Microsoft Ads connects to HubSpot, opens experiments
B2B advertisers can now connect Microsoft Advertising to HubSpot, and A/B experiments are generally available ahead of the holidays.
· 2 min read · 2 sources
Source: Microsoft Advertising blog: What's new this September | Sep 30, 2026
Microsoft Advertising now connects to HubSpot, and A/B optimization experiments are generally available.
First, Microsoft Advertising is now live in HubSpot. You can use CRM data to reach audiences, including verified LinkedIn professionals, across Bing, Copilot, Outlook, Xbox, and more. New leads can trigger whatever next step you set up in HubSpot, like assigning a rep or starting a nurture email. Ad clicks connect to HubSpot contacts and deals, so you can see which ads drive pipeline and revenue.
HubSpot's setup guide, updated Sep 18, 2026, says connecting takes Publish access to the ads tool in HubSpot and Super Admin access on the Microsoft Advertising account. Microsoft Advertising customer-level accounts can't be connected, so each ad account has to be connected on its own.
Second, optimization experiments are now generally available for Search, Shopping, Audience, and Performance Max campaigns. They're A/B tests for bidding, targeting, creative, and more, with a side-by-side results page. You can apply a winner to the original campaign or spin it into a new one.
What we know
- LinkedIn company lists now hold up to 10,000 companies per list, up from 1,000. They work with LinkedIn profile targeting in Search and Audience campaigns. The data excludes users in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland.
- Microsoft pushed back its REST-only plan for new API features. New features will ship in both SOAP and REST until SOAP is fully retired on Jan 31, 2027.
What we don't know yet
- Regional availability. HubSpot's setup guide lists the integration for all HubSpot products and plans but doesn't mention regions.
- Whether there's a per-ad-group limit on company lists. Microsoft's post doesn't say.
- Whether PMax experiments have limits that Search experiments don't.
What I'd do
If you run B2B lead gen on HubSpot, connect it now, even if you won't change bidding for a while, so tracking and reporting are working before the holiday push. And with experiments now generally available, run one controlled test before the holidays instead of pushing a bid change straight into your main campaign.
Sources
Less busywork, more growth: What's new in Microsoft Advertising this Septemberabout.ads.microsoft.com/en/blog/post/september-2026/less-busywork-more-growth-what-new-in-microsoft-advertising-this-septemberMicrosoft Advertising blog, Sep 30, 2026. Checked Oct 7, 2026.Connect your Microsoft Advertising account to HubSpotknowledge.hubspot.com/connect-your-microsoft-ads-account-to-hubspotHubSpot Knowledge Base, updated Sep 18, 2026. Checked Oct 7, 2026.Jerry Quin
Jerry Quin is the pen name of a paid media practitioner who has managed Google Ads accounts at an agency for 10 years. He writes about Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, ChatGPT Ads, and the rest of paid media and digital marketing, from what's rolling out to what he'd actually do about it.
