Microsoft Ads partnered with Shutterstock for advertisers.

Microsoft advertising is almost like Google Ads. But there is a difference between these two platforms that is Microsoft Ads faces approximately 36% less competition than Google Ads. But it is quite a good advertisement platform after Google Ads. Before I tell you anything let me ask you a question – do you also advertise on Microsoft Ads? If yes, then Microsoft brings good news for its advertisers. Do you want to know what it is? Actually, now it offers you free Shutterstock photos for image ads. Isn’t it interesting? Do you want to know more about it? Keep reading the article until the end. You never know how it may help you in the future.

Let’s dive in.

Let me give you a brief description of Shutterstock photos

Shutterstock is an American leading global provider of high-quality images licensed photographs, illustrations, vectors, videos, music to businesses, marketing agencies, and media organizations around the world. Shutterstock was founded in 2003 by Jon Oringer. It has 1 million contributors till now and adds hundreds of thousands of images each week. Currently, it has more than 330 million images and more than 18 million video clips available online.

In addition, Shutterstock has offices around the world and has customers in more than 150 countries.

Now dig in to the news…

Microsoft Ads integrated with Shutterstock photos

Recently, Microsoft Advertisement announced that it is offering high-quality images from Shutterstock in Microsoft Advertising’s image ads. This new partnership of Microsoft Advertising with Shutterstock opens up the stock image library to Microsoft Advertisers. Here is the official announcement of Microsoft –

“To help you find the right images for your campaigns, we’re partnering with Shutterstock to provide you free access to over 320 million high-quality, advertising-ready images for use in Microsoft Advertising,”

In fact, the new partnership makes stock images available for free within the Microsoft Advertising web interface.

For what purpose you can use images from Shutterstock?

So anyone can use images from Microsoft Advertising or only specific businesses can use? Actually, Microsoft said you can use the images from Shutterstock with many reasons such as:

• With Shutterstock images, you can complete your ad setup much more quickly. Especially, if you previously did not have access to an image library.
• You are able to more effectively communicate your brand by having the flexibility to add new images to match each campaign’s unique goals, targets and story.
• You can easily run a campaign with a wide variety of photos and illustrations to achieve the best performance with your target audience.
• Use images on your ad extensions and your Microsoft Audience Ads.

In which country rolling of Microsoft Ads Shutterstock images is coming first?

The countries which will have access to Microsoft Ads Shutterstock images are the United States and United Kingdom. Any advertising who advertises on Microsoft living in these two countries will have access to Shutterstock images first. Actually, Microsoft says that this access is only available to those advertisers who are participating in their beta of the Microsoft Audience Network. However, this feature will expand to other markets later in the year.

Here are some guidelines to find the Shutterstock images-

• So when you create an ad for your audience campaign, click on Add images.
• Next in the dialog box, select Stock Images
• Now you can browse available Stock images by typing in the search box that is essential to your product, business or ad campaign’s story.
• Further, you might see Shutterstock watermark over the image you choose. Make sure the watermark does not appear in the final ad delivered to your target audience.

Let’s now read the statement of Haily De La Cruz, Senior Program Manager at Microsoft Advertisement-

“Our seamless integration with Shutterstock’s API allows us to give our customers additional resources during this unpredictable time. By providing access to commercially licensed images for use within Microsoft Advertising campaigns, we are enabling advertisers to easily and effectively deliver top-performing ads that resonate with their target audiences,” 

How the integration of Microsoft Ads with Shutterstock helps advertisers?

Firstly, the integration will provide free access to millions of commercially licensed images to customers of the Microsoft Audience Network. Then the programmatic native advertising offerings. Users will get access to more than 320 million high-quality images, advertising-ready images in Microsoft Advertising.

In addition, advertisers can search, preview and apply any Shutterstock image in the Microsoft Advertising user interface. It will also allow users to create beautiful campaigns faster than ever and without having to leave the ad creation overflow. In fact, Microsoft Advertising provides access to reporting for Microsoft Audience Ads at the ad group and campaign levels where advertisers can easily see the performance of their ads. The native ads will run across the Microsoft Audience Network including Microsoft owned sites like Outlook.com, MSN, Microsoft Edge and premium partner bodies are CBS Sports, Fox Business, Everyday Health, The Atlantic, and Reuters, Priscille Bouchez, product marketing manager for the Microsoft Audience Network said.

Here are some points that will tell you how Shutterstock integration into Microsoft Advertising helps advertisers to discover.

• An advertiser can find images from specific regions to create localized campaigns
• You can also find authentic, high-quality images that can reflect scenes from everyday life
• You also get diverse and thoughtful visuals representations of all demographics and identities.

Additionally, Microsoft customers who are interested in joining the beta can contact their Microsoft Advertising account manager to get started with the audience campaign.

Final thoughts

At last, I would only say that the new integration of Microsoft Advertising with Shutterstock is a great step in providing advertisers great user experience. The images that advertisers will get from Shutterstock will surely help businesses run ads with diverse and inclusive visuals like images reflecting scenes from the consumer’s everyday life, images from a specific region and the images that connect with diverse and thoughtful people. As a Microsoft Advertiser make sure you also utilize this feature and add glory to your business.

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