Microsoft is introducing two new automated bid strategies to help advertisers reach their target audience more effectively. The first strategy, called “Maximize Conversion,” allows advertisers to maximize conversions while staying within their budget. The second strategy, called “Target CPA,” allows advertisers to maximize conversions while also achieving a specific cost-per-acquisition (CPA) goal.

These bid strategies are currently in pilot mode and are expected to be rolled out to all advertisers in October 2023. The goal of these strategies is to make it easier for advertisers to optimize their campaigns without needing to manually adjust bids.

In addition to these bid strategies, Microsoft has expanded its reach into 58 new markets, bringing the total number of countries where its ads are served to 187. This expansion allows advertisers to target a global audience and reach customers in various geographic regions.

Microsoft’s Audience Ads, which are native display ads, play a crucial role in this expansion. Audience Ads allow advertisers to target their ideal audience based on Microsoft’s understanding of people’s interests and consumer intent signals. These ads are then served in various placements across the web, including Microsoft’s MSN, Start, Outlook, and more.

According to Mallory Harwood, Microsoft Senior Product Marketing Manager, expanding into new markets and offering more bid strategies is a top priority for the company. Microsoft has been investing heavily in its search and marketing offering, and the expansion from seven markets a couple of years ago to 187 markets now is a testament to this investment.

Automated bidding is a valuable tool for advertisers as it saves time and effort by leveraging AI to optimize campaign performance. With these new bid strategies, advertisers can have the best of both worlds – the convenience of automation and the control to set their budgets and define success metrics.

For more information on Microsoft’s Automated Bidding guidelines, advertisers can refer to the company’s official documentation. Overall, these new bid strategies and market expansions highlight Microsoft’s commitment to helping advertisers achieve their goals on a global scale.