Why Microsoft Advertising Is Worth a Shot in 2026

When contractors think about paid ads, they think Google and Facebook. That's it. Microsoft Advertising - the platform formerly known as Bing Ads - barely crosses anyone's mind.

That's exactly why it's worth a look. While everyone piles onto the same two platforms and drives up costs, Microsoft is sitting there with cheaper clicks, a wealthier audience, and almost no competition. Here's why 2026 is the year to test it.

Wait, People Actually Use Bing?

More than you'd think. Bing now handles over a billion searches a day and reaches more than 100 million daily users. It's not Google-sized, but it's nowhere near the ghost town people assume it is.

And here's the thing most contractors don't realize: every Windows 11 computer ships with Bing built into the search bar and Edge browser by default. With Bing connected to over a billion Windows devices worldwide, a huge chunk of people are searching on it without even thinking about it - they just type into the Windows search bar and Bing answers.

The Copilot Effect

The bigger story is Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant. It's now baked directly into Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365, and it's pulling in around 100 million daily users of its own.

This matters for one reason: when someone asks Copilot a question with buying intent - "who can replace my roof" or "best HVAC company near me" - that's a high-intent moment, and Microsoft is building advertising right into it. Reports show commercial intent shows up in roughly a third of Copilot sessions, noticeably higher than regular search.

The Three Reasons It's Worth Testing

1. Cheaper clicks. Microsoft Ads run roughly 30% lower cost per click than Google on average. For a contractor on a tight budget, that means more clicks and more leads for the same spend.
2. A wealthier audience. Bing's user base skews older and higher-income, with a large share in the top income bracket. For trades like remodeling, roofing, and pool installation - where the customer needs money to spend - that's an ideal match.
3. Almost no competition. Only about a third of US advertisers use Microsoft Ads, compared to 80% on Google. Less competition means lower costs and more visibility for the contractors who bother to show up.

The Honest Downsides

It's not all upside. A few things to keep in mind:

• Lower search volume than Google, so you won't get the same lead quantity
• Skews heavily toward desktop, so mobile-first audiences are smaller
• Fewer people searching means it works best as a supplement, not your main channel

This isn't a replacement for Google. It's a low-cost addition that picks up leads your competitors are completely ignoring.

The Easiest Way to Start

Here's the best part - you barely have to do any extra work. Microsoft lets you import your existing Google Ads campaigns directly into Microsoft Advertising in a few clicks. Your keywords, your ad copy, your settings - all copied over.

So if you're already running Google Ads, you can have a Microsoft campaign live in under an hour using the exact same setup. Then you just watch the numbers. If the cost per lead comes in lower (it often does), you keep it running. If not, you've lost almost nothing.

The Bottom Line

Microsoft Advertising is the channel everyone overlooks - which is exactly why it works. Cheaper clicks, a higher-income audience, and barely any competition, all riding on the back of Windows 11 and Copilot putting Bing in front of more people every day.

You don't have to bet big on it. Import a campaign, set a small budget, and test it for a month. Worst case you learn it's not for your market. Best case you find a cheaper source of leads that none of your competitors even know about.