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Over the past years, the digital marketing landscape has continuously evolved due to all the technological advancements. The advantages that marketing automation brings are usually analyzed from the advertisers’ perspective, but what about how customers are getting familiarized with it to the point in which they build their expectations based on it?

Nowadays, online shoppers expect to interact with digital elements that make their buying process not only easier but also more dynamic and entertaining.

Microsoft advertising is one of the best digital marketing platforms in the world, and this is not a surprise since we all know that the Microsoft team focuses on providing automated solutions that simplify the process for advertisers and enhance the users’ experience. 

In this post, you will find out the latest digital marketing trends and the solutions that Microsoft advertising has created to make the most out of them.

Dealing With Consumers’ Expectations

Consumers have their heads in the game, and you should do the same. The first digital marketing trend resides in the fact that ecommerce has grown exponentially, which is an advantage for businesses that have embraced online sales. But what does it really take for your business to benefit from this?

The best thing you can do is to analyze your audience. Online shoppers know what they are doing, so be strategic. The first question you should ask yourself is,

What are consumers expecting out of their buying process?

And the whole package might include promotions, discounts, free delivery subscriber benefits, and every element in which they might find an additional value.

But! It is not about having all of them; it’s all about how you present these benefits. It has to be the right deal at the right time.

Microsft is on top of the game, which is why they came up with “Cash Back Promotions,” which is an innovative way to help customers get the perfect deal. These ads will incentivize shoppers to purchase by providing rebates and also to grow shoppers’ loyalty. The Microsoft platform will be in charge of choosing the right amount of cashback while delivering the best return on ad spend.

The Evolution of Visual Experiences

Did you know that brands that invest in creativity get an 18% higher ROI with the same budget? This makes total sense since we are all visually oriented beings. Investing in creative, interactive, and visually oriented formats is vital to tackle this digital marketing trend and getting optimal results.

Multimedia Ads from Microsoft combine images, headlines, and descriptions in appealing ways to deliver outstanding visual ads. These ads are now available on the Microsoft Audience Network and have shown impressive results.

The Need for Multifunctional Tools

Stop wasting your time using multiple platforms to accomplish your digital advertising goals. As mentioned before, using multiformat ads with attractive images is crucial for capturing your audience’s attention.

But creating this type of ad might imply more time and effort. Just think about all this process entails, looking for images, editing them with additional tools, and then uploading them to your advertising platform.

Fortunately, Microsoft Ads now features an AI-powered creation tool that allows you to select the best pictures from your website, edit them, and then fit them into your ads while aligning them with your brand’s look.

Closing Remarks

If you want to see significant results out of your digital advertising efforts, you need to understand that keeping a conservative approach will not be enough.

The digital advertising sphere is changing all the time, and there will be more behavioral trends to keep up with and solutions to tackle them. The sooner you embrace these solutions, the better your results.

What to keep in mind?

• Ensure that you meet your customers’ expectations. This goes way beyond just offering a product or service that fulfills their needs. Offer attractive deals in an interactive and compelling way.
• Advertise on a channel that converts! The Microsoft Advertising Network is perfect for connecting with a valuable audience quickly and efficiently.
• Leverage AI and automation. By making the most out of these technological solutions, you will be able to save time and money so you can use these resources where you need them the most.

Would you like to stay up to date with the latest digital marketing trends and insights? Just take a moment to subscribe to our blog.

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In 2018 at the Partner Summit, Microsoft launched the Microsft Audience Network (MSAN) with new features and solutions that would make a difference when compared with the old Bing Audience Network. 

This innovative network presented AI Capabilities that allowed you to reach millions of people that other platforms like Google were not able to reach and capture search-intent signals. Along with other advantages, including the Microsoft audience graph and brand safety.

The Microsoft graph refers to a network of office365 subscribers, 1.5 billion users, and 500 million LinkedIn users from which the Microsoft algorithm can get insights and spot relevant trends.

The access to granular information, massive reach, and accurate targeting make the MSAN a powerful network to advertise on. Actually, in 2020, 42% of view-through conversions were attributed to this network.

What’s Vertical Advertising?

