The 5% that
punches above its weight.
Microsoft Advertising (Bing) is the channel most Australian agencies skip past. They shouldn’t. Lower CPCs, an older and higher-income audience, and the only paid search platform with native LinkedIn targeting baked in. For B2B, it’s not optional.
- Why Microsoft Ads is worth running in Australia
- // Industry data, 2024-25
~5%
Australian search market share on Microsoft platforms
- StatCounter, 2025
30-40%
Lower average CPC than Google for equivalent keywords
- Microsoft Advertising, 2024
B2B
The only paid search with native LinkedIn audience targeting
- Microsoft, 2024
45+
Skews older, more affluent, and desktop-heavy audience profile
- Comscore, 2024
- // Campaign types
Four campaign types. One overlooked channel.
SEARCH
Bing, Yahoo and AOL search inventory. Lower CPCs, often higher conversion rates.
- Account import & refine
- LinkedIn targeting overlay
- Negative keyword strategy
- Conversion tracking via UET
SEARCH
Search on Microsoft is structurally similar to Google but with less competitive auctions in most verticals. We typically port a refined version of the Google account, then layer in Microsoft-specific features: LinkedIn targeting, Microsoft Audience Network exclusions, in-market audiences.
TALK TO US ABOUT MICROSOFT SEARCH
- Account import & refine
- LinkedIn targeting overlay
- Negative keyword strategy
- Conversion tracking via UET
AUDIENCE ADS
Native ads across MSN, Microsoft Edge, Outlook.com and the Microsoft Audience Network.
- Audience segmentation
- Native creative briefs
- Frequency capping
- Cross-device measurement
AUDIENCE ADS
Native placements at scale, run on an audience-targeting model similar to Display. Most useful for prospecting and re-engagement, especially for B2B audiences who spend more time in Microsoft properties.
TALK TO US ABOUT AUDIENCE
- Audience segmentation
- Native creative briefs
- Frequency capping
- Cross-device measurement
SHOPPING
Microsoft Shopping campaigns. Often-overlooked traffic for AU ecommerce.
- Merchant Center setup
- Feed import from Google
- Product groups & bids
- Promotions
SHOPPING
Shopping campaigns served through Bing and partner properties, fed by the same merchant feed you'd use for Google. Lower volumes but typically higher AOV and conversion rates from the older, higher-income audience.
TALK TO US ABOUT MICROSOFT SHOPPING
- Merchant Center setup
- Feed import from Google
- Product groups & bids
- Promotions
LINKEDIN-TARGETED SEARCH
The differentiator. Layer LinkedIn job-title, company, industry data over search.
- Firmographic targeting
- Job-title bid modifiers
- ABM list uploads
- LinkedIn lookalike layering
LINKEDIN-TARGETED SEARCH
Native to Microsoft Advertising. You can layer LinkedIn audience signals (job title, function, company name, company size, industry) on top of any search campaign. For B2B, this is the closest thing to keyword-plus-firmographic targeting available anywhere.
TALK TO US ABOUT LINKEDIN TARGETING
- Firmographic targeting
- Job-title bid modifiers
- ABM list uploads
- LinkedIn lookalike layering
- // Real examples
Microsoft search: lower CPCs, same buyers.
01/04
Search Ad
Bing, Yahoo and AOL search inventory. Lower CPCs, often higher conversion rates.
02/04
Microsoft Shopping
Native ads across MSN, Microsoft Edge, Outlook.com and the Microsoft Audience Network.
03/04
Audience Ads
Microsoft Shopping campaigns. Often-overlooked traffic for AU ecommerce.
- // How we work
Same rigour. Different surface.
01
Audit
Account audit, conversion-tracking review, competitive benchmark. Wasted spend identified, restructure mapped before anything goes live.
02
Restructure
Campaign architecture aligned to margin, not vanity. Match types, audiences, bidding, naming conventions, all rebuilt from the ground up where they need to be.
03
Launch & Iterate
Creative, copy, landing-page recommendations and weekly hygiene. Negatives, query reports, bid adjustments, audience refinements. Done as a habit, not an emergency.
04
Report
Plain-English reporting that ties spend to revenue, not impressions. Monthly business review with a senior account lead, not an account-management report.
- // Why Paperstack
B2B
specialists who don't skip Microsoft.
Most paid-search agencies treat Microsoft as a ‘and we import the Google account’ afterthought. We don’t. For B2B and considered-purchase accounts, Microsoft is often the single most efficient lead source, if you actually use the platform’s distinct features.
150+
Australian brands run across paid media at Paperstack
20+ yrs
Senior paid-media experience leading every account
Partner
Google Premier Partner, Meta Business Partner, Microsoft Advertising Partner
2
Studios: Melbourne CBD + Surfers Paradise
- // FAQs
Questions, answered straight.
Is Bing worth advertising on?
For most Australian businesses with a Google Ads spend over $5k/month, yes. The CPCs are typically 30-40% lower, conversion rates can be higher, and you reach an audience demographic Google under-indexes on. Below $5k Google spend, the answer is usually no, the management overhead doesn’t pay back.
Can you just import my Google Ads account?
Yes, and we will, as a starting point. But importing is the floor, not the ceiling. The real value comes from Microsoft-specific features (LinkedIn targeting, Audience Network exclusions, different in-market segments) that don’t exist in Google.
What's the LinkedIn targeting actually like?
Native to Microsoft Advertising. You can layer LinkedIn audience signals, job function, job title, company name, company size, industry, over any search campaign. For B2B and high-ticket professional services, it’s a genuine differentiator: keyword intent plus firmographic audience in one auction.
How do I track Microsoft conversions in GA4?
Microsoft uses its own UET tracking, but we can pipe conversions into GA4 via offline import or server-side tracking so your full multi-channel reporting works. Setup is part of any engagement.
What's a minimum spend?
We work with Microsoft accounts from $1,500/month media spend. The structural CPC advantage means smaller budgets still produce meaningful volume, often better volume than the equivalent $1.5k on Google.
- // Microsoft Advertising
Audit your Microsoft account, or set it up properly.
If you’re already running Microsoft, we’ll audit it free. If you’re not yet, we’ll model the opportunity, your Google spend cross-referenced against Microsoft’s auction landscape, and tell you what’s worth the move.