Bing Ads vs Google Ads
How to make both ad platforms work your B2B marketing requirements.
Google is so ubiquitous as to be part of everyday vernacular, like Kleenex or Coke. Need a quick answer to a burning question? “Google it.” So advertising on the platform is a no-brainer for B2B companies of almost every type and size.
Will Google eventually be replaced by AI tools like ChatGPT? Maybe, but not anytime soon, at least not according to recent data, which shows ChatGPT holds about 1% share of the search market. So Google Ads will continue to be a force in the B2B marketing ecosystem for the foreseeable future. And it will adapt to the new environment, launching competitive features like AI Mode. More than half of Google’s annual revenues are attached to search engine advertising so it is highly motivated to both adapt and lead the next generation of search engine evolution.
But the issues become murkier when turning our attention to Bing Ads, which was rebranded to Microsoft Advertising in 2019. This can be explained by the relatively low profile of the advertising platform, the misunderstood Bing brand, and modest market share (4%). All news is not bad, though. We incorporate Bing ads into most of our B2B PPC management client portfolios and rely on its unique audience reach, reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Here are our best practice recommendations for addressing the Bing Ads versus Google Ads question when planning your company’s digital advertising strategy. There are three primary areas of consideration: scale, audience, and application.
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BY THE NUMBERS
Statistically, there isn’t much to discuss in the Bing vs Google debate. With about 90% global market share, Google is the undisputed leader of search engines, processing more than 15 billion inquiries every day.
But that means the number two player in the category — Bing, with 4% share — processes about 500 million searches every day. That a few hundred thousands searches every minute. So, though nowhere near Google, still quite a bit of volume. And plenty of high value B2B keywords to chase.
So while Bing might be considered a miniature Robin to Google’s Batman when it comes to size and scale, there are plenty of similarities between the two platforms. At their core, they are search engines where people go to get information about personal and professional needs alike. Using unique algorithms, they serve up answers to users in the form of SERPs – search engine results pages, which include a combination of information boxes, advertisements (“pay per click”) and organic results (achieved via SEO).
Implications
Even though Google and Bing have many similarities and a variety of campaign components can be easily shared across platforms, they still require unique approaches. Things to think about include:
- Scalability. Even under the best conditions, getting B2B PPC to work and deliver a reliable volume of quality leads across the customer buyer journey at an attractive price point is tough. And when it does work, scaling doesn’t usually work in a linear way. But with 10X the search volume, Google is going to be the search engine of choice for scaling more often than not.
- Testing. Digital marketers live in a constant state of design > launch > measure > optimize > rinse and repeat. Even when an account is performing well, we’re always on the lookout for optimization opportunities or new keyword clusters to chase. Sometimes, ad-fueled campaigns are used for messaging testing prior to the rollout of a pricey, integrated offline and online program. In these kinds of situations, Bing is often a preferred platform because volume isn’t a priority and it’s typically about half the cost of Google.
AUDIENCES & APPLICATIONS
With hundreds of millions of daily users, Google offers the ability to reach most audiences anywhere in the world. A mobile-first platform, it prioritizes consumer-ish behavior on phones and tablets, which makes sense considering that most advertising spending is done by brands like Ford, Nike and Proctor & Gamble.
Bing Ads is the Macy’s to Google’s Walmart. It’s a fraction of the size but has unique characteristics that make it especially appealing to specific audience groups, and one of those groups happens to be B2B and corporate buyers, who tend to use desktop devices to do their shopping and are heavy users of Microsoft products, of which Bing is one. That LinkedIn falls under the Microsoft umbrella and is another attraction, especially when pursuing account based marketing (ABM) strategies.
UNDER THE HOOD
Features-wise, the platforms are similar but have unique nuances. (Find the Microsoft-centric features comparison here.) Just like with any ad platform, the activation or deactivation of a setting or two can wreak havoc on performance and budgets, but if you already know your way around Google Ads, you will be able to pick up Bing Ads quickly. One big difference is the display network on Google is vast and allows for streamlined image-based retargeting campaigns, which are arguably a must-have in low funnel B2B campaigns these days. Bing Ads has a display network feature but it’s nowhere near as robust as Google’s.
BRASS TACKS
For most B2B companies that are already running productive Google Ads campaigns, adding Bing Ads to the mix — at the very least for a three month test — will make sense. Bing will likely perform uniquely in different geographies but for companies running nationwide or international campaigns, that shouldn’t be an issue. It typically takes some testing to make the ROI work, but that’s the same for any new platform. Given its attractive costs as compared with Google Ads and its proven efficacy in the B2B space, it’s not a question of “if” many organizations should start advertising on Bing but rather “when”.
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Tim Bourgeois is a director at East Coast Catalyst, a B2B PPC services agency. Contact him at tbourgeois (at) eastcoastcatalyst.com to learn how ECC can help your organization with B2B inbound lead generation.