Microsoft tests new ad interfaces to make sponsored results look more natural
Meta description IT: Microsoft testa tre puntini verticali al posto delle frecce negli annunci Bing. Pubblicità più intuitive ma meno trasparenti.
Meta description EN: Microsoft tests vertical dots for Bing Ads. More intuitive ads but less transparency for users.
A Small Sign, a Big Change
Microsoft has started experimenting in Bing Ads search results with a seemingly minor graphic tweak: vertical three dots replacing the classic downward arrows next to sponsored URLs. A symbol that usually indicates “more options” in digital interfaces here could serve a different purpose: making ads look more similar to organic results.
A Design That Blends with Organic Results
The idea is simple: if an ad blends seamlessly into the page, users may be more likely to click. This move aims to improve click-through rates (CTR) without distracting or irritating users. At the same time, however, the boundary between sponsored and organic content risks becoming less clear, fueling the debate on transparency in online advertising.
Opportunities and Risks for Advertisers
For advertisers, the new three-dot design could open interactive menus or contextual functions, making ads more dynamic. This fits into the tradition of Microsoft Advertising, which has long worked on small graphical details to improve performance. However, critics point out that excessive blending could mislead users, undermining trust in the long term.
A Context of AI-Driven Innovation
This experiment is not an isolated case. Bing is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence features, such as personalized answers and interactive shopping results. The three dots are part of a broader strategy: creating ads that are less intrusive but more effective, leveraging data and design to improve user experience.
Competition with Google and New Market Scenarios
Unlike Google, which maintains more static ad formats and is often at the center of antitrust investigations, Microsoft aims to appear more flexible and innovative. For advertisers, Bing already offers cost-per-click (CPC) rates 30–50% lower than Google’s and an audience that tends to be older and higher-income. If the three-dot test proves successful, a global rollout could arrive by the end of 2025, with significant effects on search advertising strategies.
What Marketers Should Do
Experts recommend that marketers:
- closely monitor Bing’s updates;
- run A/B tests on ads;
- optimize formats for mobile devices;
- leverage Bing’s affordability as a complement to Google Ads.
In short, the vertical three dots may seem like a detail, but they mark an important step toward more integrated and less obvious advertising, with both opportunities and risks to be carefully evaluated.
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