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Unlocking Insights: Microsoft Ads Enhances Performance Max Reports
I’m thrilled to share some exciting news from Microsoft Advertising. They’ve made a significant leap in Performance Max reporting by adding conversion and spend data to PMax placement reports. This means I now have a much clearer understanding of how my ad placements are performing, which is fantastic for optimizing my campaigns.

What’s happening. According to Microsoft Ads Product liaison Navah Hopkins, the PMax Website Publisher URL report now includes conversion and spend metrics. This update takes us beyond just seeing where our ads appear; it lets us see actual performance data in action.

This new visibility allows me to pinpoint exactly which placements are driving meaningful results, not just impressions or clicks. It’s a game-changer for understanding what really works.

Why we care. Having this level of detail means I can make smarter decisions about where to allocate my budget. It helps me scale successful inventory and eliminate waste, providing a stronger foundation to trust Performance Max’s capabilities with tangible data rather than estimates.

How advertisers can use it. This update opens several practical doors. I can leverage high-performing placements to shape my Audience Ads strategies, like building remarketing campaigns or targeting audiences based on successful inventory.

At the same time, I can spot placements that aren’t a good fit and exclude them using account-level URL exclusion lists. This not only protects brand safety but also boosts efficiency.

Between the lines. This development further enhances the transparency of automated campaigns. It’s evident that while automation handles much of the heavy lifting, platforms are keen on giving us advertisers clearer insights into what’s effective and where we need to intervene.

What to watch:
- Will this transparency extend even further in PMax reporting?
- How will advertisers balance the power of automation with manual tweaks?
- Could similar reporting features be rolled out across other platforms?
Bottom line. With access to precise conversion and spend data, Microsoft is transforming Performance Max from a black box into an actionable tool, inviting us to make informed decisions and achieve better results.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
May 1, 2026
Bing’s Expanded Product Carousel Boosts Advertiser Visibility

I’ve noticed that Bing is testing a double-rowed sponsored product carousel in its shopping results. As someone who keeps an eye on these updates, this change could offer substantial visibility boosts for Microsoft Shopping advertisers.

The test, first spotted by Digital Marketer Sachin Patel, caught my attention when he noticed the broader layout while searching for cushions on Bing. This new format combines a significant double-rowed sponsored carousel, prominently paired with organic results below.

Why this matters to me: If Bing decides to roll out this format broadly, I foresee a significant increase in screen space dedicated to sponsored products. This extra visibility typically translates to higher click-through rates, especially for those running Microsoft Shopping campaigns. The visually appealing double-row carousel puts Bing’s shopping ads on par with similar offerings by Google Shopping.

Here’s the catch: The test seems to be in its early stages, as not all users, including seasoned industry experts like Mordy Oberstein, are seeing this expanded format. When I checked myself, I noticed a more compact layout, hinting at Bing’s ongoing experimentation.

The takeaway: Bing often experiments with its search engine results pages without officially rolling them out. As a retailer using Microsoft Shopping, it’s crucial for me to stay alert for any increase in product impressions if the format becomes more widespread.

Initially discovered. This testing phase was initially spotted by Sachin Paten, who shared his insights and a screenshot on X.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 1, 2026
Bing Enhances AI Query Links to Cited Pages for SEO Insight
Recently, I’ve noticed something exciting happening on Bing. Now, when I use Bing Webmaster Tools, I can click a query to view its cited pages or select a page to see its grounding queries. It feels like a new level of connectivity where multiple queries and pages are seamlessly linked together.

Microsoft has introduced query-to-page mapping within its AI Performance report on Bing Webmaster Tools. I find this feature incredibly helpful because it lets me directly connect AI-generated queries to cited URLs. This makes my SEO strategies more precise.

Why it matters to us. Before this update, Bing’s dashboard presented queries and pages separately, which limited our optimization efforts. Now, I can align specific AI-triggering queries with the exact pages they reference, focusing my updates on real AI-driven demand rather than guesswork.

