---
title: "Bing review stars under ads: what they are and what you control"
description: "Stars on a competitor's Bing ad can come from a review extension or an automated rating. Learn which one it is and what you control before changing anything."
url: "https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-10-22"
modified: "2026-10-22"
author: "Cal Hewitt"
tags: ["ppc","online-reviews","small-business"]
image: "https://webleveling.com/og/blog-bing-review-snippets-under-ads.jpg"
alternates:
  es: "https://webleveling.com/es/blog/estrellas-en-anuncios-de-bing.md"
---

# Bing review stars under ads: what they are and what you control

Stars on a competitor's Bing ad can come from a review extension or an automated rating. Learn which one it is and what you control before changing anything.

![An auto repair shop owner sits in a parked car outside the garage at dusk, holding a phone at an angle and frowning at it, the screen turned away from view.](https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/bing-stars-featured.jpg)

A competitor's Bing ad has stars under it, and yours is plain text. If you run Microsoft Advertising, or you are about to, that can feel unfair. The easy guess is that their reviews count and yours are being ignored. Microsoft advertising review extensions are one way those stars and quotes get there, but they are not the only way, so the fix is not always a setting you missed.

Stars under a Microsoft ad come from one of two systems. In one, you submit a short review quote from a third-party source, and Microsoft decides when to show it. In the other, Microsoft picks the rating itself from data it already has, and nobody chooses the wording.

You can learn which system a competitor is using in about ten minutes, then check your own account in another ten. You will also see exactly where your control stops, which keeps you from paying for a fix that cannot exist.

**Key Takeaways**

**Two systems, two levels of control**

A manual Review Extension is a positive quote or paraphrase you submit with a source name and URL. Automated merchant and product ratings are picked by Microsoft from qualifying data.

**Eligible is not the same as shown**

Microsoft says display depends on relevance, quality, space, user signals, other extensions and competing ads, so no setup can promise stars on every impression.

**Website review markup does not create ad stars**

Bing says annotations do not guarantee a visually rich result, so look in the Extensions tab of your ad account and in Merchant Center instead.

## Stars under a Microsoft ad come from one of two systems

Microsoft Advertising Help describes a Review Extension as a way to [share positive reviews from a reputable third-party source](https://help.ads.microsoft.com/apex/index/3/en-in/51001) about your business, product or service in an ad. You supply the review wording, the source name and the source URL. The Microsoft Learn reference for the [review ad extension](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/advertising/campaign-management-service/reviewadextension?view=bingads-13) defines the text as "either a paraphrase or an exact quote from the review source." One review can appear per impression.

The second system is automatic. Merchant ratings describe your business as a seller, and Product Ratings describe a product. Microsoft can show them when it has enough qualifying information from third-party sources, and you do not pick the review that appears on each ad. Owners ask about this one in Microsoft's community answers on [getting review stars in Bing merchant results](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2289506/how-to-get-the-review-stars-in-bing-com-merchant-f).

![A small auto repair shop on a main street in late afternoon, one bay door open with a car on the lift and a few parked cars at the curb.](https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/bing-stars-showroom-street.jpg)

The business next door may be running either system, and the ad alone does not tell you which.

Manual Review Extension versus automated rating

|  | Manual Review Extension | Automated merchant or product rating |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who supplies the content | You, from a third-party source | Microsoft, from qualifying data |
| Who picks the wording | You, as a paraphrase or an exact quote | Microsoft |
| Where you manage it | Campaigns, Ads & extensions, Extensions | Your ad account, Merchant Center and product data |
| Guaranteed to show | No | No |

That table is the whole answer to "can I choose which review shows." For a manual extension, you choose the wording and the source. For an automated rating, you can improve the accuracy of your business information and your review sources, but you cannot choose the review on each impression.

## Ten minutes on your phone tells you which system a competitor uses

Start where your customer starts. Bing shows ads differently on different devices and searches, so run the search the way a buyer would, and write down what you see before you touch your account.

1.  Search your main service on Bing from a phone.
2.  Note which ads show stars, a rating number, a review phrase or a source name.
3.  Run one more search with a town or neighborhood added, if you serve specific areas.
4.  Write down the business name and website shown in each ad.

A review phrase with a source name looks like a manual Review Extension, because that extension carries a source name and URL. A star rating with a number, especially on a product listing, looks like an automated rating. Treat that as a likely reading, not a certainty.

A competitor's stars are evidence of one impression on one search. They do not prove that the competitor has better reviews, and they do not prove that the same stars appear for every searcher.

![Two coworkers at a shared desk each hold up a phone beside the other, comparing two search result pages, with a desktop monitor seen from behind.](https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/bing-stars-compare-phones.jpg)

Run the same search on two phones and the results can differ.

