Microsoft Ads

Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)

Expert-level guidance for Microsoft Advertising — auditing, building, and optimizing search, shopping, audience, and Performance Max campaigns.

Install

git clone https://github.com/thatrebeccarae/claude-marketing.git && cp -r claude-marketing/skills/microsoft-ads ~/.claude/skills/

Core Capabilities

Campaign Auditing & Optimization

• Audit account structure, campaign settings, bid strategies, and budget allocation
• Review keyword match types, negative keywords, and search term reports
• Analyze quality scores and ad relevance
• Identify wasted spend and missed opportunity gaps

Campaign Types

• Search — Text ads on Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and partner sites
• Shopping — Product ads from Microsoft Merchant Center feed
• Audience — Native display ads on Microsoft Audience Network (MSN, Outlook, Edge)
• Performance Max — Automated cross-format campaigns (search, shopping, audience, display)
• App Install — Mobile app promotion campaigns
• Dynamic Search — Auto-generated ads from website content

Audience Targeting

• LinkedIn Profile Targeting (Microsoft-exclusive) — Target by company, industry, job function
• In-market audiences, custom audiences, remarketing lists
• Customer match (email upload), similar audiences
• Combined audiences with AND/OR logic

Tracking & Attribution

• UET (Universal Event Tracking) tag setup and validation
• Conversion goals: URL, event, duration, pages per visit, app install
• Offline conversion import (GCLID-based)
• Multi-touch attribution models
• Microsoft Clarity integration for session recordings

Import & Sync

• Google Ads import (campaigns, keywords, ads, extensions)
• Scheduled sync from Google Ads (daily/weekly auto-import)
• Differences to watch: audience targeting, bid modifiers, ad formats, extensions

Key Benchmarks

Microsoft Ads vs Google Ads

Account Structure Best Practices

Account
├── Brand Search Campaign (Exact + Phrase)
│   ├── Brand Terms Ad Group
│   └── Brand + Product Ad Groups
├── Non-Brand Search Campaign (by theme)
│   ├── [Product/Service Category] Ad Groups
│   └── [High-Intent Keywords] Ad Groups
├── Shopping Campaign
│   ├── Priority: High (top products)
│   ├── Priority: Medium (categories)
│   └── Priority: Low (catch-all)
├── Audience Campaign (Audience Network)
│   ├── Remarketing
│   ├── In-Market
│   └── LinkedIn Targeting
├── Competitor Campaign (optional)
│   └── Competitor Brand Terms
└── Performance Max Campaign
    └── Asset Groups by theme

Workflow: Full Account Audit

When asked to audit a Microsoft Ads account:

1. Account Settings — Conversion tracking (UET), attribution model, auto-tagging, time zone 2. Campaign Structure — Organization, naming conventions, budget distribution 3. Keyword Analysis — Match types, quality scores, search term relevance, negative keyword coverage 4. Ad Copy Review — RSA asset quality, ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets) 5. Bid Strategy — Manual vs automated, target CPA/ROAS, portfolio strategies 6. Audience Targeting — Remarketing lists, LinkedIn targeting, in-market audiences 7. Shopping Feed — Product data quality, feed errors, competitive pricing 8. Budget Analysis — Budget pacing, lost impression share (budget vs rank) 9. Google Ads Sync — Import freshness, divergence from Google, Microsoft-specific optimizations 10. Recommendations — Prioritized by expected ROAS impact

How to Use This Skill

Ask me questions like:

• "Audit my Microsoft Ads account structure"
• "Help me set up LinkedIn Profile Targeting"
• "My Google Ads import isn't performing well on Microsoft — what should I change?"
• "Design a Shopping campaign structure for my product catalog"
• "What Microsoft-specific optimizations should I make beyond the Google import?"
• "Help me set up UET tracking and conversion goals"
• "Plan a Performance Max campaign on Microsoft"

For detailed Microsoft Ads API reference, UET implementation, and advanced configurations, see REFERENCE.md.

Hard Rules

These constraints must never be violated in recommendations:

1. UET tag must be verified and firing before any optimization recommendations. 2. Auto-tagging (MSCLKID) must be enabled — without it, conversion tracking and analytics break. 3. Brand syndication must be excluded from brand campaigns — syndication network delivers low-quality traffic for brand terms. 4. Google imports must be reviewed and adjusted — raw imports without Microsoft-specific optimization waste the CPC advantage. 5. Microsoft search terms must be reviewed independently — different query patterns than Google, Google-imported negatives are insufficient. 6. LinkedIn Profile Targeting must be tested for any B2B account — it is Microsoft's unique differentiator.

Scored Audit

When performing an account audit, load skills/shared/scoring-system.md for the weighted scoring algorithm and CHECKS.md for the 30-check Microsoft Ads audit checklist. Produce a health score (0-100, grade A-F) with Quick Wins and a prioritized action plan.