Here’s the scoop. The Grounding Query–Page Mapping feature is a game-changer in the AI Performance dashboard:
- With a click on a grounding query, I can see which pages are cited.
- I can also click a page to find out which grounding queries are driving its citations.
- The mapping system is many-to-many, meaning one query can be linked to multiple pages and vice versa.
Catch up with Bing. Back in February, Microsoft launched the AI Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools, marking its initial GEO-focused dashboard. This tool keeps track of where and how often my content gets cited in AI answers across platforms like Bing, Copilot, and more.
- It tracks the grounding queries, cited URLs, and visibility trends over time, providing an insightful view into citation visibility.
The buzz. According to Microsoft, this update came about due to “strong positive customer feedback and numerous requests,” and I can see why it’s so well-received.

The announcement. The unveiling of the query-to-page mapping feature was detailed in a Microsoft Advertising blog post: The AI Performance dashboard: Your view into where your brand appears across the AI web

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
March 24, 2026
Streamline Your Ads with Microsoft’s New Automated Bidding

I’m excited to share that Microsoft is making a significant update that simplifies the way we set up automated bidding in Microsoft Advertising.

By consolidating performance targets, Microsoft aims to reduce complexity, making bidding more streamlined without sacrificing the control over critical performance metrics.

What’s happening: The platform is integrating common targets like Target CPA and Target ROAS into broader automated strategies. This means these targets will now form part of a more comprehensive bidding approach instead of standing alone.

From now on, I’ll be choosing between two main strategies: Maximize Conversions or Maximize Conversion Value, with optional performance targets that can be added as needed.

Credit – Hana Kobzova of PPC News Feed

How it works: For campaigns focused on conversions, I’ll select Maximize Conversions and may set a target CPA if desired. For campaigns aiming at maximizing value, I’ll choose Maximize Conversion Value with the option of setting a target ROAS.

Microsoft reassures that this update doesn’t change the fundamental bidding behavior — it simply makes the setup more user-friendly.

Why we care: This change enhances accessibility to Microsoft Advertising’s tools, making automated bidding more straightforward and efficient, which is especially beneficial when managing large-scale campaigns.

For us advertisers, this means faster setup times, more consistent optimization across accounts, and fewer complexities when managing campaigns focused on conversion or value.

What’s staying the same: Existing campaigns using Target CPA or Target ROAS will continue seamlessly, requiring no updates. Portfolio bid strategies are unaffected as well.

The bigger picture: This move is part of Microsoft’s larger effort to simplify automated bidding while ensuring performance control remains intact.

Bottom line: Microsoft is refining bidding options to make them more accessible without losing our ability to fine-tune performance through familiar controls.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

March 19, 2026
Empower Your Ad Strategy: New Self-Serve Negative Keywords in Microsoft Ads
As an advertiser using Microsoft Advertising, I’m thrilled to share that we now have the freedom to create and manage negative keyword lists on our own! This long-awaited feature allows us to take greater control without needing to involve support tickets.

What’s happening? Now, we can directly build and handle shared negative keyword lists in the User Interface. These lists can hold up to 5,000 keywords, with one keyword per line, and can be applied at either the campaign or account level. The match types work just as they do in Performance Max and traditional Search campaigns.
- Lists can be edited, exported as CSV files, or removed from campaigns whenever necessary.
- Microsoft highlights the need for proper match type formatting using brackets for exact matches and quotation marks for phrase matches—not hyphens.
Why is this important to us? Negative keywords are vital for filtering out irrelevant traffic and protecting our budgets. This new self-serve capability streamlines our workflow, minimizes dependency on support tickets, and gives us faster control over search query exclusions.

The bottom line? Microsoft is handing more control back to us, eliminating friction in one of the most critical areas for improving campaign efficiency.

Dig deeper. Learn how to add keywords that won’t trigger my ads (negative keywords).

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
February 27, 2026
Embracing AI and Visuals: The Future of PPC Advertising

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, I’ve witnessed the transformation of PPC from its traditional search roots to a more dynamic form. By leveraging new ad formats, creative strategies, and sophisticated AI, I’ve realized that we can truly gain a competitive edge.

I had the opportunity to chat with Ginny Marvin from Google and Navah Hopkins from Microsoft about the direction PPC is heading. This discussion was a highlight for me during the SMX Next keynote. Here’s a recap of our conversation.

