In pursuit of “maximizing the power of search intent,” Microsoft Advertising revised its multi-channel strategy in February.
However, not all advertisers have seen a welcome change to their account performance.
Learn how the mandatory Audience Network expansion impacted this software company, which saw 26% of its budget spent with no added conversions or performance benefits.
What changed and why?
Through their multi-channel studies, Microsoft found that accounts that utilized both the Search and Audience Network performed better than those using only Search.
- They reported that users who saw a brand’s ads on both networks were 2.6x times more likely to visit the website and 6.6x times more likely to convert than those who had only seen a Search ad.
- Their beta results also showed that accounts that used this multi-channel strategy had a 14% higher conversion rate at a 21% lower CPA.
- They stated that the main takeaway from their studies and tests was that the two networks should work together to reach the “best customers wherever they are and meet them in the moments that matter.”
This was the reasoning behind introducing the multi-channel strategy, which means that all Search campaigns are eligible to show on their Audience Network and allows Microsoft to decide where and how your ads should appear.
While this was something that advertisers could previously opt out of via the audience bid modifiers in campaign settings, this option was removed starting Feb. 23.
Advertisers who wanted to specifically run campaigns targeting only the Audience Network were encouraged to use Audience Ads campaigns, Microsoft’s version of a Google Ads Display campaign.
Microsoft reassured advertisers that this was a step in the right direction and that they were confident that their rich first-party data and AI would help make this approach work.