Connect your Microsoft Ads account
Sign in with Microsoft, pick your Microsoft Advertising account and run Bing and Audience Network campaigns aimed at your target companies.
Microsoft Ads lets IntentBid show your ads on Bing search and on the Microsoft Audience Network (MSN, Outlook, Edge), aimed at the companies, industries and job functions of your TAL lists. Campaigns run in your own Microsoft Advertising account, and Microsoft bills you directly.
Before you start
- A Microsoft Advertising account. If you don't have one, sign up at ads.microsoft.com with a Microsoft work or personal login. Microsoft asks for your business details and a payment method, such as a credit card, before ads can run. Set this up first.
- Access to that account for the login you'll use to connect. Users invited to the account in Microsoft Advertising can connect too.
- Owner or admin role in IntentBid.
- Your website added in IntentBid. Each brand (website) has its own connection.
Connect step by step
- Open Connections and find the Microsoft Ads (your account) card. You can also get there from Microsoft Ads → Account connection.
- Click Connect with Microsoft.
- Sign in with the same Microsoft login you use for Microsoft Advertising, and allow access. IntentBid never sees your password.
- You come back to Connections. If the login has one ad account, you see Microsoft Ads connected: [account name] and the card shows Connected.
- If the login manages several accounts, you see Microsoft connected. Choose which ad account to use. Pick one under Microsoft Ads account for [your brand] and click Use this account. Each option shows the account name, number and currency.
What IntentBid does in your account
- creates Audience and Search campaigns, always paused
- reads results every hour, including Microsoft's report of impressions and clicks by company, job function and industry
- pauses, resumes and changes budgets when you click those buttons in IntentBid
Nothing spends until you click Approve and launch on All campaigns.
Switch, reconnect or disconnect
- Use this account: switches to another account the same login manages.
- Reconnect Microsoft Ads: signs in again, for example with a different login.
- Disconnect: removes the connection. Campaigns already in Microsoft Advertising stay there.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | What it means and what to do |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Ads is being switched on | Microsoft Ads isn't enabled for your workspace yet, so Connect with Microsoft can't finish. Contact IntentBid support and we'll switch it on. |
| This Microsoft login has no Microsoft Advertising account | The login you used has no ad account. Create one at ads.microsoft.com, or sign in with the login that has access, then connect again. |
| Microsoft did not give offline access | Click Connect with Microsoft again and accept all the permissions on the consent screen. |
| Microsoft sign-in expired. Try again. | The sign-in took too long. Start again. |
| A message starting with Microsoft: | Microsoft refused the sign-in, and the rest of the message is Microsoft's reason. A common cause is a work account whose IT admin must approve new apps. Ask your admin, or use a login that's allowed. |
| Only owners and admins can connect ad accounts | Ask an owner or admin, or ask them to change your role. |
| Create paused campaign is greyed out | The account isn't connected, or no ad account is chosen. Finish the steps above. |
FAQ
Is the Microsoft Ads connection required?
No. It's optional, like Google Ads. It's the channel to use when you want to show ads to people at specific companies before they visit your site.
Do I need any other ad account?
No. You only need a Microsoft Advertising account. Microsoft matches the companies, job functions and industries itself.
Which countries can I target by company?
Microsoft offers company, industry and job function targeting only in some markets, and the list keeps growing. Check Microsoft Advertising's help for where it's available before you plan a campaign.