## Your own Extensions tab shows why your ads look plain

Now open Microsoft Advertising and go to Campaigns, then Ads & extensions, then Extensions. Look for Review Extensions and read each one the way a reviewer would. If none exist, that is the answer: no compliant manual extension is attached to your ads, and adding one is a small account task.

**What to read on each Review Extension**

**Status**

Approved, under review or disapproved. Extensions go through editorial review when they are associated with an account, campaign or ad group.

**Text and source**

A positive quote or paraphrase from a reputable, independent third party. The source and text together must stay within 67 characters.

**Source URL**

A working HTTP or HTTPS address that points to where the review lives.

**Association level**

Account, campaign or ad group. An extension tied to the wrong campaign never reaches the ad you are looking at.

**Quote setting**

Exact quotes get quotation marks automatically when the exact-quote setting is on, so mark it correctly.

Microsoft allows up to 20 Review Extensions associated with one entity, so you can attach more than one source. Deleting an association does not always remove the extension record from the interface, which can make an old extension look like it is still live. If an extension is disapproved, Microsoft's [editorial review and appeals guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/advertising/guides/editorial-review-appeals?view=bingads-13) explains how to correct it and appeal.

The review itself has to be real and positive, and the source has to be one a customer would call reputable. Confirm the current wording of the requirements in Microsoft Advertising Help before you submit, since the rules sit in the platform and can change.

![A corkboard in a small contractor's office with a handwritten thank-you note pinned to it that reads "Great job on our kitchen. Thank you!"](https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/bing-stars-thank-you-note.jpg)

The best source is a review a real customer wrote somewhere you do not control.

## Shopping ads depend on Merchant Center and product data

If you run shopping campaigns, the stars may have nothing to do with an extension. Product Ratings describe products and can draw on customer or trusted third-party ratings connected with your product data. Merchant ratings describe the business as a seller. Both are automated enhancements.

So, in a shopping account, check that Merchant Center is active and that your product data is complete, including identifiers. Incomplete product data is the first thing to rule out. Fixing it can be a medium or large job when the feed or catalog needs correcting.

Then compare the business name and website across your ad account, your site, Merchant Center and the sites where your customers leave reviews. A name spelled one way in the ad account and another way on the review site makes it harder for any system to tie the two together.

Qualification for automated ratings is account-specific. Check the current eligibility information in your Microsoft Advertising account and Merchant Center, and contact Microsoft Advertising support to ask whether your business qualifies.

## An eligible extension can still skip an impression

You can do everything right and still not see your extension on a given search. Microsoft says ad layout depends on relevance, quality, available space, user signals, other extensions and the information available for competing ads. An approved extension is eligible to appear. It is not scheduled to appear.

That is why stars may show for a search on your laptop and not on your phone, or for one query and not the next. One missing impression says little about your setup. Look at the extension's status and your delivery over a stretch of days before you decide something is broken.

If the status is approved, the association is right, the source is valid and the extension still does not serve, more management may not change that outcome. Microsoft makes the final call on each impression.

## Review markup on your website does not create ad stars

The website is the next place people try. They add review or aggregate rating markup to a page and wait for stars to appear in their ads. Bing's guidance on [marking up your site with structured data](https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/marking-up-your-site-with-structured-data-3a93e731?country=69) says annotations help Bing understand review information but do not guarantee a visually rich result. It also says the markup must accurately represent what is visible on the page.

Paid ad enhancements run through Microsoft Advertising, not through your page markup. The vocabulary for [Review](https://schema.org/Review) and [AggregateRating](https://schema.org/AggregateRating) comes from Schema.org, which describes fields like the rating value and review count. It does not control whether an ad shows stars.

Review markup can still be worth adding for organic results, where it should match the reviews a visitor can see. Just do not expect it to change what your Bing ad looks like. If you want the Google side of the same question, [star ratings in Google Ads](https://webleveling.com/blog/star-ratings-in-google-ads/) works through a separate system with its own rules.

## A competitor's stars say little about your reviews

The feeling that your reviews are being ignored is understandable, but a competitor's stars only show that one ad carried an enhancement on one search. Stars do not rank businesses by quality, and they say nothing about the leads behind the ad.

Where review quality does matter is the source. A manual extension quotes the third-party source you name, and automated ratings rely on qualifying third-party data. Real reviews on a source customers recognize give both systems something accurate to work with. That is the job of [online reputation work](https://webleveling.com/services/online-reputation/), and it pays off beyond ads.

Before you chase stars, decide whether Bing is a channel worth your budget. [Whether Bing is worth it for a small business](https://webleveling.com/blog/is-bing-worth-it-for-a-small-business/) depends on your customers. And whatever the ad looks like, [seeing which Bing ads turn into customers](https://webleveling.com/blog/see-which-bing-ads-turn-into-customers/) tells you more than any visual comparison does.

