# Microsoft Audience Network

**Acronym:** MSAN  
**Category:** platform  
**Short Description:** Microsoft Advertising's native display, image, and video inventory served across MSN, Outlook.com, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Start, Skype, and select partner properties — reaching hundreds of millions across the Microsoft ecosystem.  
**Last Updated:** 2026-05-16T12:00:00Z

## Definition

The Microsoft Audience Network (MSAN) is the native and display side of Microsoft Advertising, distinct from search. It serves ads across owned-and-operated Microsoft properties — including MSN, Outlook.com, the Microsoft Edge new tab page, Microsoft Start, and Skype — as well as a curated set of premium publisher partners. The network reaches hundreds of millions of users across the Microsoft ecosystem (Microsoft cites 600M+ devices with Edge installed as the upper bound of its addressable base; MSAN MAU is not separately disclosed), with strong concentration in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, and an audience skew that mirrors the broader Microsoft ecosystem: older, more affluent, more desktop-oriented than the open web average.

MSAN's distinctive technical pitch is that its targeting is enriched by Microsoft's first-party graph — Bing search intent, MSN content consumption, and crucially LinkedIn profile signals. This means a B2B advertiser can use the Audience Network to reach decision-makers at specific companies or in specific job functions on premium, brand-safe inventory like Outlook.com inbox placements — something the Google Display Network cannot directly replicate. Native ad formats use the publisher's design language (image, headline, description) and tend to deliver higher CTRs than traditional display banners.

MSAN is materially smaller than the Google Display Network, but it is also less competitive, which translates into lower CPMs and CPCs and useful incremental reach on top of GDN. Most accounts run MSAN as a separate campaign type within Microsoft Advertising (rather than allowing it to spill in from search), so spend, creative, and performance can be managed independently. Campaigns commonly use a combination of audience targeting (remarketing, custom audiences, in-market, LinkedIn profile signals) and Microsoft AI-driven optimization rather than manual placement targeting.

## Examples

- **A B2B software company runs an MSAN prospecting campaign targeting IT decision-makers at companies in a target account list, using Outlook.com inbox-adjacent placements to reach professionals during the workday.** — Demonstrates the LinkedIn signal advantage — delivering native ads to verified professional audiences on premium work-context inventory is not replicable on GDN.
- **A retail advertiser duplicates its Google Display remarketing campaign onto MSAN and captures a 20% incremental conversion lift at a lower effective CPM.** — Shows the standard incrementality case — MSAN reaches users on Microsoft properties (Outlook, Edge, MSN) where GDN has limited or no presence.
- **A travel brand runs native image ads on the Microsoft Edge new tab page targeted by in-market 'vacation planners' and sees a CTR roughly 2x its standard GDN banner CTR.** — Illustrates the native format advantage — publisher-styled placements consistently outperform interruptive banners on engagement.

## Key Points

- Hundreds of millions of users across the Microsoft ecosystem; strongest concentration in US, UK, Canada, and Australia
- Distinct from Google Display Network — smaller scale but premium, brand-safe inventory
- Only major audience network with native LinkedIn profile signal integration
- Native ad formats typically outperform display banners on CTR by adopting publisher styling
- Run as a separate campaign type in Microsoft Advertising rather than a search add-on

## Best Practices

- Always split Audience Network and search into separate campaigns so budget, creative, and performance can be controlled independently
- Supply multiple image aspect ratios (1.91:1, 1:1, 4:5) and at least 3 headlines and descriptions to let the system optimize native rendering
- Use remarketing and customer match audiences as the first MSAN campaign before testing prospecting — the lift on warm audiences is highest
- Layer LinkedIn profile targeting on B2B prospecting campaigns to capture professional reach on premium placements like Outlook.com

## Related Terms

### Parent Terms

- **[Microsoft Advertising](/resources/glossary/platform/microsoft-advertising)**: MSAN is the audience/display arm of the broader Microsoft Advertising platform.

### Component Terms

- **[Microsoft Ads LinkedIn Profile Targeting](/resources/glossary/platform/microsoft-ads-linkedin-profile-targeting)**: LinkedIn profile targeting is available across both Search and the Microsoft Audience Network.
- **[Custom Audiences](/resources/glossary/general/custom-audiences)**: MSAN supports custom audience uploads alongside in-market and remarketing audiences.

### Similar Terms

- **[Responsive Display Ads](/resources/glossary/platform/responsive-display-ads)**: MSAN native ads use a similar multi-asset, system-rendered format model as Google's responsive display ads.
- **[Retargeting](/resources/glossary/general/retargeting)**: Retargeting is the most common and highest-performing MSAN use case for most accounts.
- **[Programmatic Advertising](/resources/glossary/general/programmatic-advertising)**: MSAN operates programmatically but on Microsoft-owned and curated partner inventory rather than the open exchange.