Many marketers focus only on Google. They miss the value Bing offers. Unlocking the power of Bing Ads starts with proper tracking. Without it, you can’t see your true results.
Bing Ads reach 63 million searchers that Google doesn’t. These users tend to be older and have more money to spend. But most advertisers can’t tell if their Bing campaigns work. This means they miss out on this valuable traffic.
Why Bing Ads Deserve Your Attention
The Tracking Advantage
Good tracking shows which ads drive sales. It reveals which keywords work best. It helps you spend money where it makes the most profit. Poor tracking leads to wasted budgets and missed chances.
Common Tracking Mistakes
Most Bing advertisers make the same mistakes. They don’t install tracking codes on all pages. They track clicks but not conversions. They don’t give value to different types of conversions. These errors hide the true worth of their campaigns.
The Cost of Ignoring Bing
Ignoring Bing means missing customers. The cost per click on Bing is often 30% lower than Google. When tracked right, many find Bing has a better return on ad spend. But you can’t know this without proper tracking.
Basic Bing Ads Tracking Setup
Before using advanced methods, get the basics right. These steps form the foundation of good bing ads conversion tracking.
Creating a UET Tag
The Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag is the core of Bing tracking. It goes on every page of your site. This single tag tracks both page views and specific actions users take.
Placing the Tag Correctly
Put the UET tag in the header of all your pages. It must load before a user can leave the page. Many tracking problems happen because the tag is missing from some pages or loads too slowly.
Setting Up Conversion Goals
Tell Bing which actions count as conversions. This includes purchases, sign-ups, or calls. Each should have its own goal. This lets you track them separately and assign different values.
Testing Your Basic Setup
Run a small test campaign. Make a test purchase yourself. Then check if it shows up in your Bing Ads reports. Fix any issues before spending more on ads.
Advanced Bing Tracking Methods
Basic tracking misses many conversions. These advanced methods improve your bing ads conversion tracking accuracy.
Tracking Multiple Conversion Types
Don’t just track sales. Track email sign-ups, PDF downloads, and video views too. These actions often lead to later sales. Tracking them shows the full value of your ads.
Setting Conversion Values
Each conversion type has a different value to your business. A sale might be worth $100. A lead might be worth $20. Set these values in Bing Ads. This helps the system optimize for value, not just conversion count.
Using View-Through Conversions
Not all users click ads before converting. Some see an ad, then visit your site directly later. View-through tracking catches these conversions. It shows the full impact of your ads beyond just clicks.
Import Conversions from Analytics
If you use analytics platforms, you can import conversion data. This connects offline sales or phone calls to your Bing ads. It gives you a more complete picture of performance.
Solving Common Bing Tracking Problems
Most advertisers face these tracking challenges. Fixing them improves your data quality fast.
Missing Mobile Conversions
Mobile Bing searches often don’t connect to later desktop purchases. Use cross-device tracking to catch these conversions. This often reveals 20-30% more conversions than basic tracking.
Delayed Conversion Counting
Some sales take weeks to happen after an ad click. Set your conversion window to 30 or 60 days. This catches sales that happen long after the initial click.
Duplicate Conversion Counts
Sometimes the same conversion counts twice. This happens when tags fire more than once. Use the “count once” setting for actions that should only count one time per click.
Tracking Code Conflicts
Bing’s UET tag can conflict with other tracking codes. This slows down your site and breaks tracking. Use a tag manager to prevent these conflicts and keep tracking working.
Comparing Bing and Google Tracking
Bing and Google tracking have key differences. Understanding these helps you set up both correctly.
UET vs. Google Tag
Bing’s UET tag works like Google’s tag. But there are small setup differences. Don’t just copy your Google setup. Follow Bing’s specific instructions for best results.
Conversion Window Differences
Google’s default conversion window is often shorter than Bing’s. Match these settings for fair comparisons. Otherwise, Bing might look better simply because it counts conversions over a longer period.
Attribution Model Options
Bing offers different attribution models than Google. Test these models to see which best matches your business. The right model varies based on your sales process and customer journey.
Audience Tracking Variations
Bing and Google track audiences differently. Bing often needs larger audience sizes to work well. Create audience segments specific to Bing rather than just copying from Google.
Measuring True Bing Ads ROI
Click counts don’t pay the bills. These methods show the real return on your Bing ad spend.
Calculating All-In Cost
Include all costs in your ROI math. This means ad spend, agency fees, and the time your team spends. True ROI accounts for every dollar spent, not just what you pay Bing.
Comparing Cost Per Acquisition
Measure how much you spend to acquire each customer through Bing versus other channels. Often Bing starts looking more affordable when all conversions are tracked properly.
Revenue Not Just Conversions
Track the actual revenue from Bing ads, not just conversion counts. Some keywords might drive more conversions but less total revenue. Focus on profit, not just action counts.
New vs. Returning Customer Value
Bing often brings different types of customers than Google. Track if they are new or returning buyers. New customers often have higher long-term value even if the first purchase is smaller.
Building a Complete Bing Tracking System
The best approach combines multiple tracking methods. This creates a complete picture of your Bing performance.
Using First-Party Data
First-party data comes directly from your customers. It’s more reliable than third-party tracking. Build systems to collect and use this data for more accurate tracking.
Creating Custom Tracking Parameters
Add UTM or custom parameters to your Bing ad URLs. These help track traffic in your analytics system. They provide a backup when the UET tag misses conversions.
Offline Conversion Imports
Not all sales happen online. Use offline conversion tracking to connect in-store or phone sales to Bing ads. This often reveals value that basic tracking misses.
Regular Tracking Audits
Check your tracking setup monthly. Look for drops in conversion rates that might signal broken tracking. Fix issues before they cost you money in wasted ad spend.
Optimizing Campaigns With Better Data
With proper tracking in place, you can make smarter choices about your Bing campaigns.
Keyword-Level Optimization
Good tracking shows which keywords drive sales. Some get clicks but no conversions. Others convert well but get few clicks. Adjust bids based on actual performance.
Audience Refinement
Track which audience segments convert best. Some demographics convert at higher rates on Bing than Google. Focus on these high-value segments to improve results.
Device Bid Adjustments
Track performance by device type. Bing often performs differently on desktop versus mobile. Adjust your bids to favor the devices that convert best for your business.
Ad Copy Testing
Test different ad messages and see which drives more sales. Good tracking lets you optimize beyond just click-through rate. Focus on ads that drive revenue, not just clicks.
Conclusion
Unlocking the power of Bing Ads requires proper tracking. When you know which ads drive sales, you can focus your budget there. This often doubles or triples your return without spending more.
Start with the UET tag and basic conversion tracking. Then add advanced methods that capture more value. Fix common problems that hide conversions. And build a system that shows the true ROI of your campaigns.
The advertisers who master bing ads conversion tracking gain a major advantage. They can tap into Bing’s valuable audience while competitors focus only on Google. They can optimize for true results while others chase clicks. And they can build campaigns that actually drive business growth on a platform with less competition and lower costs.