Microsoft Ads Audit Checklist

<!-- Total Checks: 30 | Categories: 5 | See skills/shared/scoring-system.md for weights and algorithm -->

Quick Reference

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Technical Setup (Weight: 25%)

MS-TE1: UET Tag Verified and Firing [Critical, 5.0]

• Check: Universal Event Tracking tag installed and verified
• Pass: UET tag active and firing on all pages (verified in Tag Helper)
• Warning: Tag firing but with errors/warnings
• Fail: UET tag not installed or not firing
• Quick Win: No

MS-TE2: Auto-Tagging (MSCLKID) Enabled [Critical, 5.0]

• Check: Microsoft Click ID auto-tagging is active
• Pass: MSCLKID auto-tagging enabled
• Warning: —
• Fail: Auto-tagging disabled (breaks conversion tracking and analytics)
• Quick Win: Yes (2 min)

MS-TE3: Enhanced Conversions Active [High, 2.5]

• Check: Enhanced conversions configured for primary goals
• Pass: Enhanced conversions active and verified
• Warning: Enabled but not verified
• Fail: Not enabled
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-TE4: Google Import Validation [High, 2.5]

• Check: Imported campaigns from Google reviewed and adjusted for Microsoft
• Pass: Import completed with Microsoft-specific adjustments (bids, extensions, targeting)
• Warning: Imported but only partially adjusted
• Fail: Raw import without any Microsoft-specific optimization
• Quick Win: No

MS-TE5: Conversion Goals Configured [Critical, 5.0]

• Check: Conversion goals set up with appropriate types
• Pass: Primary goals configured with correct counting and values
• Warning: Goals exist but settings not reviewed
• Fail: No conversion goals configured
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-TE6: Clarity Integration [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Microsoft Clarity installed for user behavior insights
• Pass: Clarity active with heatmaps and session recordings
• Warning: Clarity installed but not reviewed
• Fail: Clarity not installed
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

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Syndication & Bidding (Weight: 20%)

MS-SB1: Brand Syndication Excluded [Critical, 5.0]

• Check: Brand campaigns exclude syndication partner network
• Pass: Syndication partners excluded from brand campaigns
• Warning: —
• Fail: Brand campaigns serving on syndication network (low-quality traffic)
• Quick Win: Yes (2 min)

MS-SB2: Search Partner Performance [High, 2.5]

• Check: Search partner network performance monitored
• Pass: Partners monitored; underperformers excluded
• Warning: Partners enabled but not monitored
• Fail: Partners enabled with significantly worse CPA than search
• Quick Win: Yes (5 min — exclude underperformers)

MS-SB3: Smart Bidding Active [High, 2.5]

• Check: Automated bidding on campaigns with sufficient conversion data
• Pass: Automated bidding on campaigns with ≥15 conversions/30d
• Warning: Partially automated
• Fail: Manual CPC on campaigns with sufficient data
• Quick Win: Yes (5 min)

MS-SB4: Copilot/AI Placement Review [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Performance of ads in Copilot and AI-powered placements
• Pass: Copilot placement performance reviewed, performing at or above average CPA
• Warning: Copilot placements enabled but not reviewed
• Fail: —
• Quick Win: Yes (5 min)

MS-SB5: Bid Adjustment Strategy [High, 2.5]

• Check: Device, location, and schedule bid adjustments configured
• Pass: Bid adjustments based on performance data
• Warning: Default adjustments (no data review)
• Fail: No bid adjustments on campaigns with performance variance by segment
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-SB6: Budget Pacing [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Daily budget utilization and pacing
• Pass: >80% budget utilized without early exhaustion
• Warning: 60-80% utilization or hitting cap before 4 PM
• Fail: <60% utilization or consistently capped before noon
• Quick Win: Yes (5 min)

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Structure & Audience (Weight: 20%)

MS-SA1: LinkedIn Profile Targeting Active [High, 2.5]

• Check: LinkedIn Profile Targeting used for B2B accounts (Microsoft-exclusive feature)
• Pass: LinkedIn targeting active (company, industry, job function)
• Warning: Available but not tested
• Fail: Not used despite B2B relevance
• N/A: Non-B2B accounts
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-SA2: Campaign Structure [High, 2.5]

• Check: Campaign organization follows best practices
• Pass: Clean brand/non-brand separation, themed ad groups
• Warning: Partially organized
• Fail: No structure (everything in one campaign or random grouping)
• Quick Win: No

MS-SA3: In-Market Audiences [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: In-market audiences applied for targeting or observation
• Pass: Relevant in-market audiences applied
• Warning: Some audiences applied
• Fail: No audience targeting configured
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-SA4: Remarketing Lists [High, 2.5]

• Check: UET-based remarketing lists configured
• Pass: Active remarketing lists with recent data
• Warning: Lists exist but not refreshed
• Fail: No remarketing lists despite sufficient traffic
• Quick Win: No

MS-SA5: Customer Match [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Customer list uploaded for targeting
• Pass: Customer Match list uploaded and refreshed within 30 days
• Warning: List >30 days old
• Fail: No Customer Match list
• Quick Win: No

