New pay-per-click advertisers invariably start with AdWords. Google holds a dominant share of search volume in the U.S. and even the name Google is synonymous with online searching.
However, savvy advertisers can use Bing Ads to increase their coverage and revenue this 2017 holiday season. In this article, I’ll share insights about the reach of the Bing Network and the relative value of Bing users compared to Google.
Bing-only Searchers
When speaking to advertisers, I often hear various reasons to discount using Bing. Some say it’s too hard to manage — in fact, it’s simple to import AdWords campaigns into Bing — and some say the search volume is too small, which is a valid point. But I also hear some observers claim that if someone uses Bing, he also uses Google and it’s therefore a duplication without the payoff.
But a comScore study from November 2016 found that searchers on desktop computers are more likely to use Bing — not Google — for apparel, consumer electronics, flowers and gifts, and toys.
The above data — from Bing as reported by comScore — is for desktop searches only. It shows that a large portion of consumers who search on Bing for specific product categories — apparel, consumer electronics, flowers, and toys — don’t search on Google. These are Bing-only prospects.
Bing Users Spend More
When it comes to PPC ads, revenue is what counts. It doesn’t matter how well your ads rank or how optimized your bids are or how awesome your site looks. If you don’t make sales from the ads, you’re in trouble. Bing can help.
The following image is from Bing, showing comScore data from March 2017 on how likely someone was to spend at least $500 in specific categories.
