Microsoft Ads in 2025: Why the quiet contender is crushing it

If you’re sleeping on Microsoft Ads in 2025, you’re not just missing out, you’re leaving high-intent traffic (and some serious conversion opportunities) on the table.

Microsoft Advertising has quietly evolved into one of the most efficient, underused paid platforms out there. With placements across Bing, Outlook, Xbox (who knew!), LinkedIn, and more, it’s the high-ROI (return on investment), low-noise alternative marketers wish Google Ads still was.

In this guide, we break down the campaign types available, targeting strategies, ad formats, and why this platform should be firmly on your radar.

Let’s break it down 👇

Why Microsoft Ads matters more than you think

Google might own the ad spotlight, but Microsoft Ads is the underdog you should be giving some attention to.

It’s important to remember that when you play the digital advertising game, it’s not about sheer volume, it’s about better traffic & smarter placements, and Micrsoft offers this whilst having a network that runs deeper than most marketers actually realize.

Their users tend to be wealthier, less ad-fatigued (fed up of seeing the same adverts over and over), and more ready to convert than other PPC (pay-per-click) platforms.

With over a reported billion daily active users worldwide, Microsoft’s reach is massive, but its privacy-friendly targeting is what gives it a major advantage in a fast approaching cookie-less world (you can think of the scoreboard as Microsoft 1 - Google 0) 🥇

The Microsoft Ads ecosystem: Beyond Bing

If you’re sitting there thinking that Microsoft Ads only show up in Bing searches, then you’re incorrect...that’s just the tip of the iceberg 🧊

Microsoft has spent years building an ad network that touches almost every corner of the digital landscape, from email inboxes to games consoles and everything in between. If you want cross-device visibility without dealing with the cookie woes that some other platforms have to deal with, then this is it 🍪

Here’s where your ads could show up:

• Bing search results: The OG staple, appearing for high-intent searches in browser.
  
• Microsoft Edge & Windows: In browser and across the entire Windows platform, right where users spend their time.
  
• Outlook & MSN: Peak users interest while they’re in their inbox or browsing the news.
  
• Xbox consoles & apps: Yes, Xbox is on the radar! Your ads can show up on the consoles home screen and within specific games and apps.
  
• LinkedIn (Profile targeting): Target by job title, company, and more, making it perfect for B2B.
  
• Microsoft Start: This one's part of the broader MSN platform and allows you to reach users on their personalized news feed and content hub.

In short, you’re reaching users at work, rest, and play, ensuring your brand is where it matters most 💪

Microsoft Ads campaign types (and when to use them)

Let’s talk about flexibility for a minute.

Microsoft Ads offers a full range of campaign types, so understanding which one to choose to meet your marketing goal is key to making every dollar of your ad budget count 💰

Whether you’re pushing new products, building brand awareness, or collecting leads, Microsoft Ads has the format to match your goal. Each ad type plays a critical role at different stages of the buyer’s journey.

Here’s how to use each format effectively 👇

Search Ads

The classic text based ads triggered by keywords (what your ad clicker searched for before they saw your ad) - these are featured across Bing, Yahoo, AOL and Microsoft’s entire partner network 🔍

‍Best for: Lead generation, high-intent searches, and local service businesses looking to dominate local search results.

‍Why they work: Bing users tend to be older and wealthier, and they have a higher conversion intent than other ads platforms. Typically, they’re primed and ready to take action, and if your ads are positioned right, you’ll be able to capture that exact moment of intent. In fact, search ads are perfect for those highly-targeted, low-competition niches where Google might feel oversaturated 🎬

Audience Ads

These are native ads that blend organically into content across all of Microsoft’s touch points, whether it’s Outlook, MSN or Edge 😎

Best for: Retargeting campaigns (turning lost visitors and abandoned clicks into second chances), driving awareness of your product/brand and top-of-funnel activities.

‍Why they work: They’re designed to blend in seamlessly, making them feel less like traditional ads and more like content. This means they catch attention without disrupting the user experience, keeping your brand top of mind without being pushy, and they typically see a lower cost-per-click (CPC) than traditional search ads, so you can stretch your ad dollars further 💵

Shopping Ads

Image-based visual ads that show directly in Bing’s search results alongside associated product/service reviews and pricing 📷

‍Best for: eCommerce and retail businesses looking to showcase new product drops, sales & promotions and the latest trend pieces.

‍Why they work: These ads give users everything they need to make a purchase decision upfront. This makes them highly effective for bottom-funnel conversions. Users are already in a buying mindset, so if your ad is strategically placed to capture them when they’re actively shopping 🛍️

Multimedia Ads

These ads are larger and more visually striking, commanding attention across premium placements like the Bing Shopping tab and search results...essentially, center stage!