MS-SA6: Audience Exclusions [High, 2.5]

• Check: Converters excluded from prospecting campaigns
• Pass: Converter/customer exclusions active on prospecting
• Warning: Partial exclusions
• Fail: No exclusions (remarketing overlap with prospecting)
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

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Creative & Extensions (Weight: 20%)

MS-CE1: RSA Quality [High, 2.5]

• Check: Responsive Search Ad completeness and quality
• Pass: ≥8 headlines, ≥3 descriptions, Ad Strength "Good" or better
• Warning: 3-7 headlines or "Average" Ad Strength
• Fail: <3 headlines or "Poor" Ad Strength
• Quick Win: No

MS-CE2: Multimedia Ads Tested [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Multimedia Ads format tested (Microsoft-exclusive rich format)
• Pass: Multimedia Ads active with performance data
• Warning: —
• Fail: Not tested (missing opportunity for higher CTR/engagement)
• Quick Win: No

MS-CE3: Sitelink Extensions [High, 2.5]

• Check: Sitelink assets configured
• Pass: ≥4 sitelinks per campaign
• Warning: 1-3 sitelinks
• Fail: No sitelinks
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-CE4: Action Extensions [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Action Extensions configured (Microsoft-exclusive CTA buttons)
• Pass: Action Extensions active with relevant CTAs
• Warning: —
• Fail: Not configured
• Quick Win: Yes (5 min)

MS-CE5: Filter Link Extensions [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Filter Link Extensions tested (Microsoft-exclusive category links)
• Pass: Filter Links active for accounts with product categories
• Warning: —
• Fail: Not tested despite eligible product catalog
• N/A: Accounts without product categories
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-CE6: Image Extensions [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Image extensions active for search campaigns
• Pass: Image extensions active
• Warning: —
• Fail: No image extensions
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

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Settings & Performance (Weight: 15%)

MS-SP1: CPC Advantage Tracking [High, 2.5]

• Check: CPC compared to equivalent Google Ads campaigns
• Pass: CPCs 20-40% lower than Google (typical advantage)
• Warning: CPCs within 10% of Google (advantage not captured)
• Fail: CPCs higher than Google (import settings not optimized)
• Quick Win: No

MS-SP2: Conversion Rate Comparison [High, 2.5]

• Check: Conversion rates compared to Google Ads
• Pass: Conversion rate within 20% of Google equivalent
• Warning: 20-50% lower than Google
• Fail: >50% lower than Google (landing page or audience quality issue)
• Quick Win: No

MS-SP3: Negative Keywords [High, 2.5]

• Check: Negative keyword lists applied (especially post-import)
• Pass: Microsoft-specific negative keywords added beyond Google import
• Warning: Only Google-imported negatives
• Fail: No negative keywords
• Quick Win: Yes (10 min)

MS-SP4: Search Term Review [High, 2.5]

• Check: Microsoft-specific search terms reviewed (different from Google)
• Pass: Microsoft search terms reviewed within 14 days
• Warning: Reviewed within 30 days
• Fail: Not reviewed (relying only on Google-imported negatives)
• Quick Win: Yes (15 min)

MS-SP5: Shopping Campaign Setup [High, 2.5]

• Check: Microsoft Shopping campaigns configured (separate Merchant Center)
• Pass: Shopping campaigns active with Microsoft Merchant Center feed
• Warning: Using Google import for Shopping (partial functionality)
• Fail: No Shopping campaigns despite eligible product catalog
• N/A: Non-ecommerce accounts
• Quick Win: No

MS-SP6: Geographic Targeting [Medium, 1.5]

• Check: Location targeting method appropriate
• Pass: "People in" selected for local/regional businesses
• Warning: —
• Fail: "People in or interested in" for local business
• Quick Win: Yes (2 min)

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Context Notes

• CPC Advantage: Microsoft Ads typically delivers 20-40% lower CPCs than Google due to less auction competition. Monitor this advantage; if not present, import settings likely need optimization.
• LinkedIn Profile Targeting: Microsoft-exclusive feature enabling B2B targeting by company name, industry, and job function. High-value differentiator for B2B accounts.
• Multimedia Ads: Microsoft-exclusive rich ad format with larger visual real estate. Higher CTR than standard RSAs.
• Separate Merchant Center: Microsoft has its own Merchant Center — do not rely solely on Google import for Shopping campaigns.
• Clarity Integration: Free Microsoft-owned analytics tool providing heatmaps, session recordings, and scroll depth analysis.

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Quick Wins Summary

Microsoft Ads — Examples

1. Full Account Audit

User Request: "Audit my Microsoft Ads account. We spend about $15K/month across search and shopping. Performance has been flat for 3 months."

