The Number
Bing holds 3.8% of the Australian search market in 2026 — 4.8% on desktop, 3.1% on mobile.
In raw terms, that’s a small share. But with 26.3 million internet users in Australia, 3.8% still represents a meaningful addressable audience — one that is consistently overlooked by businesses running search campaigns exclusively through Google.
Who’s Actually Using Bing
Bing’s Australian user base skews older and more desktop-heavy than Google’s.
It is the default search engine on Windows devices and Microsoft Edge, which means its users are disproportionately professionals working on corporate hardware, older demographics who haven’t changed their browser defaults, and enterprise environments where IT policy determines the search experience. This isn’t a casual audience — it’s often a high-value one.
The Microsoft Advertising Opportunity
Most Australian businesses running paid search are doing so exclusively on Google Ads.
That means Bing’s ad auction is significantly less competitive. Cost per click on Microsoft Advertising (Bing’s ad platform) is typically 30–50% lower than equivalent Google campaigns in Australia. For categories like financial services, legal, B2B and home services — where Bing’s older, desktop-dominant audience aligns well – this represents a genuine arbitrage opportunity that most competitors are ignoring.
The AI Angle
Bing’s integration with Microsoft Copilot has given it renewed relevance in the AI search conversation.
Whether that translates into meaningful Australian market share growth remains to be seen. So far, the data suggests AI features have increased Bing’s visibility and coverage without dramatically shifting user behaviour at scale. It’s a watch item for 2026, not a confirmed trend.
How ROI Helps Businesses Capture the Bing Opportunity
ROI helps businesses evaluate whether Microsoft Advertising deserves a place in their search strategy — and for many, the answer is yes.
The agency builds and manages Bing campaigns that complement existing Google activity, targeting the same high-intent queries at a lower cost per click. For B2B clients and service businesses in particular, the Bing audience demographic often aligns closely with their ideal customer — making it one of the more overlooked sources of quality leads in the Australian digital market. ROI’s approach treats Bing not as a Google afterthought, but as a distinct channel with its own audience profile and bidding dynamics, managed accordingly.
