Google Ads vs Microsoft (Bing) Ads: Which Should You Run First?

6 November 2026. By Ads Daddy.

Start with Google. Add Microsoft Advertising (still called Bing Ads by most people) once Google is working and you want more volume at a lower cost per click. That's the short version.

The longer version is where the money is. Pick the wrong order, or copy your campaigns across carelessly, and you'll burn budget on clicks that never turn into customers. Here's how the two platforms really differ, who each suits, and how to run both without the usual mess.

TL;DR

• Google Ads is the first port of call for search advertising: biggest reach, most intent, most competition.
• Microsoft Advertising is the second act. Fewer advertisers usually means cheaper clicks, but also less volume.
• B2B brands get a bonus on Microsoft: LinkedIn profile targeting by company, industry and job function.
• Importing campaigns is quick, but not copy and paste. Review budgets, bids, tracking and match types.
• Judge both on profit, not platform-reported ROAS.

Table of Contents

• The short answer: Google first, Microsoft second
• What each platform actually is
• Reach: Google wins on scale
• Cost: cheaper clicks, smaller pool
• Targeting and formats: more alike than different
• Side by side
• Which one should you pick?
• How to bring Google campaigns across to Microsoft
• Measuring the result: profit beats ROAS
• Our take
• Want someone else to run it?
• FAQ

The short answer: Google first, Microsoft second

Think of it like dating. Google is the packed bar on a Saturday night. Everyone's there, including your competitors, and the drinks cost more. Microsoft is the quieter pub around the corner. Fewer people, less noise, and some of them are exactly your type.

If you've got no ads running, Google gives you the fastest read on whether your offer sells. Once you've got a winning offer and a working strategy, or you've squeezed Google dry, Microsoft is a sensible next test. Search Engine Land's comparison of the two makes the same call in much the same order.

That's not a case for ignoring Microsoft. It's a case for sequencing. Two platforms run badly will cost you more than one run well.

What each platform actually is

Both are pay-per-click auction platforms. You bid on keywords or audiences, you write the ads, and you pay when someone clicks. Neither charges you for just being seen on a search results page.

Google Ads

Google Ads can put you in front of people on Google Search, YouTube, Google Play, Discover, Gmail and the Google Display Network. Where you appear depends on the campaign type you choose. The main types are Search, Shopping, Video, App, Demand Gen and Performance Max.

Want the full walkthrough? Our guide on how Google Ads actually works covers the mechanics.

Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising shows your ads across Bing, Microsoft-owned properties and partner sites, on desktop, tablet and mobile. Microsoft splits it into two networks:

• Search network: ads in response to what someone types. Placements include Bing and partner search engines.
• Audience network: ads shown while people browse, on places like MSN, Microsoft Start, Microsoft Edge, Outlook.com and publisher partners.

So it's not just "Bing". The old name sticks because it's easier to say.

Reach: Google wins on scale

Google has the bigger search audience. No surprise there. If your goal is to be everywhere people are searching, Google is the bigger net.

Microsoft's audience is smaller but not trivial. It can work particularly well for B2B businesses and for older consumers tied to a specific device, especially people who use Windows machines and the Edge browser at work or at home. Those people often never touch your Google campaign in a way that counts.

Here's the practical read:

• Local trades, cafes, clinics: Google first. Local intent lives there.
• E-commerce stores: Google Shopping first, Microsoft Shopping as the follow-up.
• B2B and professional services: Google first, then Microsoft sooner than you'd think.
• Small niche markets: Microsoft can pick up the searches Google has already saturated for you.

Cost: cheaper clicks, smaller pool

Microsoft auctions usually have fewer advertisers. Fewer bidders means less upward pressure on price, so CPCs are often lower than on Google. That's the headline reason people try it.

But cheap isn't the same as good. Lower competition comes with lower search volume. You might get a cheaper click, but fewer of them. Microsoft may not replicate Google's scale, so don't plan your whole growth target around it.

What that means for budget:

1. Don't judge on CPC alone. A cheap click that never buys is just a cheap waste.
2. Judge on cost per lead or cost per sale. That's the number that pays your rent.
3. Expect Microsoft to be a smaller line in your budget. Start modest, scale what works.

Both platforms charge on clicks, so your spend is tied to people showing interest, not just eyeballs. Exact CPCs vary by industry, season and how well your campaigns are built. Anyone quoting you a flat "Microsoft is X% cheaper" number without your category is guessing.

Targeting and formats: more alike than different

This is where people expect big differences and mostly don't find them. Both platforms offer keyword, location, device, demographic, audience and remarketing controls. Both run search, display, native, video, Shopping, Performance Max and app campaigns.

The differences that matter:

• Google lists Demand Gen campaigns, and has YouTube and Gmail inventory built into its network.
• Microsoft lists Dynamic Search, Multimedia and Vertical ads, and offers LinkedIn profile targeting.

