Today, advertising your business online is more important than ever. Online marketing techniques such as digital display advertising are a convenient, cost-effective way to reach new customers. These ads can boost your business and help you outshine the competition.
If you’re considering an online advertisement campaign, you’ll most likely run your ads on the two biggest players in town: Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. So which one is better for your digital display advertising strategy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each network?
There’s no doubt that Google is a titan within the digital advertising marketplace. According to recent statistics, ad revenue from Google Display Network sites totaled over $31 billion in 2023. Yet the Microsoft Ads network – which includes Bing and other partner sites – offers unique advantages that may appeal more to specific business needs.
Choosing the best platform for your campaign will depend on a variety of factors. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of digital display advertising and dive deep on Google vs. Microsoft to help you decide.
What is Digital Display Advertising?
If you’ve never heard of display ads and you’re not sure how they’re different from other types of online ads, don’t worry. It’s not as complicated as it might sound. Digital display advertising is a type of online multimedia advertising that showcases a product or service with a combination of text, images, video, or interactive content.
For example, let’s say you’re reading your favorite tech blog and there’s an ad with photos of new laptops on the side of the article. That’s a display ad! Unlike search ads, which you’ll see as a “sponsored” link in the search results on Google or Bing, display ads are placed on third-party websites and apps.
In other words, display advertising reaches users when they’re browsing other digital media. With the right strategy, display ads target customers whose interests strongly align with your product or service. You can optimize display ads for key demographics, locations, or consumer behavior. This targeted approach captures potential customers who are more likely to convert.
Digital display advertising also offers brands the ability to use dynamic, engaging creative. You can use text, photos or graphics, videos, animations, or even interactive content such as quizzes. They’re readily scalable, too. Many businesses create a small number of ads, which can be used in a wide variety of different placements simply by changing the dimensions of the image or making other adjustments to the ad format.
To get started with display ads, you’ll need to choose a network platform. The network will determine where your ads are shown and who sees them.
Overview of Google Ads
Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is the biggest digital advertising platform. In addition to running display ads on properties owned by Google (such as YouTube and Gmail), the Google Display Network (GDN) consists of over 2 million websites and apps.
It’s estimated that display ads run through the Google Display Network can reach 35 million people worldwide. The Google Ads platform is also highly intuitive, utilizing AI “smart bidding” to help you get the most out of your ad budget.
Overview of Microsoft Ads
Originally known as Bing Ads, Microsoft Ads may be the underdog – but this particular dog knows a lot of great tricks for digital advertising! Microsoft Ads offers display ad placements through the Microsoft Audience Network (MSAN).
The MSAN includes Microsoft-owned properties like Bing, Outlook, MSN, and Microsoft 365. But Microsoft Ads has also partnered with publishers like CBS Sports, USA Today, People Magazine, and The Weather Channel to distribute display ads to their readership.
Google Ads vs. Microsoft Ads
There are many similarities between Google Ads and Microsoft Ads. Yet each network platform provides unique advantages and your brand may benefit more from one platform than the other. So how do they stack up?
Audience Size
When considering where to distribute your ads, audience size matters and Google Ads has a more extensive reach. After all, Google is the number one search engine in the United States. In contrast, Microsoft’s Bing has only 7% of US search volume. (But at 44 million searches, Bing is still a contender.)
Audience Demographics
What demographics are you hoping to reach with your display ads? This may also factor into your decision when choosing a platform. Google’s users tend to be younger, while Microsoft/Bing attracts an older crowd. However, for running digital ads, both platforms offer easy-to-use tools to target specific demographics.
Targeting Options
As previously mentioned, it’s crucial to make your advertising as targeted as possible. When you refine your audience, your ads will be shown to customers who are more likely to make a purchase.
Both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads include robust options for tailoring your audience metrics. You can narrow your targets based on:
- Age, gender, location
- Income brackets
- Interests and behavior
- Search history
Owing to its partnership with LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads also provides the ability to reach potential customers by industry and job function. For B2B brands, manufacturers, or other companies with niche products and services, this may be a valuable feature worth utilizing.
Cost Per Click
Cost Per Click, or CPC, refers to the amount you’ll pay every time a user clicks on your ad. Due to its size and popularity, Google Ads has more competition – and a higher CPC – than Microsoft Ads. You may need a bigger budget to gain visibility and clicks on Google Ads, whereas Microsoft Ads may yield a higher return on ad spend for a smaller budget.
The Best Ad Platform for You
Many brands will benefit from using both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, rather than one or the other. Google offers the advantage of a massive potential audience reach, while Microsoft can present a more budget-friendly option to fill in the gaps with different demographics.
Yet as with so many elements of online advertisement, digital display ads are ever-evolving. If you’re not sure where to get started, Mandzok Marketing is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.