Microsoft Advertising Quarter Two Update - October

Dear Channel Partner,

Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! We have some product updates as well as some reminders for a webinar and the partner awards submission. Furthermore, you get some insights for search trends in Germany and some tailored vertical insights for Channel Partner. Last but not least, we love to share the newest Microsoft Advertising Pitch Deck showcasing the ecosystem.

Product updates:
Target CPA + Max Conversions

We are really happy to inform that after a strong pilot with 200+ accounts & 1,100+ campaigns setup through tCPA/Max Conversions, we're seeing strong performance WoW with declining CPAs. Therefore Target Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and Max Conversions are now generally available.

Both tCPA and Max Conversions strategies are now generally available (GA) to all clients. This means you no longer need to hand raise or wait to be enabled, clients can start using these bid strategies today. If you have any questions, please refer to the Automated bidding guide attached for more information and resources.

Reminders

Award Season is here!

This is an reminder! One week left to submit your submission to the Partner Awards. Nominations close on November 3^rd. Good luck and we are eager to see your submission and celebrate your success with you.

‘The Future with Generative AI: Transforming Search and Advertising’ – webcast

A second webcast, will take place on Thursday November 2nd and will preview what will be available to you in the near future. We will explore the future of generative AI and how it will revolutionize the way we search and advertise online. You will discover some of the innovative generative AI features and products that Microsoft Advertising is developing or evolving, such as Conversational Ads in Bing Chat, CoPilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, and Ads for Chat API, including plugins. 

Search Holiday optimization
Check the PDF attached!

The insights team has analysed the German market and has some search insights to share with you and your advertisers. See Attachment.

Make sure you have the best practices applied and analyse contiously to improve the performance. Sales and offers are the key to success in this competitve time - 77% of consumers say they will prioritize value and look for cost-effective options for their holiday purchases.

Keep in mind:

• Shopping Campaigns: review feeds, check your setup and focus on optimization
• Re-engage users who have shown interest and guide them toward conversion
• Keep budget monitored to prevent pauses
• Remain flexible to make real-time adjustments based on campaign performance and unexpected market changes
• Leverage automated rules and bids – give the algorithm plenty of signals to Cyber week in order to run as efficiently and effectively

Holiday Insights Channel Partner
Trends preview for Germany

The ramp has already begun, and the upcoming weeks will be crucial for the success of the peak season. We have asked our analytics experts to prepare Channel Partner tailored insights for these vertical:

• Apparel
• Beauty & Personal Care
• Business & Industrial
• Computers & consumer electronics
• Food & Groceries
• Hobbies & Leisure
• Home & Garden
• Occasions & Gifts
• Sport & Fitness

Please see the insightful graphs for the German market in the attachment. You will not only find the top search categories per vertical but also will be able to identify which subvertical are expected to be trending particulary well. The information entails the top search per subvertical from October to January. Keep in mind that the momentum continues also after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Do you need those insights also for other key markets? Please reach out.

Here a sneak peek on the trends for Beauty & Personal Care.

Happy peak season and we hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter.

Please reach out to us if you have any feedback, question or opportunities.

Best regards,

Your Microsoft Advertising Team

Isabella & Federica