Most ecommerce brands are sleeping on a quiet goldmine in their paid media strategy:
Dynamic remarketing in Microsoft Ads.

We recently ran a test for a client that turned into one of those “why didn’t we do this sooner?” moments. In just one week, we pulled in 39 direct conversions and hit a 726% ROAS – from a segment most advertisers ignore.

Let’s talk about what we did, why it worked, and how you can apply it.

The Problem with Google’s PMax – And What It Taught Us

If you’ve worked with Google’s Performance Max campaigns, you’ll know they hoover up just about everything – especially high-intent traffic. That includes remarketing audiences.

So while PMax is efficient, it often cannibalises traditional dynamic remarketing. Once you turn it on, those warm-funnel campaigns that used to convert well suddenly flatline.

We thought – what if the same rule applies in reverse for Microsoft?

Spoiler: it does.

The Microsoft Ads Setup That Actually Worked

Here’s the approach we took to build out a dynamic remarketing engine in Microsoft Ads:

  1. Implemented Bing UET tags through Google Tag Manager – this was essential to track page visits and key events.
  2. Built custom remarketing audiences based on cart abandonment, product views, and returning users.
  3. Launched a Shopping (Audience) campaign, using these audiences to specifically retarget warm traffic.
  4. Segmented and tested multiple audience groups to isolate top performers.

The result? A solid set of conversions at a healthy CPA, driven by first-time purchases.

Don’t Underestimate the View-Through Effect

View-through conversions don’t always get the credit they deserve, but they played a major role here. We saw over 200 additional conversions attributed to users who saw the ad and came back later.

That’s not just performance – that’s brand reinforcement.

When you’ve got someone back on your site, browsing products again, you’re no longer battling cold traffic. You’re building recall and trust.

Why Most Brands Miss This

It’s rare to see ecommerce brands actively using Microsoft dynamic remarketing. Most focus their spend on Google, Meta, or TikTok – and Microsoft ends up as an afterthought, used mainly for standard Shopping or branded search.

But here’s the thing – that’s exactly why it works.

The competition is low. Costs are stable. And your audiences are warm, familiar with your brand, and more likely to convert. If you’re ignoring this channel, there’s a good chance you’re leaving tens of thousands on the table every year.

Topics
PPC Optimisation
Christian Horne
Written by

Christian Horne

Founder of HOC. Almost a decade in paid media, managing multi-million-pound budgets across B2C and B2B. Lives in Lancashire, hates fluff.

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