Analysis Steps: 1. Review account structure — campaign organization, naming conventions, budget allocation across campaign types 2. Analyze keyword health — match type distribution, quality scores, search term relevance, negative keyword coverage 3. Evaluate ad copy — RSA asset ratings, extension completeness, ad rotation settings 4. Check audience layers — remarketing lists, LinkedIn Profile Targeting, in-market audiences applied 5. Assess tracking — UET tag firing, conversion goal configuration, attribution model

Sample Output:

Account Audit Summary

Critical Findings

1. Keyword bloat is draining budget

• 1,847 active keywords across 12 ad groups, but 62% have zero conversions in 90 days
• 38% of spend goes to broad match terms with <1% conversion rate
• Only 2 shared negative keyword lists (should have 5-8 for this account size)

2. No audience layering

• Zero LinkedIn Profile Targeting applied — this is your biggest missed opportunity on Microsoft
• Only 1 remarketing list (all visitors, 30 days). No segmentation by page depth or intent
• No in-market audiences applied to any campaign

3. Budget misallocation

Priority Recommendations

1. Immediate: Pause the 1,142 zero-conversion keywords. Reallocate $4,600/mo to Shopping 2. This week: Add LinkedIn Profile Targeting to Non-Brand Search (target by industry + job function for your B2B segments) 3. This week: Build 3 new negative keyword lists from search term report (last 90 days shows 34% irrelevant queries) 4. Next sprint: Restructure Non-Brand Search into SKAG-lite groups (5-10 tightly themed keywords per ad group) 5. Next sprint: Create segmented remarketing lists (product page viewers, cart abandoners, blog readers)

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2. Google Ads Import Review

User Request: "We just imported our Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft. What should we check and optimize specifically for Microsoft?"

Analysis Steps: 1. Verify import completeness — campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, extensions all transferred 2. Identify what did NOT import — Performance Max, Display, bid strategy resets 3. Flag Microsoft-specific opportunities the import cannot create (LinkedIn targeting, Audience Network) 4. Review budget scaling — Microsoft typically needs 20-30% of Google budgets for comparable impression share 5. Check tracking setup — UET is separate from Google Tag, conversion goals need manual creation

Sample Output:

Import Health Check

What Needs Immediate Attention

1. Bid strategies reset to Manual CPC All automated strategies (Target CPA, Maximize Conversions) reverted. You need at least 2 weeks of conversion data before re-enabling automated bidding on Microsoft. Keep Manual CPC for now, then switch to Enhanced CPC as a bridge.

2. Audiences did not transfer Google remarketing lists, in-market audiences, and custom segments are platform-specific. Rebuild:

• Create UET-based remarketing lists (requires UET tag — see item 4)
• Apply Microsoft's in-market audiences (similar categories but different taxonomy)
• Add LinkedIn Profile Targeting (not available on Google)

3. Budget scaling Your Google budgets imported at full value. Microsoft search volume is ~10-15% of Google.

4. UET tracking not set up Google Tag conversions do not carry over. You need:

• Install UET base tag on all pages
• Create conversion goals matching your Google goals
• Wait 24-48 hours for tag validation before enabling automated bidding

Microsoft-Specific Optimizations (not possible via import)

1. LinkedIn Profile Targeting: Layer company industry and job function targeting on B2B campaigns. This alone can improve conversion rates 15-25% for B2B 2. Microsoft Audience Network: Create a dedicated Audience campaign for native placements on MSN, Outlook, and Edge 3. Microsoft Clarity: Free — link it to your Microsoft Ads account for session recordings on ad landing pages 4. Search partner network: Microsoft's partner network (DuckDuckGo, Yahoo) often performs differently than Bing proper. Monitor and adjust with network bid modifiers 5. Image extensions: Microsoft supports image extensions on search — import doesn't create these. Add product/brand images to boost CTR

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3. LinkedIn Profile Targeting Setup

User Request: "We sell HR software to mid-market companies. Help me set up LinkedIn Profile Targeting on Microsoft Ads."

Analysis Steps: 1. Define ideal customer profile — company size, industry, job functions that match HR software buyers 2. Design targeting layers — which LinkedIn dimensions to combine, bid adjustment strategy 3. Recommend campaign structure — whether to create dedicated campaigns or layer onto existing 4. Set bid adjustments — starting multipliers for each LinkedIn audience segment 5. Plan measurement — how to isolate and measure LinkedIn targeting performance

Sample Output:

LinkedIn Profile Targeting Strategy

Target Audience: HR decision-makers at mid-market companies (200-5,000 employees)

Recommended Targeting Layers

Campaign Structure

Option A (Recommended): Layer on existing Search campaigns

Non-Brand Search — HR Software
├── Keywords: hr software, hris platform, employee management system
├── LinkedIn Layer: Job Function = Human Resources (+40%)
├── LinkedIn Layer: Job Function = Management (+20%)
└── LinkedIn Layer: Industry = Technology (+30%)

This lets you bid higher when the searcher matches your ICP without restricting reach.