This type of advertisement refers to a strategy used to target an audience with similar interests, needs, and demands. It’s an ideal option when targeting people in a definitive niche.

We have proof that the Microsoft audience network is the go-to solution for vertical advertising!

Research performed by Microsft showed a +38% lift in impressions and a +48% lift in clicks when users were exposed to ads in the MSAN.

The study also showed a search click lift in the following specific verticals:

• Retail +77%
• Travel +67%
• Technology +57%
• Financial Services +25%
• Autos +19% 

Microsft Ads has this optimal vertical advertising network and a type of ad customized for this particular approach.

An Optimal Solution for Your Clients

Vertical ads are dynamically generated by artificial mechanisms that gather data from all the users across the Microsoft network to create tailored ads based on similar interests. These ads can help you:

1. Lower your CPC
2. Increase the CTR
3. Drive More Traffic

With Vertical Ads, you can connect with customers through richer ad experiences focusing on precise information and ad formats that are easy to read and interact with. These ads are different for each industry; the existing categories are:

• Automotive
• Credit card
• Cruises
• Health insurance
• Professional services (insurance, real estate, and tax)
• Tours and activities

Microsoft has communicated that due to the effectiveness of vertical ads, the categories will be expanded to meet the need of other industries as well.

Vertical Ads Advantages

Besides all their qualities, like understanding users’ needs in a deeper way to create tailored results, vertical ads are a great way to operate across the network with minimum time and resources.

Moreover, since vertical ads serve a niche audience, their costs are lower, giving you the opportunity to get a higher volume of your conversions.

Last but not least, vertical ads are very dynamic, which helps you to gather and analyze data and display engaging results. This means that every ad, according to the industry, search query, and information available, can adopt different formats making it more appealing to the consumer.

Setting Up Vertical Ads

One of the main advantages of using vertical ads is that they are straightforward to create and manage. Check how to set them up in 3 simple steps!

1. Set up a single-text ad campaign with a placeholder ad group, keyword, ad, and bid.
2. Upload a dynamic data feed file in Microsoft Advertising.
3. Use feed scheduling to keep your feed data fresh and ensure that your campaigns remain effective.

Protips for Vertical Ads

• Provide a complete feed of all available offerings to increase the chances of matching search queries.
• Use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant search terms.
• Track conversions to optimize your ads adequately.
• Ensure ads are eligible to serve all relevant customers by setting location targeting in your campaigns.

Can’t Wait to Try Them Out?

Every strategy is different. Some strategies might focus on a niche and others on a broader audience. If you are about to run a campaign for a well-defined audience with particular interests, you can’t miss the opportunity to try vertical ads.

This automated solution has been created with your customers in mind to meet the most specific needs in every industry.

Microsoft Ads and some other advertising platforms are constantly evolving and creating new features and solutions to help you reach your goals in the most optimal ways. Subscribe to our blog to keep up with the latest strategies, insights, and tips.

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Has it ever happened to you that you are so focused on reviewing an article or navigating through a website that when an ad pops up, you automatically discard it? All it’s doing at the moment is interrupting what you are doing. It happens all the time!

What would you think if I told you that there is a form of advertisement that would camouflage the layout of any website, allowing you to show your ads in a compelling, effective but, more importantly, non-disruptive way?

Sounds impressive, right?

Well, this is something you can do by embracing a native advertising approach. 

Check out these stats to give you more perspective!

• Native advertising spend in the US is expected to reach $98.59 billion in 2023.
• Compared to other advertising formats, native ads show an 18% higher lift in purchase intent and a 9% higher lift in brand affinity responses.
• Native ads’ engagement is 53% higher than display ads.
• 68% of consumers trust native ads seen in an editorial context, compared to 55% for ads shown on social media.

Let’s Start With the Basics

Native advertising was brought into the digital world in 2011. Its origins began in editorial advertising to promote brands and were initially used in magazines and newspapers until this approach was adopted to advertise on digital platforms.

We can define native advertising as a paid advertising method where the ad seamlessly fits the media in which it is published. 

When this advertising method was introduced into the digital sphere, it was mainly used to advertise on social media platforms like Facebook. Nowadays, native ads can fit any website or app.