When we explored emerging ad formats and channels beyond search, Ginny and Navah shared their excitement for AI-driven ad innovations. Navah pointed out Microsoft’s strides in AI-first formats, highlighting showroom ads as a standout feature:

“Showroom ads allow users to interact directly with content provided by advertisers, and with tools like Copilot for brand security, it’s a game-changer.”

As a gamer myself, Navah’s insights into gaming as an evolving ad channel resonated with me. We’re all familiar with the frustration of intrusive ads, but more engaging, intelligent formats are on the horizon.

Ginny agreed, emphasizing how conversational AI and visual discovery tools are reshaping user intent. These elements make conversion journeys far more dynamic than our standard keyword-to-click pathways.

For me, it was clear that embracing this new landscape means recognizing that traditional search is just one of many opportunities for advertising.

I was particularly struck by the discussion on the ever-growing importance of visual content. Navah summarized it well for me with:

“Most people are visual learners, and visual content belongs in every stage of the funnel.”

This really encouraged me to rethink how I view visual content within marketing strategies—not just at the top of the funnel or in remarketing, but throughout the entire process.

Ginny also touched on how brand-forward visuals are becoming indispensable. She mentioned that successful marketers will need to consistently reflect their brand’s essence through curated creative libraries across various channels.

We also delved into some common myths regarding AI and creative processes. I related to Navah’s caution against overly depending on AI for creativity:

“AI is not a substitute for our creativity. Don’t delegate your entire creative process to AI.”

In my experience, the real power lies in using AI to enhance our creative strengths. Even solitary elements like a headline or image need to resonate individually.

Ginny’s reinforcement of the need for diverse visual assets was enlightening. Campaigns that span multiple channels benefit from a broad range of creative assets, crucial for optimal performance and storytelling.

The conversation naturally progressed to the strategic use of assets. Ginny’s point on AI systems evaluating individual performance was eye-opening for me:

“Swap out underperforming assets, and let niche high-performers reveal audience insights.”

This approach helps me maintain relevance and reduce AI chaos moments, as Navah aptly called them, where asset overlap hampers clarity. Streamlining through distinct creative assets is crucial.

Finally, as we wrapped up, Ginny and Navah shared insights on partnering with AI for measurement. Navah outlined the foundational inputs AI depends on:

“First-party data, creative assets, ad copy, website content, goals, budgets – these guide AI toward achieving our desired outcomes.”

She emphasized incrementality, urging us to grasp the additional value our campaigns generate, now more crucial than ever.

Ginny acknowledged the transition from granular metrics to broader, privacy-focused analytics. She encouraged us to focus on understanding audience themes rather than individual queries.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

February 20, 2026
Master Performance Max Ads with Microsoft’s Advanced Learning Path
I was thrilled to learn that Microsoft Advertising has introduced a new Performance Max learning path. This offers marketers the tools they need to run more effective campaigns and to demonstrate their verified expertise.

A fresh applied learning path designed by Microsoft Advertising aims to enhance our ability to optimize Performance Max campaigns through practical, scenario-based training, moving beyond just theoretical knowledge.

What’s happening: This innovative learning path consists of three sequential courses focusing on real-world setup, optimization, and troubleshooting. It empowers us to learn at a comfortable pace, while directly applying newly acquired skills to current campaigns.

The courses address various levels of expertise, ranging from beginner fundamentals to advanced strategies and credentialing.

What’s included:

Course 1: Foundations
- This course introduces the essentials of Microsoft Advertising Performance Max campaigns.
- It’s an ideal starting point for beginners seeking to understand the workings of PMax campaigns.
- The course emphasizes core concepts and terminology.
Course 2: Hands-on setup
- This course offers a guided walkthrough for setting up Microsoft Advertising Performance Max campaigns.
- Perfect for advertisers launching their initial PMax campaign or requiring a skill refresh.
- It provides a step-by-step guide for campaign creation and addresses common setup queries.
Course 3: Advanced implementation
- This course delves into implementation and optimization through scenario-based learning.
- It’s tailored for advanced users enhancing their strategic and optimization skills.
- It includes practical resources like checklists, videos, and reusable reference materials.
How it works: A standout feature of the third course is its embedded support options, which allow learners to access specialized educational resources mid-assessment via the “Help me understand” feature. This enables contextual review before returning to the questions.

