Why Bing Ads Work Better for Small Business Than Google Ads
I manage paid search campaigns for small businesses — car transport companies, professional services, local service providers. I have run both Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) across multiple industries and multiple budgets. My honest recommendation: start with Bing.
That might sound contrarian. Google has 60% of the search market. Every ad platform tutorial defaults to Google Ads. But for small businesses with real budget constraints, the case for Bing is not even close — and the constant volatility on Google Ads has only made that case stronger over the past two years.
Context: I am Tom Paul, founder of TomPaul Digital Marketing. I have managed Google Ads and Bing Ads campaigns for clients including car transport companies running nationwide campaigns, local service businesses in San Diego, and professional services firms. This is a direct account of what I have seen work — not a platform comparison written from a press release.
Four Reasons I Recommend Bing Ads First
Google Ads changes too much, too fast
I have watched Google Ads shift the rules on small business campaigns more times than I can count — Smart Bidding strategies that suddenly drain budgets, Quality Score changes that tank ad positions overnight, interface overhauls that bury the controls you need. For a small business running a tight budget, this volatility is not acceptable. One bad week on Google Ads can wipe out a month of gains. Microsoft Advertising moves slower and more predictably. Campaigns I build on Bing stay stable. I know what my clients will wake up to tomorrow.
The audience is better — not just cheaper
Bing gets dismissed because it has lower search volume than Google. That is true. What the critics miss is who is doing the searching. The Microsoft Search Network skews older, more financially established, and more intentional. 41% of users earn over $100,000 per year. Corporate users default to Bing because it ships with Windows and Microsoft Edge. These are decision-makers, not casual browsers. For a car transport company targeting fleet managers, or a professional services firm targeting executives, Bing puts the ad in front of the right person at a fraction of Google's cost.
The cost difference is real and it compounds
Average CPC on Microsoft Advertising runs about $1.54 — compared to $3–$10+ per click on Google for competitive keywords. For a small business with a $500/month ad budget, that is the difference between 50 clicks and 300+ clicks per month. At the same conversion rate, Bing delivers 6× the leads for identical spend. In practice, Bing conversion rates are also 10–25% higher in B2B categories, which compounds the advantage further. I have seen this play out consistently across client campaigns — Bing does more with less.
It takes 30 minutes to start with your existing Google Ads setup
One of the most common objections I hear is: 'I already have everything set up in Google Ads — starting over in Bing sounds like too much work.' Microsoft Advertising's Google Ads import tool handles the migration. You connect your Google Ads account, select which campaigns to import, and the platform copies your keywords, ad groups, ad copy, and extensions. It is not a perfect 1:1 copy — some review is needed — but you can be running a Bing campaign within a few hours of deciding to start. There is no excuse for not testing it.
Google Ads vs Bing Ads: Side by Side
| Metric | Bing Ads | Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPC | ~$1.54 | $3–$10+ |
| Average CTR | ~2.83% | Lower in most categories |
| Users earning $100k+ | 41% of audience | Not targeted by default |
| Algorithm volatility | Low — slow, predictable changes | High — frequent, unpredictable |
| Corporate user share | 18–22% desktop in enterprise | Lower in corporate environments |
| Campaign import | Direct Google Ads import tool | No cross-platform import |
| LinkedIn targeting | Available (exclusive) | Not available |
| Search volume | 35–40% US market (network) | ~60% US market share |
Sources: Average CPC and CTR data from shno.co; audience income data from seoprofy.com; market share from adventureppc.com.
The One Thing Google Ads Has Over Bing
Search volume. Google still handles roughly 60% of U.S. searches. If you are targeting a very high-volume keyword category where you need maximum reach — and your budget can sustain higher CPCs — Google Ads gives you access to a larger pool. For businesses at scale with dedicated ad management and competitive budgets, Google Ads is a necessary channel.
But most small businesses I work with are not in that position. They have $300–$800/month in ad spend, they need every click to count, and they cannot afford to have their campaign destabilized every time Google updates its Smart Bidding logic. For that client — the typical small business owner — Bing is where the money works harder.
