Microsoft will be expanding its Bing partner program in 20 markets, including Canada, the company announced on Tuesday.
In a Nov. 15 blog post, Microsoft search advertising general manager, Stephen Sirich, said the move reflected the success of Bing’s open partnership approach, and that by expanding the program to recognize its most valuable partners Microsoft could look forward to additional growth.
“At its core, the Bing Partner Program is a relationship between Bing and the most competent and qualified partners in the advertising industry to ensure our current and future clients exceed in their goals,” he wrote. “These qualified Bing partners are uniquely committed to providing the highest quality of service, technology and expertise to ensure their clients see success in search advertising.”
Presently, Bing represents 23.64 per cent of Canada’s search engine market, according to aggregation firm Statista, and its share of the U.S. market is growing faster than Google’s.
To qualify for the new program, partners must meet specific training, Bing Ads accreditation, and business volume requirements. In return they will receive benefits including training, access to the latest Bing and Microsoft technology and APIs, marketing support, a Partner Program badge, and increased visibility in Microsoft’s partner directory.
The program also includes Elite Partner certification, designating partners with higher certification, volume, and engagement requirements who will work closely with Microsoft on Bing’s future direction. These partners will receive access to exclusive events, in-person training, dedicated account management, improved engineering support, access to the company’s industry research, and co-marketing investment.
The benefits may vary by region, Sirich noted, though he did not specify how.
The newly expanded Bing partnership program is already available in the United States and to select customers in Australia, Singapore, and India, and will soon be extended to Canada, Brazil, and all 14 of Microsoft’s European markets, the company said.
Readers interested in becoming Bing partners, or existing Bing partners who believe they may qualify for the new program, are invited to contact Microsoft at bingprogram@microsoft.com.
better late than never i suppose