Dive Brief: 

• Microsoft announced on the Bing blog that Bing Ad Express will be closing shop by July 30.
• Bing Ad Express was meant to help businesses that didn't have time, money, or experience to manage paid search. 
• After a beta run, however, Bing learned that automating the process took away important control from the campaigns that brands and businesses needed. 

Dive Insight: 

While ad automation is becoming increasingly popular in many areas, sometimes precise control is necessary for a successful campaign. Bing Ad Express' shortcomings could have come from its design or functionality, as well — perhaps automating too much or not offering enough customization. Either way, Microsoft learned something from the beta and that's important.