Creating a Microsoft/Bing Shopping Feed
Microsoft Shopping feeds power Product Ads on Bing, Microsoft Edge, and the Microsoft Advertising network. This guide shows you how to create a compatible feed.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- Products synced in Feedy McFeed Feed
- Microsoft Advertising account
- Microsoft Merchant Center store
Creating Your Microsoft Shopping Feed
Section titled “Creating Your Microsoft Shopping Feed”-
Navigate to Feeds
Click Feeds in the left sidebar, then Create Feed.
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Select Microsoft/Bing
Choose Microsoft as your platform.
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Name your feed
Use a descriptive name like “Microsoft Shopping - US”.
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Choose format
Select TSV (recommended) or XML.
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Select products
Choose products to include. Microsoft has similar requirements to Google.
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Create the feed
Click Create Feed to generate.
Required Attributes for Microsoft
Section titled “Required Attributes for Microsoft”Microsoft’s requirements closely mirror Google Shopping:
| Attribute | Description | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| id | Unique identifier | Max 50 characters |
| title | Product name | Max 150 characters |
| description | Product details | Max 5,000 characters |
| link | Product page URL | Your website URL |
| image_link | Main image URL | Min 220x220 pixels |
| price | Price with currency | Format: “19.99 USD” |
| availability | in stock, out of stock, preorder | Required |
| brand | Brand name | Required for most products |
| condition | new, refurbished, used | Required |
Recommended Attributes
Section titled “Recommended Attributes”Improve your ad performance:
| Attribute | Purpose |
|---|---|
| gtin | Product barcode (UPC, EAN, etc.) |
| mpn | Manufacturer part number |
| product_type | Your categorization |
| google_product_category | Microsoft accepts Google’s taxonomy |
| additional_image_link | Multiple product images |
| sale_price | Promotional pricing |
| shipping | Shipping cost and speed |
| custom_label_0-4 | Campaign segmentation |
Apparel Attributes
Section titled “Apparel Attributes”For clothing and accessories:
| Attribute | Required For |
|---|---|
| color | All apparel |
| size | All apparel |
| gender | All apparel |
| age_group | All apparel |
| material | When relevant |
| pattern | When relevant |
| size_type | Size system (regular, petite, etc.) |
| size_system | Country size system (US, UK, EU) |
Microsoft-Specific Features
Section titled “Microsoft-Specific Features”Automated Extensions
Section titled “Automated Extensions”Microsoft can automatically enhance your ads with:
- Price extensions
- Review extensions
- Seller ratings
Audience Targeting
Section titled “Audience Targeting”Use your catalog with:
- In-market audiences
- Remarketing lists
- Similar audiences
- LinkedIn profile targeting (unique to Microsoft)
Import from Google
Section titled “Import from Google”Microsoft offers Google Ads import:
- Sync campaigns automatically
- Import Shopping campaigns
- Keep settings in sync
Setting Up Microsoft Merchant Center
Section titled “Setting Up Microsoft Merchant Center”Create Your Store
Section titled “Create Your Store”- Go to Microsoft Merchant Center
- Click Create store
- Enter your business information
- Verify and claim your website domain
Add Your Feed
Section titled “Add Your Feed”- In Merchant Center, go to Feeds
- Click Create feed
- Enter feed name
- Select your target country and language
- Choose Scheduled download
- Paste your Feedy McFeed Feed URL
- Set download schedule (daily recommended)
- Click Create
Feed Validation
Section titled “Feed Validation”Microsoft validates your feed:
- Approved — Products can show in ads
- Warning — Issues but products may still show
- Disapproved — Products won’t show until fixed
Microsoft Shopping Campaigns
Section titled “Microsoft Shopping Campaigns”Standard Shopping Campaigns
Section titled “Standard Shopping Campaigns”- Set bids by product group
- Control which products to advertise
- Use negative keywords
Smart Shopping Campaigns
Section titled “Smart Shopping Campaigns”- Automated bidding
- Dynamic ad placement
- Simplified management
Audience Campaigns
Section titled “Audience Campaigns”Target specific users:
- Website visitors (remarketing)
- Customer match lists
- LinkedIn audiences
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”Leverage Google Work
Section titled “Leverage Google Work”If you have Google Shopping optimized:
- Use similar titles and descriptions
- Apply same categorization
- Maintain consistent pricing
Use Microsoft’s Unique Features
Section titled “Use Microsoft’s Unique Features”- LinkedIn targeting for B2B
- PC-heavy audience demographic
- Lower competition than Google (often)
Monitor Performance Separately
Section titled “Monitor Performance Separately”Microsoft audience differs from Google:
- Different conversion rates
- Different top products
- Adjust bids accordingly
Common Issues
Section titled “Common Issues”Products disapproved
Section titled “Products disapproved”- Check identifier requirements (GTIN/MPN/brand)
- Verify prices match website
- Review Microsoft’s policies
Feed not processing
Section titled “Feed not processing”- Verify feed URL is accessible
- Check file format and encoding
- Review error messages in Merchant Center
Low impressions
Section titled “Low impressions”- Check bid competitiveness
- Review product data quality
- Expand product targeting
Google vs. Microsoft: Key Differences
Section titled “Google vs. Microsoft: Key Differences”| Aspect | Microsoft | |
|---|---|---|
| Image minimum | 100x100 | 220x220 |
| Title limit | 150 chars | 150 chars |
| Description limit | 5,000 chars | 5,000 chars |
| Audience | Larger | More B2B, older demographic |
| Competition | Higher | Generally lower |
| LinkedIn targeting | No | Yes |