The LinkedIn angle

This is Microsoft's party trick. You can layer LinkedIn profile attributes onto your campaigns: company, industry and job function. Selling software to HR managers? Services to logistics firms? You can aim at those people directly while they search.

Google can't do that in the same way. For B2B advertisers this is the single strongest reason to give Microsoft a proper go. If you want to go deeper on professional audiences, our LinkedIn advertising workflow for Aussie businesses and B2B advertising tactics are good next reads.

Side by side

Which one should you pick?

Skip the theory. Use this.

Run Google only if:

• You're brand new to paid search.
• Your budget is tight and you need one platform to learn fast.
• Your offer hasn't proven itself yet.

Add Microsoft when:

• Your Google campaigns are profitable and you've hit a ceiling.
• You sell B2B and want to reach specific roles or industries.
• Your customers skew older or use desktop at work.
• You want a cheaper channel to test the same keywords.

Run both from day one only if:

• You've got the budget to give each a fair test.
• Someone is managing both properly, not leaving Microsoft on autopilot.

The common mistake? Treating Microsoft as "Google, but cheaper" and flicking it on with zero checks. It isn't a clone. It's a different auction with different people in it.

How to bring Google campaigns across to Microsoft

Microsoft has import tools that copy your campaign structure, keywords, ad copy and other settings from Google. It's a huge time saver. It's also a trap if you hit "import" and walk away.

Before anything goes live, check:

1. Budgets. Microsoft will not need, or absorb, the same daily spend as Google. Set it lower and scale up.
2. Bids. Google bids were set for Google's auction. Re-think them for a smaller one.
3. Tracking parameters. Make sure your conversion tracking and URL tags work on Microsoft. Broken tracking means you're flying blind.
4. Match types. Keyword match behaviour is not identical across platforms, so review the choices rather than copying them blindly.
5. Ad copy and extensions. Refresh anything that references Google-specific features.

Then let it run long enough to gather real data before you judge it.

Measuring the result: profit beats ROAS

ROAS is revenue divided by ad spend. Handy, but it isn't profit. ROI should take in gross profit and other costs, and a platform-reported ROAS alone doesn't prove you're making money.

Here's a simple example. You spend A$1,000 and the platform reports A$4,000 in sales. That's a ROAS of 4. But if your margin is thin and you've got product, shipping and staff costs, that A$4,000 may leave you with little. Good number, wrong question.

To compare Google and Microsoft fairly:

• Use the same conversion definition on both. A lead is a lead, not a page view on one and a phone call on the other.
• Track cost per lead and cost per sale by platform.
• Look at lead quality, not only volume. Ask the sales team which leads closed.
• Give Microsoft enough time and budget to leave the learning phase before you decide.

Our piece on LinkedIn ads metrics that move the needle applies the same thinking to a different platform and is worth a skim.

Our take

We've seen the same pattern again and again. Business owners ask "Google or Bing?" when the real question is "Which one will I manage properly?"

Our view is simple. Google is where you learn what sells. Microsoft is where you stretch a winning offer further, often at a friendlier cost per click, and where B2B brands get access to professional audiences that are hard to reach elsewhere.

The platforms are not the hard part. Tracking, structure, ad copy and optimisation are. That's why we run multi-platform campaigns hands-on, across Google, Microsoft, Meta, YouTube and LinkedIn, with tracking and lead delivery built in from the start. You shouldn't need to learn the ad platforms to benefit from them.

Our advice: get Google profitable, then let us help you test Microsoft with a clear budget and a clear finish line. If it works, scale it. If it doesn't, you'll know why.

Adrian

Want someone else to run it?

Running two ad platforms is a part-time job. Most owners have a full-time one already.

We set up, manage and optimise campaigns across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta, YouTube and LinkedIn, so you get the leads without learning the dashboards. See what we run on our Google, Microsoft and Meta ads page, or look at our lead generation service if leads are the goal.

Ready to stop guessing? Book a call and we'll tell you straight which platform should get your first dollar.

FAQ

Is Bing Ads the same as Microsoft Advertising?

Yes. Bing Ads was renamed Microsoft Advertising, though plenty of people still use the old name. The platform covers Bing and partner search sites, plus audience placements like MSN, Edge and Outlook.com.

Is Microsoft Advertising cheaper than Google Ads?

Often, per click. Microsoft auctions tend to have fewer advertisers, which usually pushes CPCs down. The trade-off is lower search volume, so compare cost per lead or sale rather than cost per click.

Should I run Google Ads and Microsoft Ads at the same time?

Only if you can manage both properly. Most businesses do best starting with Google, then adding Microsoft once they have a winning offer and tracking that works. Review budgets, bids and match types after importing.

Is Microsoft Advertising good for B2B?

It can be. Microsoft offers LinkedIn profile targeting by company, industry and job function, which suits B2B advertisers chasing specific roles. It's a strong reason to test it after Google is working.

Can I copy my Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Ads?

Yes, Microsoft has import tools for structure, keywords and ad copy. Don't copy blindly: check budgets, bids, tracking parameters and match types before you switch campaigns on.

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