Best for: Product launches, promotions, and any scenario where you need your brand to stand out with style.

Why it works: With eye-catching visuals and compelling text, these ads are designed to break through the noise. They allow your brand to shine on the more premium real estate within search results, giving you more space to showcase your product’s uniqueness, especially in crowded or competitive spaces 🔦

Video Ads

The new kid on the block, fresh in for 2025. Video ads run across all Microsoft-owned platforms and their partner services 📹

‍Best for: Storytelling, demo videos and building trust with potential customers mid-funnel.

‍Why they work: Videos are one of the most engaging formats you can use, and Microsoft’s integration of them into its network allows advertisers to tell richer stories without competing with the sheer volume of content on platforms like YouTube. They allow you to educate and connect with your audience in a less crowded, more impactful way.

LinkedIn profile targeting

Ok, so this isn’t technically a campaign type, but it's still an absolute targeting powerhouse that you can add to search or audience campaigns to extend your reach.

‍Best for: B2B, SaaS, and account-based marketing (ABM)

‍Why they work: LinkedIn profile targeting within Microsoft Ads allows you to reach decision-makers with greater precision, all without needing any extra plugins or third-party tools. This native integration allows you to focus on targeting the professionals that matter most to your business…the one's that can make or influence purchase decisions 🙌

Ad formats & extensions

Ad formats are your creative toolkit, and Microsoft Ads packs some powerful options.

If you’re used to Google Ads, a lot will feel familiar, but Microsoft gives you flexible combinations and placements that can help you stand out across its network.

Here’s what you get included in your toolbox:

Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)

Responsive Search Ads allow you to create multiple headlines and descriptions, which Microsoft then tests, rotates and optimizes for you. This format ensures that your ads match the search queries of users with the most relevant message possible. The flexibility and AI-powered optimization mean you can scale campaigns quickly and effortlessly 🚀

Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs)

With Dynamic Search Ads, Microsoft scans your website content in real time and automatically creates ads for you based on the most relevant pages of your site. This reduces the need for manual keyword research and updates, saving you time and boosting your efficiency while ensuring your ads are always relevant to what users are searching for 💡

Ad extensions

Microsofts ad extensions are a game-changer! They allow you to add extra information to your ads, such as sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets. By providing more context and value upfront, you can boost visibility, credibility, interest and importantly, click-through rates 🖱️

Image Extensions

Image extensions are a powerful tool to visually enhance your ads. These allow you to showcase your product, brand, or service with eye-catching images, breaking the monotony of plain text and attracting more clicks.

These formats allow your ads to dominate more screen space, offer more value upfront, and ultimately increase click-through rates 📸

Smarter targeting in 2025

Lets talk about precision 🎯

Targeting is where Microsoft Ads quietly and humbly outshines the competition. In 2025, it’s all about layering signals, data and intent in a way that helps you cut through the noise, allowing you to reach real buyers, not just browsers.

Here’s how you can hit the bullseye:

• Demographics & in-market segments: If your focus is to ensure that your ads are showing up for people who are actively looking for your product or service then this is one for you. Demographic targeting allows you to drill down into specific age groups, genders, locations and even device types 📱
• LinkedIn profile targeting: We've already covered this one, so we'll keep this short. If you’re running account-based marketing (ABM) campaigns or focused on B2B sales, this one's an absolute must 💼
• Remarketing & custom audiences: Warm leads are always easier to convert. That's why remarketing and custom audiences should be a crucial part of your marketing strategy. You can re-engage past website visitors, email subscribers or customer lists with highly tailored messages and creative that speaks directly to their interest and previous actions 🔁
• Smart bidding: If you're interested in automating your bids, this ones a smarter way to advertise. With options like Target CPA, Max Conversions or Target ROAS, you could opt to leave AI to do the heavy lifting whilst still having the ability to override bidding options whenever needed, leaving you to strike the perfect balance between automation and manual control ⚖️

Our closing thoughts

Microsoft Ads isn't just an alternative to Google, it's a smarter way to advertise in 2025 giving you the ability to unlock an entirely different audience.

With a variety of campaign types, targeting and ad formats, it's time to stop overlooking this powerhouse of a platform and expand your reach beyond the safer, go-to platforms.

If you're serious about driving your ROI, reaching high quality users and trying something new, Microsoft Ads gives you the tools to scale effectively whilst cutting through the noise of the digital advertising world.

Hitprobe directly supports Microsoft Ads, and it takes a matter of minutes to get started, so there's never been a better time to advertise and track smarter - it's time to take your advertising analytics game to the next level with Hitprobe 🚀