My standard recommendation: start on Bing, get your conversion tracking dialed in, understand your cost-per-acquisition, and then — if the budget supports it — expand to Google Ads as a secondary channel. Not the other way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) — Your Questions Answered
What is Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads)?
Microsoft Advertising — formerly called Bing Ads — is Microsoft's pay-per-click advertising platform. It places ads across the Microsoft Search Network, which includes Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, MSN, and other Microsoft partner sites. Advertisers bid on keywords and pay per click, similar to Google Ads. Microsoft Advertising also supports display advertising, Shopping campaigns, and LinkedIn audience targeting — a major differentiator from Google Ads, since LinkedIn demographic data is exclusive to Microsoft's ad platform.
Is Bing Ads cheaper than Google Ads?
Yes — significantly. The average cost-per-click on Microsoft Advertising is approximately $1.54, compared to Google Ads where competitive keywords routinely run $3–$10+ per click. Industry data shows Bing Ads CPC runs 33–40% lower than Google Ads on average. For small businesses with limited ad budgets, this means more clicks, more impressions, and more opportunities to convert — for the same spend. The lower competition on Bing is a major driver: fewer advertisers bidding on the same keywords means lower auction prices.
What is the Bing Ads average click-through rate compared to Google Ads?
Microsoft Advertising consistently achieves higher average CTRs than Google Ads for many ad types. Industry benchmarks show Bing Ads averaging approximately 2.83% CTR, compared to Google Ads industry averages that are typically 50% lower in the same categories. This is partly because the Bing audience tends to be older, more financially established, and less ad-fatigued — they actively engage with search results and ads rather than scrolling past them.
Who uses Bing? Is the Bing audience worth targeting?
The Bing audience is frequently underestimated. Key demographics: 41% of Microsoft Search Network users have household incomes over $100,000 — a highly valuable audience for any business selling a premium service. The average Bing user is 35–65 years old with more disposable income than the average Google user. Corporate and enterprise users disproportionately use Bing because it is the default browser in Windows and Microsoft Edge — which is standard in most corporate IT environments. 54% of Bing visitors use the platform actively for product research before purchasing.
What is Google Ads volatility and why does it hurt small businesses?
Google Ads campaigns are subject to frequent, sometimes dramatic changes: algorithm updates that affect Quality Score and ad rankings, policy changes that restrict ad categories without warning, Smart Campaigns and automated bidding strategies that can rapidly drain budgets without predictable results, and interface changes that make campaign management harder for small business owners without dedicated ad managers. For small businesses with tight budgets, a single Google algorithm change can double your cost-per-click overnight or drop your ad position significantly. Microsoft Advertising changes more slowly and more predictably — giving small business campaigns more stable performance over time.
Can I import my Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Advertising?
Yes. Microsoft Advertising has a direct Google Ads import tool that lets you copy your existing Google Ads campaigns — including ad groups, keywords, ad copy, and extensions — directly into Microsoft Advertising with a few clicks. This makes getting started on Bing Ads extremely low-friction if you already have Google Ads campaigns. I recommend reviewing the imported campaigns before launching, as some settings and bidding strategies differ between platforms, but the import functionality means you can be running on Microsoft Advertising within hours of deciding to start.
Does TomPaul Digital Marketing manage Bing Ads campaigns?
Yes. Microsoft Advertising (Bing Ads) management is a core service at TomPaul Digital Marketing. I actively recommend Bing Ads as the primary paid search channel for most small business clients — particularly those in professional services, vehicle transport, local services, and B2B. Campaign setup, keyword strategy, ad copy, bid management, conversion tracking, and monthly reporting are all included in paid search management packages. A free consultation includes an honest assessment of whether Google Ads, Bing Ads, or both make sense for your specific business and budget.
Ready to Try Bing Ads — or Fix What's Not Working on Google?
Free consultation — I will review your current ad setup (or start fresh), tell you exactly what is and is not worth spending on, and recommend the right platform mix for your business and budget.
Get Your Free Ad Strategy Consultation