Microsoft Bing controls 9% of global search market share, and Bing Ads typically deliver 20-35% lower CPCs than Google Ads for equivalent keywords. If you’re running WooCommerce ads on both platforms, you probably have Enhanced Conversions configured for Google. But Microsoft? Most stores are still running basic UET tracking—and losing attribution data they didn’t know they could recover.
Why Most WooCommerce Stores Skip This Attribution Upgrade
Enhanced Conversions for Microsoft Ads works identically to the Google version: it sends hashed first-party customer data alongside conversion events, enabling Microsoft to match purchases to ad clicks even when cookies fail or customers switch devices.
What Basic UET Tracking Actually Captures
The Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag is Microsoft’s equivalent of the Google tag. When you install it, you get basic conversion tracking—page views, button clicks, purchases. It works through cookies and JavaScript, which means it faces the same problems as every other browser-based tracking method.
31.5% of global users run ad blockers (Statista, 2024). Safari limits first-party cookies to 7 days. Cross-device journeys break attribution entirely. Your UET tag fires, but Microsoft can’t connect that conversion to the original ad click.
This is where Enhanced Conversions changes the equation.
How Enhanced Conversions Improves Attribution
Enhanced Conversions supplements cookie-based tracking with first-party customer data. When a customer completes a purchase on your WooCommerce store, the tracking sends:
- Hashed email address: SHA256-encoded so Microsoft can match without seeing the original
- Hashed phone number: Same privacy-safe hashing applied
- Transaction details: Order value, conversion action
Microsoft then matches this data against their user database. If the customer was logged into Microsoft services at some point in their journey—Outlook, Edge, LinkedIn, Xbox—Microsoft can attribute the conversion even without a direct cookie match.
The same customer data WooCommerce collects at checkout becomes the attribution signal that recovers conversions cookie-based tracking missed.
You may be interested in: Google Ads Enhanced Conversions for WooCommerce: Why 67% of Setups Fail
The Setup Process: Two Steps, Two Places
Enhanced Conversions requires configuration in both Microsoft Ads and your tracking implementation. Missing either step means it won’t work.
Step 1: Enable in Microsoft Ads
When creating or editing a conversion goal in Microsoft Ads:
- Navigate to Conversion Goals in your account
- Select the Purchase or conversion action you want to enhance
- Check the “Enable enhanced conversions” checkbox
- Save the conversion goal
This tells Microsoft to expect enhanced data. Without this setting, hashed customer data you send gets ignored.
Step 2: Configure Your Tracking Implementation
Your tracking setup needs to capture customer data, hash it properly, and send it with conversion events. Options include:
- SweetCode Pixel Manager Pro: Enhanced Conversions is a Pro feature requiring configuration in plugin settings
- Conversios plugin: Supports Microsoft Ads Enhanced Conversions with checkbox enablement
- Server-side tracking: Captures customer data at order creation and sends properly hashed events via API
Most WooCommerce tracking plugins support Enhanced Conversions, but it’s typically a Pro or premium feature—not included in free versions.
Why Server-Side Implementation Matters
Plugin-based Enhanced Conversions still relies on browser-side JavaScript to trigger the conversion event. Ad blockers can prevent the script from firing. Page caching can interfere with event detection. The customer data is there, but the trigger never happens.
Server-side implementation captures purchase events directly from WooCommerce hooks—the moment an order reaches “processing” status. No JavaScript required. No browser involvement. The conversion fires whether the customer’s browser has ad blockers, aggressive privacy settings, or disabled JavaScript entirely.
Transmute Engine™ captures WooCommerce order events server-side and routes them to Microsoft Ads via API. The customer email and phone collected at checkout get SHA256 hashed and sent with proper formatting—bypassing the browser entirely while maintaining privacy compliance.
You may be interested in: Bing Ads UET Tag for WooCommerce: The Ad Channel You’re Probably Ignoring
SHA256 Hashing: The Privacy Requirement
Enhanced Conversions requires SHA256 one-way hashing for all customer data. This isn’t optional—Microsoft won’t accept plain-text emails or phone numbers.
What is SHA256 Hashing? A cryptographic function that converts any input into a fixed 64-character string. The same input always produces the same output, but you can’t reverse the process to reveal the original data.
Example: becomes b4c9a289323b21a01c3e940f150eb9b8c542587f1abfd8f0e1cc1ffc5e475514
Microsoft maintains their own database of hashed user identifiers. When your tracking sends a hashed email, Microsoft checks for a match against their records. If found, they can attribute the conversion—without either party ever transmitting readable personal data.
Comparing Enhanced Conversions: Microsoft vs Google
If you’ve already configured Enhanced Conversions for Google Ads, the Microsoft version follows the same pattern:
| Feature | Google Ads | Microsoft Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Customer data required | Hashed email, phone, name, address | Hashed email, phone |
| Hashing algorithm | SHA256 | SHA256 |
| Account-level enablement | Required | Required (per conversion goal) |
| Plugin support | Most premium plugins | Most premium plugins |
| Server-side API | Enhanced Conversions API | Conversion Goal API |
The principles are identical. If your tracking sends Enhanced Conversions to Google, the same data structure works for Microsoft with minimal adaptation.
Key Takeaways
- Bing Ads delivers 20-35% lower CPCs—but you need accurate attribution to optimize ROAS
- Basic UET tracking loses conversions to ad blockers, cookie restrictions, and cross-device journeys
- Enhanced Conversions sends hashed customer data that Microsoft can match even when cookies fail
- Setup requires two steps: enable in Microsoft Ads account AND configure tracking implementation
- Server-side tracking provides the cleanest implementation—no browser dependency, no ad blocker interference
Basic UET tracking relies on cookies and JavaScript to track conversions. Enhanced Conversions supplements this with hashed first-party customer data like email and phone, enabling Microsoft to match conversions even when cookies fail or users switch devices.
Yes. Microsoft Ads Enhanced Conversions works identically to Google Ads Enhanced Conversions—both send hashed customer data to improve attribution accuracy. If you’ve set up Enhanced Conversions for Google Ads, the same principle applies to Microsoft.
When creating or editing a conversion goal in Microsoft Ads, check the Enhanced Conversions checkbox. You’ll also need a tracking implementation that sends the hashed customer data—either through a compatible plugin or server-side tracking.
Yes. Enhanced Conversions requires SHA256 one-way hashing before data transmission. Microsoft receives hashed strings, not readable personal data. Standard consent requirements still apply for tracking overall.
Stop leaving Microsoft Ads attribution accuracy on the table. Explore Transmute Engine for server-side Enhanced Conversions that work.
