How long does it typically take to onboard and implement a third-party bid management platform for Bing Ads?

The time required to onboard and implement a third-party bid management platform for Bing Ads can vary based on several factors, including the complexity of your campaigns, the third-party platform being used, and the expertise of your team. However, on average, here's a breakdown of the typical timeline for the integration process:

🕒 1. Preparation and Planning (1–2 Weeks)
Before starting the integration process, you'll need to gather and organize your campaign data and objectives. This initial phase includes:

Identifying business goals: Define the primary KPIs (e.g., CPA, ROAS, traffic, etc.).

Choosing a third-party platform: Research and select the bid management platform that suits your needs (e.g., Marin Software, Skai, Google Search Ads 360).

Team alignment: Ensure that stakeholders, marketing teams, and technical personnel are aligned on the goals and the platform you'll be using.

🧑�💻 2. Platform Setup and Account Linking (1 Week)
This step involves setting up your third-party platform account and linking it with Bing Ads. Typically, the process includes:

Creating an account with the third-party platform and configuring your profile (business info, permissions, etc.).

Linking your Bing Ads account via API integration or OAuth authentication.

Granting permissions to the platform to manage campaigns, reports, and other essential data.

If the platform provides API integrations or pre-configured connections with Bing Ads, this step can be completed relatively quickly (within a few hours or days). However, if there are manual configurations needed, it may take longer.

🔄 3. Data Import and Campaign Migration (2–3 Weeks)
The migration of your Bing Ads campaigns into the third-party platform is often the most time-consuming part of the process. This includes:

Importing campaign data: Pull in your current Bing Ads campaigns, keywords, ad groups, targeting settings, etc., into the third-party platform.

Verifying data accuracy: Ensure that all metrics (e.g., clicks, impressions, conversion data) are accurately imported. You may need to perform quality checks to ensure the integrity of the data.

Adjusting campaign settings: Review and update any settings that need to be optimized within the third-party platform (e.g., bidding strategies, budgets, ad creatives).

This phase can take more time if you're managing multiple large campaigns or if there are many custom settings to be transferred and adjusted.

⚙️ 4. Campaign Configuration and Testing (1–2 Weeks)
Once your campaigns are imported into the platform, the next step is configuration and testing:

Configuring bidding strategies: Set up your automated bidding rules (e.g., target CPA, target ROAS) in the third-party platform.

Testing performance: Run test campaigns to ensure that bidding and optimization features work as expected. This helps identify any issues with syncing, bid adjustments, or campaign delivery.

Addressing any issues: You may need to resolve discrepancies or troubleshoot integration errors during this phase.

🔍 5. Optimization and Ongoing Monitoring (Ongoing)
After the initial setup, you'll enter the optimization phase:

Monitoring campaign performance: Regularly check your campaigns for performance, bidding adjustments, and any anomalies.

Adjusting strategies: Fine-tune your bidding strategies based on the platform's recommendations or based on observed performance trends.

Reporting: Set up automated reports to monitor campaign results and ensure that performance is tracking according to the defined KPIs.

While the initial setup can take a few weeks, ongoing optimization will be a continuous process as you adjust campaigns, test different strategies, and improve performance over time.

Estimated Total Time:
Quick setup and small campaigns: 3–4 weeks (if campaigns are relatively small and simple).

Larger-scale campaigns or multiple accounts: 4–6 weeks (if dealing with a large number of campaigns, keywords, and ad groups).

Complex setups with custom requirements: 6–8 weeks or longer (for highly complex campaigns or integration with other platforms).

Key Factors Affecting Timeline:
Platform Complexity: Some third-party platforms have more advanced features and integrations, which could extend the onboarding period.

Campaign Size: Larger or more complex campaigns with many ad groups, keywords, and custom settings will require more time to migrate.

Technical Expertise: If your team has experience with bid management platforms, the process will likely be faster. If additional training is required, it could take longer.

Platform Support: A responsive and helpful support team from the third-party platform can significantly speed up the process, as they can assist in troubleshooting and ensuring that everything is set up correctly.

Tips for Speeding Up the Process:
Pre-Migration Planning: Prepare your campaigns and data before starting the integration. This will save time during the import phase.

Platform Support: Leverage the third-party platform's support resources, including documentation, onboarding guides, and dedicated customer service teams.

Test with Smaller Campaigns: If you have many campaigns, start with a smaller subset to test the integration and optimize before scaling up.

Training: If needed, invest in training for your team to ensure they can manage the platform efficiently once it's live.

In Summary:
Onboarding and implementing a third-party bid management platform for Bing Ads can typically take 3 to 6 weeks depending on campaign size, complexity, and the platform used.

The process involves several steps, including account setup, data migration, configuration, testing, and ongoing optimization.

Larger and more complex accounts may require more time, while smaller setups may be completed faster.