After a period of beta testing, Bing has officially launched native advertising—or what it calls “intent ads”—in the UK and US.
These ad units are designed to blend seamlessly with editorial content, offering marketers a way to drive high-quality traffic from non-search placements. By moving beyond traditional keyword targeting, Bing’s native ads mark a significant evolution in how advertisers can reach users outside the search engine results page (SERP).
Understanding Bing’s Intent Engine
So how does Bing determine intent?
The platform relies on three key signals:
Users’ prior search queries
Behaviour from previous site visits
The content of the current page
These signals are combined in real time to serve native ads within contextually relevant content. For example, an ad promoting Blue Yonder Airlines might appear within an article discussing airport layover tips.
Where Native Ads Appear
Currently, Bing’s native ads are being served across select MSN pages, which collectively attract over 55 million users, and within Outlook.com.
Bing has confirmed it is actively working to expand its intent network to additional syndication partners in the coming months.
Early Performance: A Strong Start
According to Bing, click-through rates (CTR) for native ads are performing exceptionally well—5 to 7 times higher than traditional display advertising.
That’s a compelling case for advertisers looking to extend reach and engagement without relying solely on search queries.
Advertiser Advisory: Default Opt-In
One important note: Advertisers are automatically opted into native ads by default. While this can open up valuable inventory, it also means it’s critical to monitor impression and click volume closely to assess suitability.
If native placements aren’t right for your business or campaign goals, opting out is straightforward:
Simply apply a –100% bid adjustment for native ads in the campaign settings.
