Overview
Connecting your Microsoft Ads account to Vendably enables you to build and manage paid search campaigns directly within the platform. Once connected, you can create ad groups and keywords, sync campaigns to Microsoft's network, link your Microsoft Merchant Center for product ads, and monitor performance through real-time dashboards.
This article covers the connection process, what you can do once connected, and how to interpret the data that flows back from Microsoft.
What you gain from connecting
A live Microsoft Ads connection gives you four core capabilities.
Campaign creation and sync. You design campaigns, ad groups, and keywords in Vendably using the same structural approach you would use in Google Ads. Vendably then syncs those campaigns to your Microsoft Ads account, keeping them in sync as you make changes.
Microsoft Merchant Center linking. If you sell products, you can link your Microsoft Merchant Center account during setup. This lets you run product ads and shopping campaigns alongside your text-based search campaigns.
Performance reporting via asynchronous API. Microsoft Ads reports performance data through an asynchronous reporting API. Unlike Google Ads, which delivers some metrics almost immediately, Microsoft reports can take longer to populate in your Vendably dashboard. Plan for a delay of several hours for complete reporting data, especially for detailed breakdowns.
Role-based access control. Your team members can be assigned one of four permission levels: Owner (full control), Admin (create and manage campaigns), Editor (modify existing campaigns), or Viewer (read-only access).
The connection flow
You connect your Microsoft Ads account using OAuth, which means you authenticate directly with Microsoft without sharing your password with Vendably.
- Log into your Vendably dashboard and navigate to Channels > Paid Media > Microsoft Ads.
- Click the connection button to begin the OAuth flow.
- You will be redirected to Microsoft's login page. Sign in with the Microsoft account that owns your Microsoft Ads account.
- Review the permissions Vendably is requesting. These allow Vendably to create campaigns, manage keywords, and retrieve performance data on your behalf.
- Approve the connection. You will be returned to Vendably and your account status will show as connected.
- (Optional) If you use product ads, link your Microsoft Merchant Center account when prompted. This step connects your product feed to your Microsoft Ads campaigns.
Once the OAuth connection is complete, Vendably can immediately begin syncing campaigns to Microsoft Ads.
Campaign structure
Microsoft Ads campaigns in Vendably follow the same hierarchy as Google Ads campaigns. Understanding this structure helps you organise your ad spend and keywords effectively.
Campaign. The top level. A campaign targets a specific market, product line, or budget. Each campaign has its own daily budget, bid strategy, and targeting settings.
Ad group. Campaigns contain one or more ad groups. Each ad group groups related keywords and ads together. Keywords in the same ad group trigger the same set of ads.
Keyword. Ad groups contain keywords. Each keyword has a match type (exact, phrase, or broad) and a bid. When a user's search matches your keyword, your ad may appear.
When you create a campaign in Vendably, it syncs to your Microsoft Ads account with the same structure. Changes you make in Vendably (adding keywords, adjusting bids, pausing ad groups) sync to Microsoft within minutes.
Permission roles
Vendably uses the same four-role permission model for Microsoft Ads as it does for Google Ads. Assign each team member the role that matches their responsibilities.
| Role | Campaign creation | Campaign editing | Campaign deletion | Performance viewing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Editor | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewer | No | No | No | Yes |
Owners and Admins can create new campaigns, edit existing ones, and view all performance data. Editors can modify campaigns that already exist but cannot create or delete them. Viewers can see performance dashboards and reports but cannot make any changes.
Assign roles in the Account Connections area of your Vendably dashboard. Only Owners can modify role assignments.
Linking Microsoft Merchant Center
If you sell physical or digital products, linking your Microsoft Merchant Center account unlocks product ads and shopping campaigns. This is optional if you only run text search campaigns.
During the initial OAuth connection, Vendably will prompt you to link your Merchant Center. If you skip this step, you can add it later:
- In Channels > Paid Media > Microsoft Ads, find your connected account.
- Click Settings or Account details.
- Select Link Merchant Center.
- Authenticate with your Microsoft account and approve access to your Merchant Center.
- Select the Merchant Center account you want to link.
Once linked, your product feed syncs to Microsoft Ads. You can then create shopping campaigns that display your products directly in search results.
Performance reporting
Microsoft Ads delivers performance data to Vendably via its asynchronous reporting API. This means reports are not instant.
Expected delays. Basic metrics (impressions, clicks, cost) typically appear within 2 to 4 hours. Detailed breakdowns by device, location, or keyword may take 6 to 24 hours to populate fully. Microsoft's API processes data in batches, so peak traffic periods can extend these delays.
What you see in the dashboard. Once data arrives, you can view:
- Impressions and clicks by campaign, ad group, or keyword.
- Cost per click and cost per conversion.
- Conversion data (if you have conversion tracking enabled).
- Quality Score trends.
- Device and location performance.
You can filter reports by date range, campaign, or ad group. Export data as CSV for analysis in spreadsheets or business intelligence tools.
Comparison to Google Ads. Google Ads typically delivers most metrics within 30 minutes. Microsoft's asynchronous approach is slower but equally reliable. Plan your reporting schedules around this delay; avoid checking performance data immediately after a campaign launch.
Checking connection health
A healthy connection means campaigns are syncing, data is flowing, and your account is active. Monitor these indicators:
- Connection status. In Channels > Paid Media > Microsoft Ads, your account should show as 'Connected' in green. A red status indicates an authentication failure or API issue.
- Recent sync activity. Check the timestamp of the last successful sync. If no sync has occurred in the past 24 hours, contact support.
- Campaign count. Verify that campaigns created in Vendably appear in your Microsoft Ads account within a few minutes.
- Data flow. After 24 hours of active campaigns, performance data should appear in your Vendably dashboard. If the dashboard shows no impressions or clicks after a day, check that your campaigns are live and receiving traffic.
- Merchant Center status. If you linked a Merchant Center, confirm that your product feed is approved and active in Microsoft's interface.
What success looks like
You have successfully connected Microsoft Ads to Vendably when:
- Your Microsoft Ads account shows as 'Connected' in the Channels section.
- Campaigns you create in Vendably appear in your Microsoft Ads account within minutes.
- Your Microsoft Merchant Center is linked (if applicable) and your product feed is active.
- Performance data (impressions, clicks, conversions) is visible in your Vendably dashboard within 24 hours of campaign launch.
- Team members can log in and access campaigns and reports according to their assigned role.
Next steps
After connecting, you can:
- Create your first campaign and ad groups.
- Set daily budgets and bid strategies.
- Add keywords and write ad copy.
- Link conversion tracking to measure ROI.
- Invite team members and assign roles.
For guidance on structuring campaigns similar to Google Ads, see connecting-google-ads-to-vendably. For a comparison of all paid media channels available in Vendably, see connecting-meta-ads-to-vendably.
Troubleshooting
Connection fails during OAuth. Ensure you are signing in with the Microsoft account that owns your Microsoft Ads account, not a user account with delegated access. If the issue persists, check that your Microsoft account has not been locked due to suspicious activity.
Campaigns are not syncing to Microsoft Ads. Verify that your Microsoft Ads account is active and not under review. Check the connection status in Vendably; if it shows as disconnected, re-authenticate using the OAuth flow.
Performance data is not appearing. Wait at least 24 hours after launching a campaign. Microsoft's reporting API can take up to 24 hours to deliver initial data. If data still does not appear after 48 hours, check that your campaigns are receiving traffic in your Microsoft Ads account directly.
Merchant Center is not syncing products. Ensure your product feed is approved in Microsoft Merchant Center. Check that the feed includes all required fields (title, description, price, image_link, availability). Resubmit the feed if it has been rejected.