Types of Native Ads

Whether you run campaigns manually or programmatically, there are different types of native ads that you can run across platforms.

In-Feed Ads

These ads are usually seen on news-based sites since they can adopt the form of a blog post or video ad. Moreover, they can be used on e-commerce websites as in-feed lists to increase sales.

Search Ads

You might already be familiar with this ad type. Paid ads shown in the SERP are a type of native advertising since their text size, font, and link color look the same as the organic listings.

Social Network Ads

As previously mentioned, social platforms were the first to adopt native advertising. In-feed and carousel ads are the typical native ads you could find in a social media platform’s feed.

Why Should You Adopt a Native Approach?

By using native advertising, you can connect with your audience in a compelling format and increase brand awareness or conversions.

Below are additional benefits you can gain from native ads.

Eliminate Ad Fatigue

It’s common for users to get bored of seeing ads popping up all the time, resulting in a lack of interest. Native ads can fit any editorial content perfectly, making it easier to connect with your audience without getting users overwhelmed with your advertising efforts.

Align With Your Marketing Funnel

Whether you are targeting the top-of-funnel to drive awareness or the lower funnel to increase your sales, native ads can perfectly adapt to any strategy since you can run these ads across various platforms in different ad formats.

Reach Relevant Audiences

Native advertising is the answer to the need for a tailored approach. You can build up your campaign by selecting specific criteria, such as demographics, location, channel, and customer intent, so your ads can reach your target audience.

What to Keep In Mind for an Effective Native Approach

1- Place Your Ads Strategically

It is no use investing time designing or developing valuable content for your ads if nobody will be able to see them. Avoid users scrolling right past your ads by ensuring they are placed in the best-performing spots across the platforms you use.

2- Prioritize Design and Content

Keep your customers in mind by making sure that your content is informative and entertaining for your specific audience so you can establish a connection with them.

Additionally, it is imperative that your ads fit the platforms’ design, including colors, fonts, and text.

3- Use Retargeting Wisely

Take into consideration what it has previously worked. You should create your ads with the same characteristics that have made them attractive to your audience on previous occasions. If your customers have shown willingness to interact with them in the past, they might be willing to do it again.

4- Leverage Mobile Ads

The fact that mobile devices are used for activities like shopping and navigating through websites and social media gives you the perfect opportunity to connect with your target audience. Make sure your ads are mobile-friendly and adjust seamlessly to the platforms and campaigns that get the most traffic from mobile users.

The Go-To Platform for Native Advertising

Native advertising can be implemented across different channels; however, there is one particular platform that potentializes the chances to get higher results.

The Microsoft audience network holds unique features specifically designed to target and effectively get to your target audience using a native approach to its fullest.

These features include a deep understanding of customers’ behavior, higher privacy standards, and access to fully integrated campaigns. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are the pillars of these advancements due to their capacity to process valuable information, such as user intent, web activity, and user data.

At White Shark Media, we strategically run campaigns across the most-converting platforms, such as Microsoft Ads, and stay up to date with the most effective strategies to ensure outstanding results. Visit our blog to learn all the secrets our experts have to share that will help you master the digital marketing field.

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Don’t follow the crowd! You can’t expect to achieve “extraordinary results” by taking “ordinary actions. Some people will go straight to Google Ads without considering Microsoft Ads. Pause here and think strategically.

Microsoft Ads is one of the best advertising platforms globally for many reasons, including its broad reach, attractive audience, and low costs. And if we are talking about online shopping, this is a platform that you would not want to miss.

Top Reasons for Selling on Microsoft Ads

In previous blogs, we have covered some of the benefits that you can get out of running your shopping campaigns with Microsoft Advertising. Below are the top three unique selling points that our experts have discovered when advertising on this platform.

1. Multiple Targeting Options

Besides the usual front-end targeting options like device, location, age, and gender, Microsoft Ads offers more precise targeting for ad groups, devices, and time-zone.

2. Better CTRs and Lower Costs

The lower your costs, the higher your chances of getting more conversions. Keep in mind that the Microsoft network has an audience with incredibly high purchasing power. Putting it from a different angle, if you advertise on this platform and you have a competitive budget and a good PPC strategy, the chances to succeed in reaching and selling to customers is very likely.