## What This Means for You

Stars under a Microsoft ad come from a review quote you submit or from an automated rating Microsoft selects. You control the first: the wording, the source, the URL and the campaign it is attached to. You do not control the second, and you do not control whether either one serves on a given impression.

The useful work is small and specific. Check what your competitor actually shows, read the status and association of every Review Extension in your account, make sure the business name matches everywhere, and look at Merchant Center if you sell products. That turns a vague worry into a short list.

![A mechanic in coveralls hands car keys back to a customer at the shop's service desk on a quiet morning.](https://webleveling.com/blog/bing-review-snippets-under-ads/bing-stars-customer-walks-in.jpg)

The goal is the customer walking in, whatever the ad looks like.

We can set up compliant extensions, correct associations, check editorial status, tidy the source and business name details, and troubleshoot Merchant Center or product data. We cannot promise stars on every ad or choose the automated review shown, and if your account is set up correctly and Microsoft still does not serve the extension, more management may not change that. At [Web Leveling](https://webleveling.com/), our [Google Ads management](https://webleveling.com/services/google-ads-management/) work includes Microsoft Advertising accounts. We work with small and medium businesses across the country and overseas, so [send us the ad you are comparing against](https://webleveling.com/contact/) and we will tell you which system it is and what can be done.

**Quiz: Do you know where your Bing ad stars come from?**

1. What does a manual Review Extension contain?
   - A star count Microsoft calculates from your website markup
   - A positive quote or paraphrase from a third-party source, with a source name and URL **(correct answer)**
   - A review Microsoft chooses for you on each impression
   - A copy of your Google Business Profile
2. You added review markup to your website. What does Bing say about ad stars?
   - Annotations guarantee a visually rich result
   - Annotations do not guarantee a visually rich result, and paid enhancements run through Microsoft Advertising **(correct answer)**
   - Stars appear within a week
   - Markup replaces the need for an extension
3. Where do you check a Review Extension in your account?
   - Campaigns, then Ads & extensions, then Extensions **(correct answer)**
   - Tools, then Conversion goals
   - Billing, then Payment settings
   - Audiences, then Remarketing lists

## Frequently Asked Questions About Microsoft Advertising Review Extensions

**Can I add a review to a Microsoft ad?**

Yes. Add a Review Extension with a positive quote or paraphrase from a reputable third-party source, plus the source name and URL.

**Can I choose which review is shown?**

You choose the wording and source of a manual Review Extension, and Microsoft decides whether it serves. Automated ratings are selected by Microsoft, so you cannot pick the review on each impression.

**Will reviews show on every ad?**

No. Microsoft says display depends on relevance, quality, available space, user signals, other extensions and competing ads.

**Does review schema create ad stars?**

No. Structured data can help Bing understand a page, but it does not guarantee a visually rich result and does not control paid ad enhancements.

**Are Product Ratings the same as merchant ratings?**

No. Product Ratings describe products. Merchant ratings describe the business as a seller. Both are automated.

**Why is my review extension not showing?**

Check its status, text, source URL and association level first. If all are correct, the extension may be eligible but not selected for that impression, which is Microsoft's call.

## Terms

Bing review stars: terms in this post

Tap a term to see what it means.

**Review Extension.** A Microsoft Advertising ad extension that shows a positive review quote or paraphrase from a third-party source, with a source name and URL you supply.

**Merchant rating.** An automated rating that describes a business as a seller, shown when Microsoft has enough qualifying third-party information.

**Product Rating.** An automated rating that describes a product, shown on shopping ads when product data connects to qualifying ratings.

**Association level.** The account, campaign or ad group an extension is attached to.

**Editorial review.** Microsoft's check of an extension against its ad policies after it is associated with an account, campaign or ad group.

**Merchant Center.** The place where a business manages product data for shopping ads.

- [Performance Max brand searches: what to check in your account](https://webleveling.com/blog/performance-max-brand-searches-filtered/): Performance Max brand searches: Google's help says PMax may filter out brand-specific queries toward dedicated Search. Check the search terms report first.
- [How to Add a Promotion to Google Ads and Check It Is Live](https://webleveling.com/blog/google-ads-promotions-offer-in-your-ad/): To add a promotion to Google Ads, open Campaigns, Assets, then choose Promotion. Confirm it is live by checking its status, dates and impressions.
- [Google Ads review summaries: source, eligibility and controls](https://webleveling.com/blog/google-ads-ai-review-summaries/): Google says its AI draws on online reviews from across the web, not only your Business Profile. Summaries show only when predicted to improve ad performance.