The benefit: This design allows us to spend extra time on challenging areas while breezing through familiar content.

Credential payoff: Completing the advanced course gives us the opportunity to earn a Performance Max badge. This badge is a mark of proficiency in implementing and optimizing PMax campaigns, reinforcing the application of best practices.

The badge can be digitally shared and verified using Credly, which makes showcasing on professional platforms like LinkedIn easy.

Why we care: Microsoft Advertising is making it more streamlined and effective to gain practical skills needed for running successful Performance Max campaigns. This is more than just theoretical training; it’s grounded in practical scenarios that help us avoid common pitfalls, optimize with confidence, and elevate performance in live accounts.

Additionally, acquiring this shareable credential adds significant professional credibility, highlighting our proven expertise to clients and employers alike.

The bottom line: The new learning path is committed to bridging the gap between training and practical implementation. By integrating applied scenarios, embedded support, and credentialing, it offers advertisers a comprehensive path to build and demonstrate confidence in managing Performance Max campaigns.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
February 18, 2026
Boost Engagement with Multi-Image Shopping Ads on Microsoft
I’ve discovered that Microsoft Advertising is rolling out a captivating new feature that could transform how we see Shopping campaigns in Bing search results. These multi-image ads offer eCommerce brands a unique opportunity to showcase their products more vividly, potentially capturing shopper attention even before they click.

What’s new. Now, I can include multiple product images in a single Shopping ad, allowing shoppers to preview various angles, styles, or variations directly within the search results. This approach could be a game-changer for advertisers.

The design is crafted to enhance visual engagement and provide more informative ads. It allows consumers like myself to quickly compare options without the need to leave the results page.

How it works:
- I can upload additional images using the optional additional_image_link attribute in the product feed.
- There is an option to include up to 10 images, which I can separate by commas.
- The images will appear alongside pricing and retailer information in Shopping results.
Why we care. From my perspective, multi-image ads have the potential to boost engagement and purchase intent by offering a more comprehensive visual representation of a product. More imagery can highlight features, colors, and design elements that a single image might miss.

Discovery. This feature was initially noticed by digital marketer Arpan Banerjee, who shared it on LinkedIn.

The bottom line. For retailers like you and me, multi-image Shopping ads provide more creative freedom and give shoppers a richer context immediately. This shift has the potential to enhance ad performance and reshape how products are presented in search results.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
February 18, 2026
Cloudflare’s Markdown Feature: A Game Changer or a Cloaking Risk?

Yesterday, I stumbled upon some exciting news from Cloudflare. They’ve introduced a feature called Markdown for Agents, which provides machine-friendly versions of web content alongside the traditional pages we all see.

Cloudflare describes this update as a proactive measure in response to increasing AI crawler activities and agentic browsing.

When a client requests text/markdown, Cloudflare fetches the HTML from the origin server, converts it right at the edge, and then hands over a Markdown version.

Interestingly, the response includes a token estimate header, which helps developers like me manage context windows more effectively.

Early feedback highlighted not only the efficiency gains but also the potential implications of offering alternate representations of web content.

What’s happening. Being part of the 20% of the web that Cloudflare powers, I learned that Markdown for Agents utilizes standard HTTP content negotiation. If a client sends an Accept: text/markdown header, Cloudflare immediately converts the HTML response on-the-fly to Markdown format. The response, marked with Vary: accept, ensures caches store separate versions.

Cloudflare views this opt-in feature as a shift in content discovery and consumption, benefitting AI crawlers and agents with its structured text that requires less overhead.

They claim Markdown can reduce token usage by up to 80% compared to HTML, which is quite impressive!

Security concern. SEO consultant David McSweeney raised a concern, citing that Cloudflare’s Markdown for Agents feature might make AI cloaking incredibly simple because the Accept: text/markdown header tips off origin servers that the request is AI-related.

Regular requests deliver the usual content, but those for Markdown can trigger a unique HTML response that gets converted for AI consumption, McSweeney explained on LinkedIn.

The worry is that sites might inject hidden instructions, altered product data, or other machine-only content, creating a hidden “shadow web” for bots, unless the header is stripped before reaching the origin.

