Three AdWords alternatives to test in your marketing mix

Google AdWords (Google Ads) is a widely used platform in digital marketing with its pay-per-click (PPC) service. But in the world of digital advertising, bigger isn’t always better.

A platform like Google AdWords is not always the most profitable tool and often pits small and medium-sized businesses against large corporations in an unfair advantage.

This is because PPC operates on a bidding process placement and companies with larger revenues to pay the highest prices per click usually outbid those with smaller budgets.

For those looking for alternatives to Google AdWords or looking to add variety to their online advertising methods, the following three AdWords alternatives are a great place to start.

1. Microsoft Advertising

Microsoft Advertising, formerly known as Bing Ads, is notably the competitor of Google Adwords. Although both platforms operate using the same PPC methods, there are some differences in the general characteristics of each.

Some of the benefits of Microsoft Advertising include extended reach beyond the Google network, lower cost per click (CPC), and an accelerated system that leads to a more efficient click-through rate (CTR).

Search engines beyond Google

Microsoft Advertising serves three popular search engines, Bing, Yahoo! and AOL. When advertisements are placed, they can be viewed on all three engines. In addition, the scope of the advertisement extends to all sites operated by the three search engines as well as to all partner sites of these search engines.

Although Google has the upper hand in online search traffic, Microsoft’s structure provides substantial reach. Take Yahoo!, for example. The search engine partners with some of the best content and e-commerce websites, including PayPal and social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.

More affordable CPC

Many businesses can benefit from Microsoft’s reach combined with its lower CPC rate. According to Wordstream, the average rate-per-click range in 2022 is $2 to $4, and studies have indicated that because Microsoft has less competition than Google Adwords, CPC tends to stay lower.

According to a ReportGarden, which analyzes digital marketing data, the average cost per click on Microsoft Advertising is around $7.99 compared to $20.08 on Google Adwords.

Granular targeting

Using the latest targeting technologies, Microsoft Advertising is able to target in the same way as Google AdWords. The platform’s audience targeting tools can help businesses use criteria to refine a goal, which leads to better conversion.

These targets may include:

• Age
• Location
• Device used
• Genre
• Time of the day
• Profile (via Linkedin)

Naturally, more targeted ad placement leads to better CTR, which ultimately translates into better return on investment (ROI) for advertisers.

2. The public motivated by the purchase of Compado

A start-up and customer acquisition platform from Berlin, Germany is making gains in digital marketing by helping businesses acquire more customers and experience growth in a more targeted and highly effective way.

Compado’s platform for audiences motivated to buy gives marketers access to advertising space on thousands of media sites. Advertisers can place and advertise their brand through quizzes, ranking lists, coupons, blog posts, reviews, and many other means of recommendation.

The company specializes in identifying high-intent audiences and gives advertisers a place to go to find customers who are ready to buy online, rather than just finding them through clicks, impressions, downloads or other pre-conversion events.

Pay per customer, no clicks

Using careful artificial intelligence methods, Compado identifies buyers ready to buy using front-end selling points such as:

• Media site
• Ranking and recommendation sites
• Coupons and discount codes
• Review sites
• Quiz
• Widgets
• Advertising banners

Once customers are identified, Compado then routes them to well-matched brands that have partnered with the company and have a pay-per-customer fee structure in place.

Opening the doors to intent marketing

Compado’s strategy aligns with what online marketers want – high-intent users. And in turn, intent marketing gives the user what they want – the brand that best suits their needs.

User intent is enhanced by interacting with Compado’s front-end tools, such as quizzes or ranking lists. When a user interacts with a Compado recommendation, it fuels their motivation to buy.

This leads to more converted sales, according to Andreas Hoogendijk, managing director of Compado. Hoogendijk noted in a report that it’s not uncommon to see conversion rates of 20% or more.

Economic efficiency

Since the platform is full-service, businesses save on search costs and rely on more efficient data, which also lowers costs by weeding out buyers who are less likely to buy. Businesses also save money by maximizing their digital advertising dollars rather than advertising at scale in hopes of reaching a target audience.

“We do everything. A partner brand only needs to let us know their customer value or the value of a customer to them,” said Joschka Weltgen, Chief Strategy Officer of Compado. “And since they only pay per customer, it’s incredibly efficient, especially during the current economic downturn, when efficiency and cost reduction are becoming more important for all businesses around the world.”

3. Native Ad Networks

As the online world grows, the use of more consumer-focused digital marketing methods like native advertising is also increasing.

Native advertising, or sponsored content, integrates seamlessly with the platform it is placed on. Unlike a “pop-up” ad or something boxed at the top or side of the page, native ads are embedded into the surrounding content.

For example, a native ad on a social media site is formatted the same as the user-generated posts that precede and follow it.

Today, the practice of using native advertising in a PPC format is a rapidly growing trend with no end in sight.

Benefits of native advertising

According to Forbes, using native advertising works so well because it disrupts users less and effectively helps a business grow its business.

Networks, like Taboola and Outbrain, which merged into a single company in 2019, use their cutting-edge technology to allow advertisers to place ads on major publishing sites, like MSN or USA Today.

With a focus on discovering new products and services, the native ad networks Taboola and Outbrain provide a good starting point for increasing marketing reach beyond Google’s search engine.

“For example, many people interact with content on their mobile devices while waiting at a doctor’s office or online in a store; these people are more in exploratory mode than looking for specific information per se,” says Taboola CEO Adam Singolda.

Native Advertising Trends

How effective is native advertising these days? According to studies published on the Taboola website:

• The global native advertising market will reach $400 billion by 2025
• 83% of native business-to-business (B2B) advertisers in 2021 were new
• Native ad images without text produce higher CTRs
• Native advertising works for Fortune 500 and startups
• Native advertising is particularly suitable for raising consumer awareness

No one-size-fits-all approach

Regardless of the reported success behind Google AdWords, there is a world of marketing channels beyond the Google universe worth exploring.

Instead, businesses can turn to alternatives such as Microsoft Advertising, Compado’s Buy-In-Buy Audiences, or Native Advertising Tools to scale.