Microsoft Ads Shopping Stats

• Click-Through Rate is 45% higher in Microsoft Ads than in Google Ads.
• The average Cost-Per-Click of Microsoft shopping ads is 30% lower than Google’s.
• Microsoft’s average Cost-Per-Acquisition is 40% lower than Google’s.
• Bing users spend 35% more when shopping online than Google users.

3. Top Privacy Solutions

If you play a part in the ecommerce game, you know how important it is to keep the user’s information safe. Over the past years, one of Microsoft’s main priorities has been to enhance privacy controls. This is why this platform is one of the safest when it comes to ad targeting and features. 

The Power of Microsoft Shopping Ads

If you are not already taking advantage of this platform, you are missing out on a marketing resource with huge potential. And if the stats and features presented above do not quite convince you, here’s something that will!

Case Study

One of our clients owns an ecommerce business specialized in the sales of motorcycles. This client was unwilling to advertise on Microsoft and wanted us to focus on Google only. However, our strategists knew about the opportunities Microsoft advertisingcould leverage for this industry, and advised the client give it a try.

Actions Taken by Our Team

• A Shopping Campaign was launched to increase transaction volume.
• Cost-related keywords were used to target users in the upper funnel.
• Consumers in the lower funnel were targeted with more specific keywords.
• Relevant in-market audiences were excluded.
• Conversion and ecommerce tracking were installed to measure accurate results.

Results

Google Shopping Ads vs. Microsoft Shopping Ads

Now here is where all advertisers curiosity lies. Google Ads is the platform with the greatest reach, and that’s a fact. So if we are talking about a massive approach, Google might be the answer. On the other hand, if you want to play it smart, you’ll want to see what Microsoft shopping ads have to offer.

Unique Google Shopping Advantages

1. With Google Ads reaching a network of more than 2 million websites and applications, there is no doubt that it is the number one digital marketing platform when it comes to reach.
2. 60% of all search traffic is mobile, and 94% of those searches in the U.S. are on Google.
3. Google Ads allows you to enhance targeting by excluding unwanted audiences on the campaign setup.
4. Google shopping campaigns are easy to set up and manage.
5. Google shopping ads account for 57% of its paid search clicks.

Advantages of Microsoft Shopping Ads vs. Google Shopping Ads

1. Upon campaign setup, Microsoft allows you to set locations at campaign and ad group level. While on Google, you can do it only at the campaign level.
2. Microsoft shopping ads allow unique attributes for the merchant and the possibility to use redirected linking for user tracking.
3. While Google Ads has a daily PPC budget, Microsoft Ads allows you to set daily or monthly budgets.
4. Microsoft Ads customers are older and more affluent than Google shopping customers.
5. The learning algorithm from Microsoft shopping ads captures unique audience behaviors and characteristics.

When comparing both platforms, we can agree that they work similarly. Moreover, they both have unique advantages that complement each, so the best strategy would be to use both to your advantage rather than just choosing one.

Ready to Enhance Performance?

The more resources you have, the higher your chances of achieving your goals. Knowing and understanding what makes Microsoft shopping ads so unique, you won’t miss the opportunity to include them in your next Ecommerce campaign.

Pro-tips for Managing Microsoft Shopping Ads

• Ensure to start with your primary goal in mind since this will determine the specific setup you need for your campaign.
• Leverage Microsoft’s unique targeting options like behaviors, demographics, devices, and schedules to make your campaigns more effective.
• Remember to exclude keywords, locations, and websites that are irrelevant to your campaign.
• Maximize your results and save time by using Smart Shopping Campaigns.
• Complement your ecommerce campaigns with other platforms, starting with Google Ads.

If you are partnering with a digital marketing agency to help you manage your campaigns, make sure to select the one that has a more thorough approach that fits your business needs and objectives. Our digital marketing specialists are always up to date with the top PPC platforms to get the most optimal results for marketing efforts online.

