Bing Ads has been re-branded to Microsoft Advertising, with the business saying the move intends to take the advertising platforms to different lengths instead of solely focusing on actual advertising.
Microsoft announced the news in a blog post, describing how to subtle shift would be better for business overall, noting that clients were already tapping the new ad products it offered that "go above and beyond search" like as the Microsoft Audience Network. Microsoft also placed a big focus on personal customization and AI in the announcement. This will change the old race between "Bing Ads" and Google Ads or former known as Google Adwords.
“In the next year, we’re introducing more advertising products with built-in AI, more connected to your data and your business,” said Rik van der Kooi, corporate vice-president for Microsoft Advertising.
Bing will remain the consumer search brand for Microsoft, they are insisting the Google rival will "only become more important as intent data drives more personalisation and product innovation."
What Will Be New on Microsoft Advertising
This information comes from the famous Bing Ads Partner Summit kicks off at Microsoft’s Redmond, WA headquarters. To total surprise from the rest of the world, Bing Ads Partner Program is now the Microsoft Advertising Partner Program. A new and improved logo will accompany the move as well, which will solidify the change in a visual manner. Additionally, over the months following the change, all experiences and materials will be updated to reflect Microsoft Advertising
Sponsored Products were also announced Monday. Sponsored Products allow manufacturers to promote their products in shopping campaigns with their retailer partners. “Manufacturers gain access to new reporting and optimization capabilities, and retailers get additional product marketing support with a fair cost split.” Sponsored Products is still in testing mode in the U.S., time for the actual system to roll out is still in the works.
Microsoft Advertising & Competitor Facts
Data privacy is a major concern following recent scandals involving the digital ad market’s two dominant companies, Google and Facebook. Recent examples include Google being hit with enormous fine over a GDPR breach in January, which we talk about in a previous article. while Facebook last week set aside $3bn (£2.32bn) for an expected fine from US regulator over privacy breaches including the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Microsoft became only the third US company in history to reach a trillion-dollar market capitalisation last week, following Apple and Amazon. Last week, the company’s earnings report revealed that its three main sources of revenue were all worth about $10 Billion and had grown by roughly 30% in the first quarter of 2019: Office, LinkedIn and Dynamics; Azure cloud, server products and enterprise services; and Windows, Xbox and Surface.
What The Bing to Microsoft Name Change Means to Us
All in all the Bing Ads to Microsoft Advertising change is a positive for small to large businesses alike. This will undoubtedly drive traffic to the new re-branded advertising platform. Everyone likes new software and a new name, Microsoft claims that many new changes to the outdated software will allow for more customization which was said previously and a better understanding of how your advertising dollars are spent.
For those who have used both Bing ads and Google Ads, Google Ads has always been ahead of the curve with visualization, analytics, user-friendliness and always seemed to have a better understanding of the actual user experience. The only thing that stands apart over the two huge advertising giants is Microsoft's customer service, they are by far superior in that ranking and based off history the businesses with the great customer service skills outlast the competition. Now that Microsoft Advertising is reshaping its entity, Google Ads will be watching a very close eye.