Option B: Dedicated LinkedIn-targeted campaign

LinkedIn — HR Decision Makers (Search)
├── Target: Job Function = Human Resources AND Industry = Technology
├── Target: Job Function = Human Resources AND Industry = Professional Services
└── Budget: $30/day (test for 2-4 weeks)

Use this for ABM-style campaigns targeting specific companies.

Setup Steps

1. Navigate to Campaign > Audiences > LinkedIn Profile Targeting 2. Add Job Function = "Human Resources" at observation level with +40% bid 3. Add Industry segments at observation level with respective bid adjustments 4. For named accounts: add Company targeting for your top 50 target accounts at +60% 5. Run for 2 weeks, then analyze: compare conversion rates for LinkedIn-matched vs unmatched clicks 6. Adjust bids based on CPA differential — if LinkedIn-matched users convert at 2x, increase bid adjustments accordingly

Expected Impact

The CPC increase is offset by significantly higher conversion rates and lead quality. LinkedIn-matched clicks typically cost more but convert at 1.5-2x the rate.

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4. UET Tracking & Conversion Goals

User Request: "We need to set up conversion tracking for our Microsoft Ads account. We have a SaaS product with free trial signups and demo requests."

Analysis Steps: 1. Audit current UET tag status — is the base tag installed, firing on all pages, validated 2. Define conversion goals — map business outcomes to Microsoft Ads goal types 3. Configure event tracking — custom events for trial signup, demo request, and micro-conversions 4. Set up offline conversion import for CRM-sourced conversions (trial-to-paid) 5. Recommend attribution model based on sales cycle length

Sample Output:

UET Implementation Review

Conversion Goals to Create

Event Tracking Code

// Free trial signup (fire on form submission success)
window.uetq = window.uetq || [];
window.uetq.push('event', 'free_trial_signup', {
  'revenue_value': 50,
  'currency': 'USD'
});

// Demo request (fire on demo form submission)
window.uetq.push('event', 'demo_request', {
  'revenue_value': 150,
  'currency': 'USD'
});

// Pricing page view (fire on pricing page load)
window.uetq.push('event', 'pricing_page_view', {
  'revenue_value': 5,
  'currency': 'USD'
});

Offline Conversion Import (Trial-to-Paid)

For tracking the full funnel from ad click to paid subscription:

1. Capture msclkid parameter on trial signup (append to CRM record) 2. When trial converts to paid, export CSV:

   Microsoft Click ID,Conversion Name,Conversion Time,Conversion Value,Conversion Currency
   abc123def...,Trial to Paid,2026-02-15 14:30:00,2400.00,USD

3. Upload weekly via Microsoft Ads UI > Conversions > Import 4. For automation: use the Bing Ads API AddOfflineConversions endpoint

Attribution Model Recommendation

Given a 14-21 day average sales cycle for SaaS free trials:

• Use "Linear" attribution — distributes credit across all touchpoints
• Avoid "Last click" — it undervalues upper-funnel Microsoft Audience Network campaigns
• Review attribution in 30 days with enough conversion data, then test "Position-based" (40/20/40)

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5. Shopping Campaign Setup

User Request: "We're launching Shopping campaigns on Microsoft. We already have Google Shopping running. We have about 2,000 SKUs across 8 product categories."

Analysis Steps: 1. Verify Microsoft Merchant Center setup — feed status, product approval rates, data quality 2. Design campaign structure — priority-based strategy for 2,000 SKUs across categories 3. Set bidding strategy — starting bids based on Google Shopping performance (adjusted for Microsoft's lower CPCs) 4. Configure product group segmentation — subdivision logic by category, brand, margin 5. Plan negative keyword strategy for Shopping (competitor brands, irrelevant queries)

Sample Output:

Merchant Center Status

Campaign Structure (3-tier priority)

Shopping — Priority High ($40/day)
├── Top 50 SKUs by margin (manually selected)
├── Bid: $0.55 avg (40% below Google Shopping bids)
└── Negative keywords: category-level terms (forces non-top SKUs to Medium)

Shopping — Priority Medium ($60/day)
├── Product Groups by Category
│   ├── Electronics (142 SKUs) — Bid: $0.42
│   ├── Outdoor Gear (287 SKUs) — Bid: $0.38
│   ├── Home & Kitchen (340 SKUs) — Bid: $0.31
│   ├── Fitness Equipment (198 SKUs) — Bid: $0.44
│   ├── Clothing (412 SKUs) — Bid: $0.28
│   ├── Accessories (289 SKUs) — Bid: $0.25
│   ├── Pet Supplies (178 SKUs) — Bid: $0.33
│   └── Seasonal (154 SKUs) — Bid: $0.22
└── Negative keywords: specific product names (forces to Low catch-all)

Shopping — Priority Low ($25/day)
├── All Products (catch-all)
├── Bid: $0.18 avg
└── No negative keywords — catches everything the other campaigns don't

Starting Bids (Microsoft vs Google comparison)

Microsoft Shopping CPCs typically run 30-40% below Google. Starting bids set at ~75% of estimated CPC to ramp conservatively.

