Microsoft Audience Network Introduces Facebook Import & Video Ads

The Microsoft Audience Network, Microsoft Advertising’s native ad platform, will soon support Facebook campaign import functionality and video ads.

What do advertisers need to know? We’ve got you covered here.

Microsoft also announced at the 2021 Elevate Partner Summit that the Microsoft Audience Network is expanding to new markets.

Read on for all the details, plus an exclusive Marketing O’Clock interview with John Lee of Microsoft Advertising.

Import Facebook Advertising Campaigns Directly Into Microsoft Advertising

Much like the Google Ads import feature that many are familiar with, advertisers will soon be able to import campaigns from Facebook Ads into Microsoft Advertising.

This new feature, currently in open beta in select markets, saves advertisers time while also giving them the flexibility to edit settings such as bids, budgets, targeting, and campaign names.

What Advertisers Need to Know

Ads

At launch, the Facebook import feature will be able to import campaigns with a single-image format. Carousels and video ads are not currently supported.

Settings & Targeting

While locations, demographics, and ad schedules can carry over for Microsoft Audience Network campaigns, campaigns imported into Microsoft Advertising will not be able to use the interest-based or behavioral targeting that they use on Facebook Ads.

Advertisers should apply in-market targeting, affinity targeting, remarketing, or LinkedIn profile targeting to their campaigns after import to make sure their ads show to the right audience.

Upon import, all campaigns will be set to manual bidding.

How the Import Will Work

The import process itself will be familiar to advertisers who use the Google Ads import.

From the import functionality in Microsoft Advertising, you’ll click on the Facebook option and be prompted to sign in to your Facebook account.

Before you import, you’ll be able to update bids, budgets, targeting, and other settings. Then, you can select either a one-time import or a recurring import schedule.

Up to 10,000 campaigns and ad groups can be imported from Facebook Ads per Microsoft Advertising account.

Facebook Import Best Practices

While many advertisers will be excited to test this time-saving new feature, it’s important to take the time to double-check campaign settings and creative post-import.

Advertisers are advised to review image guidelines and preview their assets before Facebook campaigns go live on the Microsoft Audience Network.

Double-checke your settings to ensure they are in line with campaign goals.

Lee discusses this feature in his interview here.

New Support for Video Ads on the Microsoft Audience Network

For the first time, advertisers will be able to run video ads within Microsoft Audience Network campaigns.

Creative can be uploaded straight to the Microsoft Advertising platform to run across Microsoft Audience Network sites on both desktop and mobile.

The new feature is currently being tested as a pilot in the United States with an open beta coming soon.

What Advertisers Need to Know

Video ads can be up to 120 seconds and Microsoft Advertising is accepting all standard video formats including MP4, MOV, MPEG2, and more.

Unlike some other platforms, advertisers will be able to bid on a CPC or CPM basis.

Video creative can be combined with intro text copy and headlines to create final ads.

New metrics (e.g., views, CPV, video completion rate) can be added to reports to measure performance.

Video Ads Best Practices:

Microsoft Advertising recommends experimenting with different video lengths and creative options, but to feature product or brand messages early to make sure people see them.

You should also assume that many in your audience will watch your video ad with the sound off like other outstream ad products.

Lee discusses video ads during our interview here.

Microsoft Audience Network Expansion

The Microsoft Audience Network is expanding to new markets and will soon be available for all advertisers in the following regions:

• New Zealand.
• Australia.
• Canada.

In addition to the U.S. and U.K., where it is already available, Microsoft is currently running tests for the Microsoft Audience Network in France and Germany with an official launch date pending.

Lee talks about the expansion in our interview here.

Marketing O’Clock Interviews Microsoft Advertising’s John Lee

On this special episode of Marketing O’Clock, agency experts sit down with Microsoft Advertising’s John Lee as he talks about these new features coming to the Microsoft Audience Network, Microsoft Advertising’s native ad platform.

Join us on your favorite podcast player as we ask Lee about the updates and discuss use-cases for these exciting new features!

Or, catch a video version of the episode on YouTube:

With us on the show are:

• John Lee, Head of Evangelism at Microsoft Advertising.
• Amanda Farley, Accounts Manager and Partner at SSDM.
• Greg Finn, Partner at Cypress North and Marketing O’Clock Host.

For more information on Marketing O’Clock or to subscribe to the show, visit the Marketing O’Clock site. Or, head to the Microsoft Advertising site for more information on all of the updates announced at the 2021 Elevate Advertising Partner Summit.

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Image Credits

Feature Image: Samantha Hanson, Cypress North
Screenshots: Microsoft Advertising