Top 3 features advertisers loved in 2021

In 2021, we saw three Microsoft Advertising ad features rise to the top as the preferred tools for advertisers. The features centered around increasing engagement and using intelligent automation to save time and money.

Feature #1: Smart Pages

Our blog post for Smart Pages generated three times more interest than any other product blog post, making it the most anticipated new feature of 2021. Interest in this feature was high due to the time and money it can save for marketers.

Smart Pages launched in February, and several advertisers have implemented the free website creation service to improve their online presence and create, edit, and publish websites for free. Creating a website is costly and time consuming, which can explain why more than 36% of small businesses don’t have one, as informed by the Small Business Association.¹

Advertisers love Smart Pages because they remove cost barriers typically associated with building webs. They also save time by providing a free and simple solution for small businesses to get started with a website.

You can use the Smart Pages tool to create a webpage in minutes and start driving traffic to it with Microsoft Advertising. It’s simple to have a web presence with no additional cost and minimal time investment.

Smart Pages also enable advertisers to track key metrics such as page views and clicks to understand how many people are viewing and how they’re using the site.

Make a greater impact with more automation

Automation saves advertisers time, as it takes the guesswork out of optimization and ad setup. Here are a few other Microsoft AI-backed features worth your attention:

• Smart Shopping Campaigns cost-effectively scale your ad campaigns and boost your conversion rates by showing the right ad to the right user at the right time.
• Smart Campaigns use Microsoft AI to create engaging ads, simplify set up, extend reach, and manage most parts of your ad campaigns to successfully improve ad performance and business results.

Feature #2: Multimedia Ads

Multimedia Ads have garnered the second-place spot for the most attention on our blog. In addition to being a blog favorite, they are an industry first search innovation.

While the value of search advertising has grown over the years, so has the competition for customers’ attention. With a new rich ad format designed to combine your own assets like images, headlines, and descriptions with the power of machine-learning technology, Multimedia Ads deliver effective attention-grabbing large visual ads.

Advertisers love Multimedia Ads because they’re unique and stand out in a sea of search sameness. Since only one of the unique ads is prominently featured on the right or at the top of the search results pages, this feature ensures your ad will get the attention it deserves. Standing out helps brands communicate value, amplify product discovery, inspire action, and build loyalty.

Capture more customers with imagery and video

Search users love more visual ads, and our visual search extensions are valuable considerations for advertisers.

• Video Extensions combine video with other ad extensions to provide enriching content to those searching for your offerings. With an action link on the video overlay, you can have more conversions for your site.
• Image Extensions grab your customers’ attention with a photo next to your search ad. Microsoft Advertising Image Extensions promote your products, raise brand awareness, and improve the quality of your clicks.
• Microsoft Audience Network helps you engage with a unique audience in brand-safe native environments through image ads, feed-based ads, and video ads.

Feature #3: Automated bidding

Automated bidding was our third most popular blog and the most popular product blog because it helps to ensure you're bidding effectively and maximizing Return on Investment (ROI).

Businesses appreciate this feature because, with ever-expanding keyword lists and targeting options, efficiently managing bids can be difficult and time-consuming. Automated bid strategies give advertisers advanced tools to save time and maximize ad spend.

Different ways advertisers are using automated bid strategies

Many of the following options are compatible with text ads, Dynamic Search Ads, and Shopping Campaigns.

• Enhanced Cost per Click (CPC) modifies your bids for better efficiency.
• Maximize Clicks helps you get as many clicks as possible.
• Maximize Conversions helps you get as many conversions as possible.
• Target Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) helps you get as many conversions as possible, within your target.
• Target Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) sets your bids to achieve your target return on ad spend.
• Target Impression Share (IS) helps your brand get premium visibility both during sustained and promotion periods.