Recommendations

1. Feed quality: Add custom_label_0 for margin tiers (high/medium/low) — enables bid segmentation by profitability 2. Promotions: Use Merchant Promotions to show sale badges (higher CTR than Google promotions in Microsoft's less crowded SERP) 3. Local inventory: If you have physical stores, enable Local Inventory Ads for in-store pickup queries 4. LinkedIn layer: Add LinkedIn Industry targeting to Shopping for B2B product categories (office equipment, bulk orders) 5. Monitor search partners: DuckDuckGo Shopping results can drive strong performance — check network segmentation weekly

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6. Keyword & Search Term Analysis

User Request: "Our Microsoft Ads search campaigns are spending $8K/month but CPA has crept up from $45 to $72 over the last quarter. Help me diagnose the keyword and search term health."

Analysis Steps: 1. Analyze match type distribution — ratio of broad/phrase/exact and spend allocation per type 2. Review quality scores — distribution across keywords, identify sub-6 scores dragging performance 3. Pull search term report — calculate relevance rate, identify negative keyword gaps 4. Identify wasted spend — keywords and search terms with spend but zero/low conversions 5. Find expansion opportunities — high-converting search terms not yet added as keywords

Sample Output:

Match Type Analysis (Last 90 Days)

Problem identified: Broad match is consuming 51% of budget but delivering 29% of conversions at 3x the CPA of exact match.

Quality Score Distribution

153 keywords with QS 1-4 are consuming 14% of spend at $142.60 CPA — these need immediate attention (pause or fix landing page/ad relevance).

Search Term Relevance (Last 30 Days)

$1,600/month (20% of budget) is going to irrelevant search terms. Top offenders:

Recommended Actions

Immediate (save ~$2,400/month): 1. Add the 143 irrelevant search terms as negative keywords (create 3 themed negative lists: competitors, informational, jobs/free) 2. Pause 153 keywords with QS 1-4 (save $1,120/month, lose only 3 conversions) 3. Shift $2,000 from broad match to phrase/exact versions of top converters

This week: 4. Promote 23 high-converting search terms to exact match keywords (these are converting through broad/phrase but don't have dedicated exact match entries) 5. Review landing pages for the 244 keywords with QS 5-6 — ad relevance and landing page experience are the fixable components

Expected impact: CPA reduction from $72 back to $48-52 range within 30 days.

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7. Performance Max on Microsoft

User Request: "We're considering Performance Max on Microsoft. We already run PMax on Google. What's different and how should we set it up?"

Analysis Steps: 1. Compare Microsoft PMax vs Google PMax — feature parity, maturity gaps, network differences 2. Design asset group structure — adapt Google PMax learnings for Microsoft's network 3. Configure audience signals — leverage LinkedIn Profile Targeting (Microsoft-exclusive advantage) 4. Set URL expansion and final URL rules — control where traffic lands 5. Plan budget and timeline — ramp strategy given Microsoft PMax's smaller data pool

Sample Output:

Microsoft PMax vs Google PMax

Recommended Asset Group Structure

Based on your Google PMax setup (3 asset groups), adapt for Microsoft:

Microsoft PMax Campaign ($50/day starting)
├── Asset Group 1: Core Products
│   ├── 15 headlines (adapt top Google performers)
│   ├── 5 long headlines
│   ├── 5 descriptions
│   ├── 20 images (landscape + square)
│   ├── Audience signal: In-market + LinkedIn (Industry: Technology, Job Function: IT)
│   └── Final URL: /products/
├── Asset Group 2: Solutions by Use Case
│   ├── 15 headlines (use-case focused)
│   ├── 5 long headlines
│   ├── 5 descriptions
│   ├── 20 images
│   ├── Audience signal: Custom (competitor URLs) + LinkedIn (Job Function: Management)
│   └── Final URL: /solutions/
└── Asset Group 3: Brand + Retargeting
    ├── 15 headlines (brand-focused)
    ├── 5 long headlines
    ├── 5 descriptions
    ├── 20 images (brand lifestyle)
    ├── Audience signal: Remarketing lists + Customer Match
    └── Final URL: /

LinkedIn Audience Signals (Microsoft-exclusive advantage)

This is where Microsoft PMax can outperform Google PMax for B2B:

Audience signals are suggestions, not hard targeting — but Microsoft's algorithm heavily weights them, especially LinkedIn signals.

Budget & Ramp Plan

Key difference from Google: Microsoft PMax needs a longer learning phase because of lower search volume. Expect 3-4 weeks before meaningful optimization signals vs 1-2 weeks on Google.

