Microsoft Ads rolls out website exclusion tools for Search, Audience ads

Microsoft Advertising just rolled out new exclusion management tools for Search Ads and Audience Ads, making it easier for advertisers to control where their ads appear — and where they don’t.

What’s new. Advertisers can now:

• Centrally manage website exclusions across accounts and campaigns.
• Apply exclusions in bulk to multiple campaigns at once.
• Scale effortlessly with up to 10,000 websites per exclusion list and 100 exclusion lists per account.

Why we care. Advertisers have long wanted more control and efficiency when managing ad placements. This update helps with that – and at scale. It’s especially relevant in a privacy-focused, brand-safety-conscious environment.

What’s changing. Microsoft is streamlining exclusion controls with a more flexible, tiered system:

• Account level: Create and manage exclusion lists at the manager account level.
• Campaign level: Apply those lists directly via campaign settings.
• Ad group level: No changes – exclusions are still possible here, but Microsoft recommends managing them at the campaign level for consistency.

Between the lines. This is a strategic shift toward unifying ad placement control across formats. For the first time, these capabilities apply to both Audience Ads and Search Ads, giving advertisers end-to-end control over where their brand appears.

What’s next. Microsoft is also piloting a Targeted Website List feature. Advertisers interested in early access should contact their Microsoft rep.

Bottom line. Advertisers now have more power to manage brand safety, optimize campaign efficiency, and scale their efforts with less manual overhead.

More information. Microsoft’s website control list document (PDF)