Microsoft Advertising Introduces Performance Max Brand Lists

Microsoft Ads has introduced an exciting new feature for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns called “Brand Lists.” This feature is designed to provide advertisers with more control over where their ads are displayed, especially in terms of brand safety and relevance. It offers a solution for brands that wish to have greater authority over the types of search queries and websites their ads appear on, ensuring better alignment with brand values and improving overall ad performance.

What Are Performance Max Brand Lists?

Brand Lists in Microsoft Advertising Performance Max campaigns allow advertisers to exclude their ads from appearing alongside specific brands. This means advertisers can prevent their ads from showing up on certain branded search queries, ensuring that their advertisements don’t run in contexts that might damage their brand or result in reduced ad relevance.

For example, if a business does not want its ads displayed when users search for competitors or certain unrelated brands, they can add those to their exclusion list. This reduces the likelihood of wasted ad spend and enhances the return on ad spend (ROAS) by ensuring ads appear only in the most relevant search results.

How It Works:

The feature is simple but powerful. Advertisers can create up to 20 custom brand lists and choose brands from a predefined selection, or even request the addition of specific brands. When advertisers add brands to their exclusion list, the Microsoft Ads platform ensures that ads won’t show on branded search queries related to those brands.

Key aspects of how the brand lists feature operates include:

1. Creating Brand Lists: Advertisers are allowed to create up to 20 distinct brand exclusion lists, ensuring they can tailor lists to various campaigns.
2. Predefined Brand List: You can select brands from a predefined list or request that new brands be added for exclusion.
3. Automated Misspelling Coverage: One important aspect is that the brand exclusion feature automatically covers potential misspellings of the excluded brands.
4. Brand Request Process: For brands not listed, advertisers can request new brands, but the process typically takes between 4-6 weeks for review and approval.

Why It Matters

This new addition offers more control over ad placements, helping advertisers improve their overall brand image. Here’s why the Microsoft Advertising Performance Max Brand Lists matter to advertisers:

1. Better Ad Relevance: Ads will only appear in more relevant contexts, improving the likelihood of engaging users interested in the advertiser’s brand.
2. Brand Safety: Excluding ads from appearing alongside competitors or irrelevant brands reduces the risk of damaging brand reputation or being seen in negative contexts.
3. Improved ROAS: By focusing on more relevant placements, advertisers are likely to see a better return on their ad spend, making each dollar go further.
4. Competitive Advantage: This feature helps brands avoid appearing in competitor-related search results, reducing the chances of users clicking on a competitor’s ad.

Key Features:

1. Misspelling Coverage: Advertisers don’t need to worry about users misspelling excluded brand names since the platform automatically covers common misspellings.
2. Brand Requests: The system allows brands to request the exclusion of additional names if they aren’t already on the list. However, this process takes time—approximately 4-6 weeks.
3. Editorial Review Process: Microsoft implements a thorough review process for brand requests, ensuring that only legitimate exclusions are applied.

Competing with Google Ads

This move shows that Microsoft Advertising is looking to compete head-to-head with Google Ads by offering more control over brand safety and relevance. In a digital advertising world that is becoming increasingly complex and automated, having more precise control over ad placement is essential for businesses that want to maintain brand integrity while still achieving excellent results from their ad campaigns.

The Bigger Picture:

As digital advertising evolves, ad platforms are racing to provide more tools and features for advertisers that focus on brand safety, relevance, and targeting precision. The introduction of Performance Max Brand Lists for Microsoft Ads comes at a time when businesses are becoming more conscious about where their ads appear and are prioritizing brand-safe environments for their campaigns. The integration of brand exclusion in PMax campaigns offers an opportunity for advertisers to mitigate risks and optimize their ad efforts in a more controlled way.

Conclusion:

Microsoft Advertising’s Performance Max Brand Lists feature is an important step forward for advertisers who want to improve ad relevance and maintain control over their brand presence. As digital platforms increasingly automate ad delivery, having the ability to curate where and how ads appear is crucial. This feature provides businesses with a better way to manage ad placements, protect their brand image, and enhance the effectiveness of their campaigns.

At Digilogy, we specialize in providing businesses with data-driven strategies to maximize their digital marketing efforts. Whether you’re navigating new features like Microsoft Advertising Performance Max Brand Lists or looking to optimize your campaigns for better ROAS, we’re here to help. Contact Digilogy today to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level!