Commentary

Microsoft Releases Performance Max Import And Other New Product Updates

Consumers are hunting for values this holiday season as the final quarter of the year gets underway.

Microsoft hopes to make it easier for marketers to connect with consumers by releasing several new updates in October.

One builds on Google Import, so marketers can duplicate Google Performance Max campaigns as Smart Shopping Campaigns and Local Inventory Ads into Microsoft is now generally available.

Smart Campaigns is now available in six new markets including Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, Netherlands, Italy, France, and Germany.

There are several important things to know when using the Google Performance Max import tool:

  • Create and import a Merchant Center store within Microsoft prior to importing the Google Performance Max retail campaigns as Smart Shopping Campaigns and Local Inventory Ads.
  • Submit product feeds to the Microsoft Merchant Center or import the existing Google Merchant Center feed. Microsoft suggests ensuring the ability to update feeds at least every 30 days.
  • Have the JavaScript UET tag on the website and ensure that it works. Additional code needed to track variable revenue data also is a requirement, so ensure that it is in place before beginning the campaign setup.

advertisement

advertisement

The feature, today, will only import Performance Max features that are in parity with Microsoft Advertising Smart Shopping Campaigns and Local Inventory Ads. Unsupported features such as Final Uniform Resource Locator expansion; text, image, and video assets; and audience signals will be skipped during the import.

Microsoft also notes that scheduling options are available for this import tool. Scheduling is available on a daily, weekly, monthly or immediate basis. Microsoft recommends that marketers set up email notifications to avoid scheduling failures.

Along with Performance Max, Microsoft is pushing the Audience Network to help ecommerce brands reach more customers. Marketers can extend their shopping feed to customers who have displayed intent or interest in products.

The Audience Network also allows marketers to reach customers on websites, in emails, on news sites and more through MSN, Outlook, Edge, and other publishing partners. It is expanding into 66 markets this month in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA.

Some areas based on region include Aruba, Bahamas, Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Brunei, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, the Maldives, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guinea, Iraq, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Libya, and Madagascar.

Other options include Microsoft Video ads, which allows advertisers to show their video ads on premium and brand-safe sites across the Microsoft Audience Network. Choose between three bidding options, cost per thousand impressions (CPM), cost per click (CPC), or cost per view (CPV).

Automated bidding and Dynamic Search Ads are now available in the Japanese market, and data exclusions for automated bidding is now in open beta.

Another new option is that ads for doctors and clinics are now available in closed beta, as Microsoft has released the next version of Professional Service Ads in ads for doctors and clinics. This is available currently on the right rail and in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and India markets.

Next story loading loading..