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The pandemic has been a game-changer for how we currently live our lives, especially for business and marketing: numbers don’t lie; we’ve all seen how digital marketing has become so vital for a business’s success nowadays. The only question is how you make the most out of your digital marketing efforts and dollars.

The Microsoft Advertising platform represents 37% of the search share in the United States. And guess what? That percentage still has ways to go. Being the most effective platform for PPC advertising, reaching a diverse stream of audiences is readily accessible for your business.

Some might say that advertising with Google Ads is enough and, in some cases, might be accurate, but to maximize marketing efficiency, you might need to try different channels. Microsoft Ads, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, are something to try out, especially if you’re trying to reach goals.

If you want to play it strategically, reach audiences with the highest purchasing power by spending less with the Microsoft Advertising platform. Let’s dive deeper into all the advantages of using this unique platform.

Invest in a Platform With Strong Reach

As we mentioned before, the Microsoft Advertising platform has an extensive reach in the digital sphere. When you advertise through this platform, you gain a strong digital presence thanks to all the Microsoft advertising solutions, including its own search engine Microsoft Bing. Let’s not forget about the search partners that play an essential role when it comes to advertising on Microsoft.

Moreover, keep in mind that the Microsoft network is not only potentialized by all the platforms and sites mentioned above but also by all the devices that are powered by Microsoft. To give you an idea, there are more than 1.3 billion Windows devices out there to leverage by using the Microsoft Advertising platform.

Focus on an Audience With High Purchasing Power

Did you know that people searching on the Microsoft Search Network spend more online than the average internet searcher by 41%? 

This basically means that if you include the Microsoft Advertising platform in your strategy, you can get to an audience with strong purchasing power.

When building your PPC strategy, you need to make sure that you target an audience that will be interested in what your business offers and, most importantly, that they have the potential to become consumers.

The Microsoft Advertising platform has an audience with diverse purchasing power, so building a tailored strategy becomes even more accessible, especially if you’re targeting conversions.

Spend Your Money Efficiently

When it comes to a digital marketing strategy, cost is one of the most critical aspects. We all want to get the most of our investment. With the Microsoft Advertising platform, you not only get the chance to reach an audience with a big pocket, but you can do it at a lower cost.

Boosting your PPC results by leveraging a lower CPC is a game-changer for your strategy that you don’t want to miss. And if you are still hesitant about this, don’t worry! We have proof of its effectiveness.

Microsoft Ads Helped Lower CPC by 24% While Enhancing Traffic

One of our clients owns a window replacement company. While working with us, this client experienced high CPC for window installation campaigns. Our experts advised our client to tackle this issue by switching over to the Microsoft Advertising platform.

Our team moved on with this strategy and applied the following actions:

• Excluded branded keywords.
• Added general keywords like “windows replacement” and “windows installation”.
• Implemented custom tracking codes for the Microsoft Advertising platform.
• Expanded traffic and keywords based on search term queries.

After the first month, our team’s efforts decreased the avg. CPC and brought relevant traffic to convert from 0 to 8 conversions during one of the trickiest seasons in the industry.

Ready to Make a Sure Bet & Increase in Your ROI?

Sometimes putting the eggs in the same basket that everyone else is using might not be the best solution for you. In order to strategically achieve your goals, you need to look at the bigger picture and play it smart. With the Microsoft Advertising platform, you can:

• Target the right audience
• Increase brand awareness
• Get a lower CPC
• Enhance traffic

And these are just some of the main advantages. Trying out this platform might be the game-changer for your digital marketing efforts.

At White Shark Media, we have partners like Microsoft, which have helped us understand all the advantages of their advertising platform, and we have learned how to use it to its maximum. If you are eager to learn more about the Microsoft Advertising platform and the most effective PPC strategies, subscribe to our digital marketing blog.

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In a few years, you’ll be asking yourself why you waited so long to try the Microsoft Advertising platform. This is an ongoing conversation with partners, clients, and readers.

Often overlooked, Microsoft Advertising is a PPC platform that is effective and pairs well with Google Ads. It is less crowded, offers lower CPCs, and has several targeting features that help you get closer to your audience.

