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, this means structuring campaigns to leverage Microsoft's unique audience demographics. Bing users skew older and more affluent, with Microsoft reporting that 23% of users spend more online when shopping. This high-intent, high-purchasing-power audience responds exceptionally well to structured campaigns that avoid the common trap of bloated, broad-match structures.

At RankingCo, we design campaign structures that balance brand protection with aggressive non-brand growth. When planning your budget, we recommend a 70/20/10 split: 70% allocated to proven search campaigns, 20% to growth initiatives like Shopping or Performance Max, and 10% reserved for testing new audiences and formats. This systematic approach ensures your budget is directed toward the highest-yielding segments while constantly discovering new search opportunities.

What are the Bing Ads best practices for campaign setup?

To prevent budget waste, your campaign setup must start with a clean account architecture, robust conversion tracking, and structured ad groups. Before activating any ads, you must install the Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag site-wide via Google Tag Manager and verify that it fires correctly using the Microsoft Advertising UET Tag Helper extension.

If you are importing campaigns from Google Ads , do not let the import run on autopilot. While the import tool provides a fast start, you must perform several post-import fixes to align with Bing Ads best practices :

Calibrate match types: Microsoft’s close variant matching can be broader than Google’s. Start with exact and phrase match types to maintain tight control.
Adjust bids and budgets: Because CPCs on Microsoft Ads are often 20% to 35% lower, keeping your Google bids identical can lead to overpaying or exhausting budgets too quickly.
Review search partner settings: By default, imports opt you into the entire syndicated partner network. Start by targeting Microsoft Owned & Operated sites (Bing, Yahoo, AOL) before expanding to partners.
Disable auto-apply recommendations: Turn off settings that allow the platform to automatically add keywords or modify bids without your approval.

For your ad creative, build Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) with 10 to 15 unique headlines and at least 4 descriptions. Align your copy with your keywords and landing pages, highlighting your unique selling points and a clear call to action.

To scale campaigns efficiently, use Microsoft Advertising scripts for bulk management, automated checks, bid adjustments, and search query mining. You can also test Microsoft Performance Max to expand reach across search, native, and shopping placements, using AI to combine your assets and optimise delivery across the Microsoft Advertising Network.

FAQ: Common Questions on Bing Ads Best Practices

How do Bing Ads best practices improve B2B targeting?

Microsoft Ads offers a massive advantage for B2B marketers through native LinkedIn profile targeting, a feature completely unavailable on Google Ads. This allows you to overlay professional attributes—such as specific job functions, company sizes, and industries—directly onto your keyword search campaigns.

To use this effectively, start by adding your target LinkedIn segments in "observation" mode. This allows you to collect performance data without restricting your ad delivery. Once you identify which job functions or industries yield the highest conversion rates, apply incremental bid adjustments of 10% to 15% to win more impressions from those high-value decision-makers.

How do I import Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Ads without errors?

To import campaigns without errors, use the native Google Import tool in the Microsoft Advertising interface and follow a strict post-import checklist. Ensure you select only the active campaigns you want to run, and uncheck the option to import bids and budgets directly if you want to set platform-specific limits.

After the import is complete, immediately review your location targeting, tracking templates, and audience associations. Google’s geographic targets do not always map perfectly to Microsoft’s system, so double-check your settings to ensure your ads are only showing to users in your target Australian markets.

What are the best negative keyword strategies for Bing Ads?

An effective negative keyword strategy is your primary tool for preventing budget waste on Bing. Because Microsoft's close variant matching is highly aggressive, you must build shared negative keyword lists at the account level to filter out irrelevant search queries.

Your starter list should include brand blockers (to keep your brand terms from triggering non-brand ads), competitor exclusions, and informational search terms (like "free", "template", or "how to"). Review your Search Terms report weekly to identify and exclude poorly performing queries that do not match the transactional intent of your campaigns.

How does the Microsoft Audience Network complement search campaigns?

The Microsoft Audience Network (MSAN) complements your search campaigns by placing native image and video ads across premium placements like MSN, Outlook.com, and the Microsoft Edge browser. This cross-channel approach allows you to capture additional touchpoints along the customer journey.

Use MSAN primarily for remarketing to users who have already visited your website but did not convert, or for layering in-market audiences who are actively researching products in your category. This keeps your brand top-of-mind at a highly efficient cost per thousand impressions (CPM).

How do I track conversions and measure ROI in Microsoft Ads?

To track conversions accurately, you must configure your UET tag and set up specific conversion goals within the Microsoft Advertising dashboard. These goals should track valuable actions such as purchases, lead form submissions, or phone calls.

For longer sales cycles, integrate your CRM with Microsoft Ads to import offline conversions. By passing the unique Microsoft Click ID (MSCLKID) back to the platform when a lead closes, you feed high-quality conversion data back to the bidding algorithm, allowing it to optimise for actual revenue and return on ad spend (ROAS) rather than just clicks.

Building Your Connected Growth System

Implementing Bing Ads best practices is not about checking boxes; it is about building a connected growth system that turns search intent into measurable business outcomes. By combining structured campaign setups, tight keyword themes, robust negative keyword lists, and unique targeting features like LinkedIn profile data, you can stop wasting your ad spend and unlock highly profitable conversion channels.

At RankingCo, we help businesses in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne build and manage high-performing search strategies that scale. Contact our team today to find out how we can help you grow.

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