How does Bing Ads handle data retention for conversion tracking?

Bing Ads (now Microsoft Advertising) has specific policies and practices for data retention when it comes to conversion tracking. Here's an overview of how Bing Ads handles data retention:

1. Data Retention Period
Bing Ads retains conversion tracking data for a period of up to 90 days. This is important for:

Attribution: Ensuring that conversions are tracked and associated with the right ad clicks within this time frame.

Conversion Reporting: Allowing you to analyze the performance of your ads and campaigns over the last 90 days.

Optimization: Using historical conversion data to optimize bidding strategies like Target CPA or Maximize Conversions.

2. Conversion Data and User Privacy
Bing Ads adheres to privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and ensures that user data is handled in a secure and compliant manner. Here are key points:

Anonymization: User data is anonymized, and no personally identifiable information (PII) is associated with conversion events. For instance, conversion tracking tags collect non-personally identifiable information related to actions such as clicks and conversions.

Cookies and Data: Conversion tracking uses cookies to store information about users' interactions with ads. However, users can choose to opt-out or delete cookies through their browser settings, which may affect data collection.

Data Retention and Deletion: Data stored in Bing Ads (such as conversion data) is retained according to the 90-day retention policy. After this period, the data is automatically deleted. This aligns with general practices of respecting user privacy and limiting data storage.

3. Retention for Specific Campaigns or Goals
Data for specific conversion goals (such as sign-ups, purchases, or other events) is stored for 90 days, but this can be tailored:

Conversion Goals Customization: Advertisers can set up multiple conversion goals (e.g., for different types of conversions like leads, sales, or sign-ups) within the 90-day window. The data for these goals is retained for reporting and optimization during that period.

4. Use of Conversion Data for Bidding and Optimization
Conversion data is used by Bing Ads to adjust bidding strategies and improve ad targeting:

Smart Bidding: Data from conversions over the past 90 days helps automated bidding strategies like Target CPA, Target ROAS, or Maximize Conversions make real-time adjustments to optimize for better results.

Learning and Adaptation: Conversion data collected over time is used to help Bing Ads systems learn and improve their performance predictions. The longer the data retention, the more accurate the bidding and targeting optimization.

5. Data Deletion and Management
While Bing Ads retains conversion data for 90 days, advertisers may also have control over data management:

Data Deletion: Advertisers can choose to delete conversion tracking data manually through the Microsoft Advertising interface. This can be useful if you want to stop tracking a particular conversion goal or clear outdated conversion data.

Data Export: It's advisable for advertisers to export important conversion data for record-keeping purposes before it expires, especially if it's part of long-term reporting or analysis.

6. External Integrations and Retention
If you integrate Microsoft Advertising with third-party platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, CRM systems, etc.), the data retention policies of those platforms may apply. Ensure that data exported to other platforms is managed according to those systems' rules, and also consider the 90-day limit for conversions in Bing Ads itself.

7. Cookie Duration for Tracking
Bing Ads uses cookies to track user interactions with ads. The duration for which cookies are stored on a user's device can vary, but typically:

30-day cookie retention for the Bing Ads tracking cookies, which means that users who interact with ads within 30 days are considered for conversion tracking.

After 30 days, unless a new interaction happens, that user is not counted for conversions, although data may still exist for analysis until the 90-day window is closed.

8. Reporting Based on Retention Data
After the 90-day data retention period, conversion data is removed from the Bing Ads platform. This means:

Reports on conversions older than 90 days will no longer be available.

However, advertisers can still view aggregated performance data over longer time periods through account-level reports that do not rely on real-time conversion data.

9. GDPR and Privacy Considerations
For advertisers targeting users in the European Union or other jurisdictions with privacy regulations, Bing Ads ensures compliance with privacy laws like GDPR by:

Offering options to request data deletion in line with user rights (e.g., right to erasure).

Ensuring that conversion tracking data is anonymized and cannot be traced back to specific individuals.

Summary
90-Day Retention: Bing Ads retains conversion data for up to 90 days, which allows advertisers to optimize campaigns using past performance.

Automated Bidding: The conversion data helps Bing Ads adjust bids and optimize campaigns for conversions.

Privacy Compliance: Conversion tracking complies with privacy laws, ensuring data is anonymized and users' privacy is respected.

Data Export and Deletion: Advertisers can export or delete data if necessary, but the default retention period is 90 days.

This 90-day retention window is a standard practice in digital advertising, balancing the need for sufficient data to optimize campaigns while adhering to privacy regulations and reducing long-term data storage.