Google and Bing’s markdown smackdown. Here’s the kicker. Representatives from Google and Microsoft advised against creating separate markdown pages for large language models. Google’s John Mueller noted:

“Given that LLMs have always trained on and parsed normal web pages, it seems obvious they have no issues with HTML. Why serve a page that no end user sees? Plus, if they validate equivalence, why not stick to HTML?”

Microsoft’s Fabrice Canel added:

“Do you really want to double crawl load? We’ll check for similarity anyway. Non-user versions (like crawlable AJAX) are often neglected and broken. Human oversight fixes both user and bot views. Schemas help, and AI makes us even better at deciphering web pages. Less is more in SEO!”

Cloudflare’s feature doesn’t generate another URL but does create varied representations based on request headers.

The case against markdown. Technical SEO consultant Jono Alderson pointed out that once a machine-targeted representation exists, platforms must choose to trust it, verify it against the human version, or outright ignore it:

“Flattening a page to markdown doesn’t only remove clutter. It strips away judgment and context.”

“The instant you publish a machine-exclusive page representation, you craft a secondary candidate version of reality. Regardless of source promises or claims of identical content, a system now views two representations and must determine the true reflection of the page.”

Dig deeper. Why LLM-only pages aren’t the answer to AI search

Why we care. With Cloudflare’s advancements, AI ingestion might become more cost-effective and streamlined. But does serving distinct content to humans and crawlers verge on cloaking? Stay tuned…

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

February 13, 2026
Unlock AI Insights: New Bing Webmaster Tools Feature

Today, I stumbled upon some exciting news from Microsoft. They have officially launched the AI Performance feature in Bing Webmaster Tools, albeit in beta. Now, I have a tool that lets me see where and how often my content is cited in AI-generated answers across platforms like Microsoft Copilot and Bing’s AI summaries.

What I find particularly useful is how AI Performance details exactly which URLs from my website are cited, the queries that trigger those citations, and how this activity evolves over time. It feels like a game-changer for understanding my content’s footprint in the AI domain.

Initially, Search Engine Land reported on January 27 that Microsoft was testing the AI Performance report. Today, I can tell you firsthand that this new dashboard in Bing Webmaster Tools is a treasure trove for tracking citation visibility across AI interfaces.

What’s new? I now have access to a specific dashboard dedicated to AI Performance. Unlike typical SEO tools that measure clicks or rankings, this one reveals if my content is grounding AI-generated answers. Microsoft describes it as an early step toward Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), helping me comprehend how my work appears in AI-oriented discovery.

What it looks like? Thanks to Microsoft, I’ve seen an image of the AI Performance feature in action. It’s sleek and provides clear insights into how my content is performing across AI experiences.

Insights from the dashboard? The AI Performance dashboard offers several new metrics, which include:

Total citations: This tells me how many times my site is used as a source for AI-generated answers over a set period.

Average cited pages: This metric gives me the average number of unique URLs from my site that AI systems reference daily.

Grounding queries: These are sample query phrases that AI systems utilize to retrieve and cite my content.

Page-level citation activity: Showing citation counts by URL, it highlights which pages of mine are popular in AI responses.

Visibility trends over time: I can see a timeline view that shows how citation activity changes throughout different AI platforms.

Though these metrics are informative, they only reflect citation frequency. They don’t give insights into my content’s ranking, prominence, or its specific contribution to AI answers. That’s something I’d have to explore further.

Why I care? Knowing where and how my content is cited is fantastic, yet Bing Webmaster Tools doesn’t yet show how these citations convert into clicks, traffic, or concrete business results. Without click data, it’s still an open question whether AI visibility provides actual value.

How can I use this? Microsoft suggests I utilize this data to:

– Verify which pages of mine already appear in AI answers.

– Spot topics that frequently show up across AI-generated responses.

– Enhance clarity, structure, and completeness on less frequently cited pages.

The advice echoes familiar best practices: maintaining clear headings, evidence-backed claims, up-to-date information, and consistent entity representation.

What comes next? Microsoft has promised improvements in inclusion, attribution, and visibility across both search results and AI experiences, and to keep evolving these capabilities moving forward.

Microsoft’s announcement. For more details, you can check out their announcement here: Introducing AI Performance in Bing Webmaster Tools Public Preview

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

February 10, 2026

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