Recommendations

1. Do NOT just import Google PMax — the import support is limited and often creates broken campaigns. Build natively on Microsoft 2. Start with 1-2 asset groups max. Microsoft's smaller data pool means splitting too thin will slow learning 3. Use LinkedIn signals aggressively — this is your competitive advantage over Google PMax. Layer company, industry, and job function signals 4. Monitor URL expansion — turn it OFF initially to maintain landing page control, then selectively enable after 30 days 5. Expect 30-40% lower CPCs but longer learning cycles. Net result: similar or better CPA to Google PMax once optimized

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Common Analysis Patterns

Account Health Check

For each campaign:
1. Impression share (target >60%)
2. Quality score distribution (flag <6)
3. Search term relevance (flag <70% relevant)
4. Budget lost IS vs Rank lost IS
5. LinkedIn targeting utilization

Keyword Expansion Template

1. Pull search term report (last 90 days)
2. Filter: conversions >= 1, not already a keyword
3. Sort by conversion rate descending
4. Add top terms as exact match keywords
5. Create phrase match for high-volume terms

Audience Audit Template

1. List all applied audiences (targeting + observation)
2. Check LinkedIn Profile Targeting on all Search/Shopping campaigns
3. Verify remarketing list sizes (minimum 1,000 for Search, 300 for Audience)
4. Review bid adjustments by audience segment
5. Identify missing in-market categories

Budget Reallocation Template

1. Rank campaigns by CPA (ascending)
2. Identify campaigns limited by budget with CPA below target
3. Identify campaigns with CPA 2x+ above target
4. Shift budget from high-CPA to low-CPA campaigns
5. Reallocate at least 10% of total budget per cycle

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Pro Tips

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8. Scored Account Audit (Health Score)

User Request:

"Score my Microsoft Ads account. We imported from Google 3 months ago but haven't optimized it."

Analysis Steps: 1. Load skills/shared/scoring-system.md for scoring algorithm and CHECKS.md for the 30-check audit 2. Evaluate each applicable check as PASS, WARNING, or FAIL based on account data 3. Calculate category scores using severity multipliers and category weights 4. Identify Quick Wins (Critical/High severity, ≤15 min fix time) 5. Produce health score, grade, and prioritized action plan

Sample Output:

Account Health Score: 58/100 (Grade D — Poor)

Quick Wins (fix in ≤15 min, high impact)

1. [Critical] Enable MSCLKID auto-tagging — MS-TE2 (2 min) 2. [Critical] Exclude syndication from brand campaigns — MS-SB1 (2 min) 3. [High] Exclude underperforming search partners — MS-SB2 (5 min) 4. [High] Add Microsoft-specific negative keywords — MS-SP3 (10 min) 5. [High] Enable LinkedIn Profile Targeting — MS-SA1 (10 min)

Category Breakdown

Prioritized Action Plan

Immediate (This Week) 1. Enable MSCLKID auto-tagging 2. Exclude syndication partners from all brand campaigns 3. Review Microsoft-specific search terms and add negatives 4. Exclude underperforming search partners

This Month 5. Enable LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B campaigns 6. Set up UET-based remarketing lists 7. Install Microsoft Clarity for behavioral analysis 8. Test Multimedia Ads format on top campaigns 9. Add Action Extensions and Filter Link Extensions

Next Quarter 10. Set up Microsoft Merchant Center (separate from Google) 11. Build Microsoft-specific campaign structure (not just Google mirror) 12. Implement Enhanced Conversions

Microsoft Ads Reference

Account Hierarchy

Customer (MCC)
└── Account
    └── Campaign
        └── Ad Group
            ├── Keywords (Search)
            ├── Product Groups (Shopping)
            ├── Ads (RSA, Dynamic, Product)
            └── Audiences (targeting/observation)

Campaign Types & Settings

Search Campaigns

• Networks: Bing, AOL, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, partner sites
• Ad Format: Responsive Search Ads (RSA) — up to 15 headlines, 4 descriptions
• Match Types: Broad, Phrase, Exact (same syntax as Google: keyword, "keyword", [keyword])
• Ad Extensions: Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call, location, price, image, action, flyer

Shopping Campaigns

• Feed Source: Microsoft Merchant Center (separate from Google Merchant Center)
• Product Groups: Subdivide by category, brand, condition, product type, custom label, item ID
• Priority Levels: Low (0), Medium (1), High (2) — higher priority campaigns match first
• Local Inventory Ads: Show in-store availability

Audience Campaigns (Microsoft Audience Network)

• Native ads on MSN, Outlook.com, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Start
• Image and video ad formats
• Audience targeting required (in-market, custom, remarketing)
• Automated bidding recommended

Performance Max

• Cross-network automation (Search, Shopping, Audience, Display)
• Asset groups with text, image, video assets
• Audience signals (suggestions, not hard constraints)
• URL expansion settings

Dynamic Search Ads (DSA)

• Auto-generated ads from website content
• Target by: all webpages, specific categories, or URL rules
• Good for long-tail keyword coverage

Keyword Reference

Match Type Behavior

Negative Keywords

• Apply at campaign or ad group level
• Shared negative keyword lists across campaigns
• Match types: broad negative, phrase negative, exact negative
• Broad negative: blocks if ALL words present (any order)

