Don't Sleep on Microsoft's Audience Network!

Sophie Logan | @MarketingSoph�#PPCLiveUK

• What is the Microsoft Audience Network?�
• Why is it important for your paid media strategy?�
• How do you run an Audience Ads Campaign?

Agenda

What is the Microsoft Audience Network?

Microsoft Audience Network:

�“Drive highly personalized engagements with your ideal customers, powered by Microsoft AI.”

• Native PPC Platform�
• Access to various audience targeting methods including demographics and interests�
• Create ads using text, images, video and feed based content�
• Placements include Microsoft Outlook, MSN, Edge and premium website such as CBS Sport and Fox Business

“Reach your target audience with text, image or video ads, as they explore the internet and Microsoft owned properties by running an Audience Ads Campaign.”

Why is it important for your Paid Media strategy?

“Two networks, one powerful result” - Microsoft Advertising

• Reaching your target audience outside of Search results�
• Building awareness and consideration�
• Reaping the results further down the line

Users exposed to Microsoft Audience Ads engaged with brands at a higher rate: �

• 3x more likely to search for a brand�
• 4x more likely to visit a website�
• 5.5x more likely to make a purchase�

(Microsoft Study - February 2022)

Client X: �

• 80/20 (Google Ads/Microsoft Advertising) split of budget and time �
• No increase in spend or change to the offer/product, just general optimisations and management�
• Historically a ‘secondary’ source of PPC leads for the client, something to help top up their pipeline�
• Started running Audience Ads at the beginning of November 2022

Client X - CTR for Brand Search Campaign

No other major campaign or account changes��Increased Brand Awareness from Audience Ads Campaign = More people with the right intent searching for the brand?

Client X - Conversion Rate for Brand Search Campaign

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Traction wasn’t as quick as the increase in CTR��Increased Brand Awareness = More people with the right interests and intent coming through to the site after having seen the Audience Ads?

How do you run an Audience Ads Campaign on the MSFT Audience Network?

Campaign Settings �- �Advanced Campaign Settings �- �Other Settings

Campaign Settings - Advanced Campaign Settings - Other Settings

Left: @BrettBodofsky��September 2022: No longer applicable to opt out via bid modifiers at an Ad Group level.��If this is how you were managing this, then it’s time to act!

Start off by running a separate Audience Ads Campaign to target the Audience Network��Benefits of running a separate Audience Ad Campaign:�

• Better focus on suitable assets for the format through the use of Multimedia Ads�
• Can experiment with a separate test budget�
• Evaluate performance and results differently

Step 1: Create Campaign - Select Audience Ads

Step 2: Name Campaign - Set Budget

Consider including ‘Audience Ad’ in your campaign name

Step 3: Audience Selection

Can add multiple options. For example: layering location with job function

Step 3: Audience Options Includes:

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• Location�
• Age and Gender�
• Audience (Remarketing Lists, Dynamic Remarketing Lists, Similar Audiences, In-market Audiences, Customer Match Lists and Combined Lists)�
• Company, Industry and Job Function (via LinkedIn profile targeting)

�You can also add exclusions

Step 3: Audience Options (Personal Strategy)

My go to structure to begin building Audience Ads Campaigns in an account��Ad groups and their targeting:

• Remarketing
• In-Market Audience
• Similar Audiences

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All include location targeting

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All exclude a Customer Match List

Step 4: Create Your Multimedia Ad (RDA)

Step 4: Create Your Ad (Tips)

• Utilise all available the asset options:�
• 15 short headlines (max 30 characters)
• 5 long descriptions (max 90 characters)
• 5 ad texts (max 90 characters)
• 1 business name (max 25 characters)
• 16 images - no need for logos�
• Use a mixture of both long and short description and ad text lengths�
• Images should not include text or buttons

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Step 4: Create Your Ad (Tips continued)

• Images should be focused representations of your product/service - avoid stock imagery�
• Utilise the cropping feature to ensure your images look right for each ad dimension�
• Take your time

Step 5: Budgets, Bids and Launch

Bid strategy options:�

• Manual CPC,
• Manual CPM
• Enhanced CPC�

Start with what you feel comfortable with

Step 6: Optimisations

• No asset report�
• Option 1 - reflect changes and amends you make to to your Google Ads RDAs for your Audience Ads Campaign��Option 2- use your best judgement�
• Keep working on your audience lists: adding fresh Customer Matches, reviewing your Remarketing List set ups and exploring other audience options. For example: seeing what effect the LinkedIn Profile Targeting option has on your performance.

Step 7: Evaluate Performance

Performance indicators to keep an eye on:�

• Are you seeing any improvement in the engagement levels for Brand Search Campaign? Impressions, Clicks, CTR?�
• Has your Conversion Rate improved for your Search Campaigns since you started running your Audience Ads Campaign?�
• Ideal goal - Did the campaign itself generate any direct Conversions?

NEW - Video Ads

In November 2022 it was announced that Video Ads can be run on the Audience Network.�

• Available in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand only�
• A reported 50% increase in Conversion Rate for those exposed to both Search and Video ads compared to video only �
• Video length between 6 to 120 seconds�
• CPC, CPM and CPV available

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Summary

• Audience Network: Reach your target audience with text, image or video ads, as they explore the internet and Microsoft owned properties via Audience Ads Campaigns

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• Opt out of ‘Audience Ads’ in your Search Campaigns�
• Create an ‘Audience Ads’ campaign to specifically target the Audience Network and take your time when crafting your ads�
• Look for engagement and Conversion improvements across all of your campaigns - How have things changed since launching your Audience Ads campaign?

Thank you!�@marketingsoph�victressdigital.co.uk

#PPCLiveUK