What Is A Microsoft Ads Manager Account?

Understanding Microsoft Ads Manager Account

The Microsoft Ads Manager account is your central hub for managing and optimizing your Microsoft Ads campaigns. Think of it as a control panel that consolidates all your campaigns, ads, keywords, and settings in one place. With a Microsoft Ads Manager account, you can:

• Set up new campaigns and ad groups
• Manage existing campaigns and ad groups
• Track performance and metrics
• Access powerful features like targeting, bidding, and ad extensions

Overall, the Microsoft Ads Manager account is an essential tool for online advertisers looking to expand their reach and improve their campaigns’ effectiveness.

The Evolution of Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising (formerly known as Bing Ads) has come a long way since its launch in 2006. Over the years, Microsoft has made numerous improvements to the platform, enhancing its features, usability, and performance. Some of the significant milestones include:

• In 2012, Microsoft partnered with Yahoo to expand its search advertising network, reaching over 50% of the US audience.
• In 2015, Microsoft launched Universal Event Tracking (UET) to help advertisers track their campaigns’ performance more accurately.
• In 2019, Microsoft announced new ad formats and features, such as in-market audiences, LinkedIn profile targeting, and dynamic search ads.

As you can see, Microsoft Advertising has become more competitive and innovative in recent years, making it a worthy alternative to Google Ads.

Key Features of Microsoft Ads Manager Account

Let’s take a closer look at some of the essential features and capabilities of the Microsoft Ads Manager account:

• Campaign creation: You can create new campaigns from scratch or import existing campaigns from Google Ads.
• Ad group management: You can create and edit ad groups, select targeting options (such as location, language, and device), and set bids and budgets.
• Keyword research: You can research and select the most relevant keywords for your campaigns, using tools like the Microsoft Advertising Intelligence tool.
• Reporting: You can track and analyze your campaigns’ performance using various reporting tools, such as the Campaign Performance report, the Keyword Performance report, and the Search Query report.
• Targeting and bidding: You can target your ads to specific audiences based on demographics, location, device, and other criteria. You can also set bid adjustments based on location, device, and time of day.

These are just some of the many features and tools that the Microsoft Ads Manager account offers. To get the most out of Microsoft Advertising, you’ll need to explore these features in-depth and experiment with different strategies.

Setting Up Your Microsoft Ads Manager Account

Now that you understand what a Microsoft Ads Manager account is, let’s explore how to set it up. If you’re new to Microsoft Advertising, here are the steps you should follow:

Creating a New Account

The first step is to sign up for a Microsoft Ads account. You can do this by visiting the Microsoft Advertising sign-up page and following the prompts. You’ll need to provide some basic information, such as your name, email address, and billing details.

Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be prompted to create your first campaign. However, we recommend holding off on this step until you have a better understanding of Microsoft Ads and have developed a solid campaign strategy.

Navigating the Dashboard

When you first log in to your Microsoft Ads Manager account, you’ll see the Dashboard, which provides an overview of your account’s performance. From here, you can navigate to different areas of your account, such as Campaigns, Ad Groups, and Keywords.

The Dashboard also displays key metrics, such as impressions, clicks, and conversions, so you can quickly assess how your campaigns are performing. You can customize the Dashboard by adding or removing widgets, depending on your preferences.

Linking Existing Microsoft Advertising Accounts

If you’ve used Microsoft Advertising before, you may already have one or more accounts set up. In this case, you can link your existing accounts to your Microsoft Ads Manager account to manage them more efficiently.

To link accounts, go to the Accounts & Billing tab in your Microsoft Ads Manager account and select the Link Account option. You’ll need to provide your existing account details, such as the account number and access ID.

Managing Campaigns and Ad Groups

Now that you have your Microsoft Ads Manager account set up, it’s time to start creating and managing your campaigns and ad groups. Here’s what you need to know:

Creating and Editing Campaigns

To create a new campaign, navigate to the Campaigns tab in your Microsoft Ads Manager account and select the New Campaign option. You’ll need to choose a campaign type, set a campaign name and objective, and fill in other details, such as targeting and bidding options.

You can edit your campaigns at any time by navigating to the Campaigns tab and selecting the campaign you want to change. From there, you can adjust bid and budget settings, add or remove ad groups, and fine-tune your targeting options.

Setting Ad Group Parameters

Ad groups are where you create and manage your ads and keywords. To set up ad groups, navigate to the Ad Groups tab in your Microsoft Ads Manager account and select the New Ad Group option. You’ll need to choose a name and fill in details, such as ad format and targeting options.

You can edit your ad groups at any time by selecting the ad group you want to change and selecting the Edit option. From there, you can add or remove ads and keywords, adjust bids and budgets, and fine-tune your targeting options.

Targeting and Bidding Strategies

One of the most critical aspects of Microsoft Advertising is targeting and bidding. You want to make sure you’re targeting the right audience and bidding the right amount to maximize your ROI.

There are several strategies you can use, depending on your goals and budget. For example, you can set bid adjustments based on location, device, and time of day, target specific audiences using demographics or interests, or use automated bidding strategies like Enhanced CPC or Target CPA.

Experiment with various targeting and bidding strategies to find what works best for your campaigns.

Utilizing Advanced Features

To make the most of Microsoft Advertising, you’ll need to explore some of the advanced features available. Here are some of the most useful ones:

Implementing Ad Extensions

Ad extensions give you more real estate to showcase your products or services within your ads. They can include additional information, such as phone numbers, location, reviews, and promotions. To set up ad extensions, navigate to the Extensions tab in your Microsoft Ads Manager account and select New Ad Extension.

Using Audience Targeting

Audience targeting allows you to reach specific groups of people based on their demographics, interests, and behavior. You can create audiences using data from your site, such as remarketing lists, or use Microsoft’s predefined audiences, such as in-market audiences or LinkedIn profile targeting.

Leveraging Automated Rules and Scripts

Automated rules and scripts help you automate routine tasks and optimize your campaigns more efficiently. You can set up rules to adjust bids, pausing underperforming ads or keywords, or sending email notifications when certain conditions are met.

Scripts, on the other hand, allow you to run custom code within your campaigns, such as pulling data from external sources or manipulating ad copy based on specific rules.