Quality Score Components

• Expected CTR — How likely your ad gets clicked (Above/Average/Below)
• Ad Relevance — How well your ad matches the keyword intent
• Landing Page Experience — Quality, relevance, load speed of landing page
• Score: 1-10 (aim for 7+)

Audience Types

LinkedIn Profile Targeting (Microsoft Exclusive)

Targeting options:
├── Company — Target by company name (100+ employees)
├── Industry — Company industry vertical
└── Job Function — User's job function category

• Available for Search, Shopping, and Audience campaigns
• Layer on top of keyword targeting for B2B refinement
• Bid adjustments: -90% to +900%

Other Audience Types

UET (Universal Event Tracking)

Tag Installation

<!-- UET Base Tag -->
<script>
(function(w,d,t,r,u){
  var f,n,i;
  w[u]=w[u]||[];
  f=function(){
    var o={ti:"YOUR_TAG_ID",enableAutoSpa498:true};
    o.q=w[u];
    w[u]=new UET(o);
    w[u].push("pageLoad");
  };
  n=d.createElement(t);
  n.src=r;
  n.async=1;
  n.onload=n.onreadystatechange=function(){
    var s=this.readyState;
    s&&s!=="loaded"&&s!=="complete"||(f(),n.onload=n.onreadystatechange=null);
  };
  i=d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0];
  i.parentNode.insertBefore(n,i);
})(window,document,"script","//bat.bing.com/bat.js","uetq");
</script>

Conversion Goals

Custom Event Tracking

// Track a conversion event
window.uetq = window.uetq || [];
window.uetq.push('event', 'purchase', {
  'revenue_value': 99.99,
  'currency': 'USD',
  'transaction_id': 'TXN-12345'
});

// Track a custom event
window.uetq.push('event', 'add_to_cart', {
  'ecomm_prodid': 'SKU123',
  'ecomm_pagetype': 'product',
  'revenue_value': 49.99
});

Offline Conversion Import

# Required columns
Microsoft Click ID,Conversion Name,Conversion Time,Conversion Value,Conversion Currency
CjwKCAjw...,Purchase,2024-01-15 10:30:00,99.99,USD

• Upload via Microsoft Ads UI or API
• GCLID (Microsoft Click ID) captured from ad click URL parameter msclkid
• Import within 90 days of click

Bid Strategies

Bid Adjustments

Google Ads Import

What Imports

• Campaign structure, settings, budgets
• Ad groups, keywords, negative keywords
• Responsive Search Ads, Dynamic Search Ads
• Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets
• Audiences and bid adjustments
• Shopping campaigns (requires separate Merchant Center)

What Doesn't Import (or Needs Adjustment)

• Performance Max (limited import support)
• Display campaigns (different network)
• Discovery/Demand Gen campaigns
• App campaigns
• Some automated bid strategies may reset
• Merchant Center feed (must set up separately)

Post-Import Optimization

1. Review bid strategies — may need to reset learning period 2. Check all extensions imported correctly 3. Add LinkedIn Profile Targeting (Microsoft-exclusive) 4. Review search partner settings 5. Adjust budgets — Microsoft typically needs lower budgets for similar impression share 6. Check negative keyword lists transferred 7. Set up UET conversion tracking (separate from Google Tag)

API Reference (Bing Ads API)

Base URL

https://bingads.microsoft.com/CampaignManagement/v13/

Authentication

• OAuth 2.0 with Microsoft Account
• Developer Token required
• Client ID and Client Secret from Azure AD app

Key Service Operations

Campaign Management

AddCampaigns, UpdateCampaigns, DeleteCampaigns, GetCampaignsByAccountId
AddAdGroups, UpdateAdGroups, GetAdGroupsByIds
AddKeywords, UpdateKeywords, GetKeywordsByAdGroupId
AddAds, UpdateAds, GetAdsByAdGroupId

Reporting

SubmitGenerateReport — Async report generation
PollGenerateReport — Check report status
Available reports: KeywordPerformance, SearchQuery, AudiencePerformance, ShareOfVoice

Bulk Operations

DownloadCampaignsByAccountIds — Full account download
GetBulkUploadUrl — Upload changes in bulk

Reporting Dimensions & Metrics

Microsoft Clarity Integration

Microsoft Clarity (free analytics) can be linked to Microsoft Ads:

• Session recordings for ad landing pages
• Heatmaps showing click and scroll behavior
• Rage clicks and dead clicks identification
• Smart sessions filtering by campaign/ad group
• No sampling, unlimited traffic, free

Setup

<script type="text/javascript">
(function(c,l,a,r,i,t,y){
  c[a]=c[a]||function(){(c[a].q=c[a].q||[]).push(arguments)};
  t=l.createElement(r);t.async=1;t.src="https://www.clarity.ms/tag/"+i;
  y=l.getElementsByTagName(r)[0];y.parentNode.insertBefore(t,y);
})(window,document,"clarity","script","YOUR_PROJECT_ID");
</script>