“Google is KING of all search networks.” We’ve all heard it.
And yes, there are over 3.5 billion search queries on Google each day. But recent reports have revealed that companies such as Bing and Yahoo are growing in this revenue-streaming sector of search advertising.
While their growth and competitive edge isn’t even comparable to Google’s, you’d be surprised to know that Google’s paid search clicks are down 11% compared to 2016. So that intrigued me to delve deeper into Bing and the growing opportunities the search network has to offer. Below are three notable differentiators.
Bing Powers 12 Billion Monthly Searches Globally
Bing functions as a pay-per-click platform similar to Google. Which means you search for a query on Bing and the most relevant ads related to your search appear. As an advertiser, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Bing text ads appear either on top or the right side of search results on Bing, MSN and other networks. Annual revenue reports show Bing Ads grew to 19.7% of the U.S. market share in search advertising, which places them at the second highest position (Google’s #1 undoubtedly).
27% of Search Clicks Come From Exclusive Bing Networks
My first question when it came to Bing was, “Who even uses Bing – someone who’s never heard of Google?” Well, I’ll admit I was a little biased. So I pulled some basic demographics of Bing’s search user audience.
Next, I wondered, “What makes up the Bing network?” It includes Bing Search, which is integrated as the search default in Microsoft products such as Windows 10, Amazon devices, etc., not to mention partner sites exclusive to Bing through third-party platforms and partnerships such as web results for Siri, maps and thousands of other websites not available in the Google network.
Advertisers Average a 33.5% Lower CPCs on Bing
Numerous industry blogs and sites rave about Bing’s low cost-per-click (CPC) in comparison to Google’s. Benefits such as the ones you’ll find down below, are where Bing outshines Google.
Better Ad Position
Due to a lack of competition in the Bing network, advertisers benefit greatly because you don’t have to bid as high for the same keywords to bump the competition like you would on Google.
Higher CTR
Because of a less crowded competitive cluster, better ad position and a lower CPC, ads on Bing are more clickable, resulting in advertisers seeing a greater ROI.
However, I will argue that just because you can get a lower CPC on Bing and have a competitive advantage resulting in higher CTRs, that doesn’t mean you should abandon Google completely. You have to consider the value of the users/impressions on each network.
Yes, Bing may have a lower CPC but the impressions and clicks on your ads may not be as valuable or qualified as the ones you can generate on Google. So running a side-by-side A/B test and looking at deeper analytics will truly give you insight on what’s working best for your particular brand on each search engine!
I always get excited at the opportunity to learn and grow outside of the industry standards, such as Google’s being the go-to for search advertising. I’m eager to try Bing and share my experience and results with this search engine soon!
–Nidia Verdugo, Media Buyer