The fun part of being a PPC strategist is working with all the emerging tools and campaign features. It’s a good day when our clients open up to try something new.

Below are three times our clients took a leap of faith to tryMicrosoft’s platform and a short story about how it went.

Less Competition Means Lower CPC

We’re big on Google Ads campaigns. One particular client, let’s call them Client 1, has been investing in it since 2016. Client 1 is a locally owned and operated company offering national waste removal services, serving commercial and residential clients.

However, the platform’s popularity tends to push costs up.

During the pandemic, Client 1 experienced financial difficulties which required budget cuts to marketing and PPC advertising.

Our strategists worked to find alternatives to the campaigns that they were managing at the time. Switching to the Microsoft platform was the first step to lowering costs.

Microsoft controls 36% of the US desktop search market, which opens up to a new audience. On top of that, voice searches are becoming increasingly popular, tapping into searches by Cortana and Alexa.

Our team adjusted their digital marketing strategy to their new budget by focusing on three steps:

• Decreasing their costs
• Lowering CPC
• Targeting commercial services

Switching to the Microsoft Network was a better fit for B2B services. Crossing over to this less crowded platform helped lower costs.
To keep efforts intentional, Microsoft campaigns were created based on keyword research. One of Microsoft’s noteworthy features is targeting so the team leveraged LinkedIn audiences by job functions and industries.

These changes contributed to lower-cost leads, increased CTR by 75%, and decreased Cost Per Click (CPC) by 38%.

Use PPC Marketing to Target People with High Purchasing Power

Every year, retail stores aspire to expand their market share. It’s grown increasingly difficult to do that in the last two years. Unprecedented times brought Client 2 to our door. They were eager to achieve a higher percentage of the online market.

After a closer look at their industry and company, our team decided to advertise their business on Microsoft and launched their strategy.

Six campaigns were launched, including an independent campaign for two of their core products. Strategists focused the highest budgets on the best performing campaigns.

Campaigns used the Maximize Conversion Value bid strategy to define spend and focus on transactions. This strategy makes your bids in real time to maximize total conversion value within your budget. This was implemented in the campaigns.

The team tracked transactions across campaigns to analyze overall performance.

From the minute we were tracking transactions in Microsoft, we were able to see a progressive increase in revenue. Compared to Google Ads, this Microsoft account has shown a better overall performance. Below is a closer look at the results:

Retail Store Increases

• ROAS: 1108.28%
• CPA: $3.45
• Conversion rate: 38.04%
• Microsoft Advertising KPIs ROAS: 381%
• CPA: $112.75
• Conversion rate: 1.10% Google Ads KP

Increase Revenue by 2039% with Microsoft Advertising Strategies

Seeds N’ Such had launched campaigns on Microsoft Ads and were unhappy with the performance. Now a client of several years, they asked the team to include the platform and try again. To better understand what occurred, strategists referenced past campaigns. That helped them flag what wouldn’t work and draw insights from there. It appeared that the account was targeting people unfamiliar with the brand, resulting in a low return on ads spend (ROAS) on Microsoft.

Our PPC experts proposed a new approach.

Skipping that initial stage, we targeted users who already knew the brand. We launched a Search and a DSA Campaign.

Search campaigns show your ads to users searching online for your products and services.

DSA stands for Dynamic Search Ads. They capture unique searches. It requires being a little more in tune than common keywords.

Both were set up with a remarketing list. Separately, we decreased bids and removed low-performance locations. This change kept things effective and allowed us to do more with our budget. Finally, we installed eCommerce tracking to measure results.

• ROAS increased by 475.41%
• Conversions increased by 1608%
• Revenue increased by 2039.6%

For months now, Seeds ‘N Such has seen positive results on the Microsoft platform and continues to leverage it today.

Intrigued with the benefits of Microsoft Advertising? Here’s a little more to get you started.

Conclusion

The case studies above prove that the Microsoft network taps into millions of users. At a lower cost and diverse audience, it’s a platform that can take your digital marketing strategy to the next level.

Though many are hesitant to diversify their PPC marketing, those who have don’t regret it.

Contact our paid search company to learn more about what Microsoft Advertising offers your business and how you can stand out in your industry.