Advertising

Skip to main content
Advertising

Experience new growth possibilities with Microsoft Advertising today >

French Address opens international doors with Microsoft Advertising

  Article , Retail , Success stories

Retailer uses paid search to connect with global audience

French Address logo

A personal obsession becomes an international business

French Address founder Mathilde Vuillemenot had always wanted to start her own business. Yet it was the global health pandemic that gave her the push she needed to pursue her dream. Drawing inspiration from her own thoughtfully chosen souvenir collection from childhood travels across France, Mathilde founded French Address to share her abiding love for French craft and artistry with connoisseurs across the Atlantic.

Launched in March 2021, online retailer French Address features luxury homeware and accessories, ranging from handmade porcelain to mouth-blown glass to letterpress-printed stationery. French Address aims to expose lesser-known brands recognised in France for time-honoured craftsmanship to audiences in Canada and the United States. As an international exporter, French Address has committed to offsetting its environmental impact by focusing on limited-edition production runs, using only French-made recyclable or compostable packaging, and making carbon compensation investments.

I think Microsoft Advertising is the easiest marketing platform on the market. And the support that I received from the Microsoft Advertising team in France was tremendous. It’s the only team that really supported me from day one. They explained from the very start how to find the right keywords and how to set up my first campaign.

— Mathilde Vuillemenot, Founder, French Address

Making marketing easy for beginners

Of course, starting an international e-commerce business from scratch and building a customer base has many challenges. Mathilde needed a robust digital marketing strategy to understand and attract her target audience, connect with international shoppers, and grow a loyal following. She knew that paid search would be her most vital channel. Having searched on Microsoft Bing herself, Mathilde chose Microsoft Advertising as one of her key marketing platforms and found it surprisingly user-friendly.

French Address search ad on Microsoft Advertising.

French Address search ad on Microsoft Advertising.

“I think Microsoft Advertising is the easiest marketing platform on the market,” says Mathilde. “And the support that I received from the Microsoft Advertising team in France was tremendous. It’s the only team that really supported me from day one. They explained from the very start how to find the right keywords and how to set up my first campaign.”

Delivering results at an excellent value

Within the first two months of using Microsoft Advertising, Mathilde gained a wealth of data insights that enabled her to connect with international shoppers, optimise her campaigns, drive sales, and build a loyal fan base. Microsoft Advertising has given her a deep understanding of her primary audience demographics, as well as the most impactful keywords to use and identify where her prospects are in the marketing funnel and create targeted campaigns, whether they’re seeking inspiration or are ready to buy.

Furthermore, Mathilde says that Microsoft Advertising offers excellent value. “When I compare my campaigns on Microsoft Advertising to campaigns on other platforms, the cost per click is 30% lower, which is very attractive. Plus, with Microsoft Advertising, the click-through rate is at least six times higher. I'm quite amazed by the results.”

Mathilde also notes that lead quality is an important key performance indicator for French Address and says, “The leads from my Microsoft Advertising campaigns have the highest number of page views per session.”

Examples of French Address product offerings.

Examples of French Address product offerings.

As her business grows, Mathilde continues to broaden her use of Microsoft Advertising. She’s currently leveraging In-market Audiences and plans to do more experimenting with display advertising. Having discovered that many French Address shoppers are French language teachers, she especially looks forward to leveraging LinkedIn Profile Targeting.

“I’m not an expert in acquisition — I haven’t built a business before,” says Mathilde. “But the Microsoft Advertising platform is so easy to understand. My time should be spent serving my clients, so each platform that can help me gain time and relevance is fantastic.”

When I compare my campaigns on Microsoft Advertising to campaigns on other platforms, the cost per click is 30% lower, which is very attractive. Plus, with Microsoft Advertising, the click-through rate is at least six times higher. I'm quite amazed by the results.

— Mathilde Vuillemenot, Founder, French Address

See a summary

Download the infographic to take the French Address success story with you.
 Download the success story