Advertising makes up around 5% of Microsoft's total revenue, according to ZenithOptimedia.
Microsoft sells ads alongside it MSN portal, search engine bing, video calling service Skype, and its Xbox Live gaming and media platform.
ZenithOptimedia notes that Microsoft increased its ad revenue by an average of 12.5% per year between 2010 and 2015, although this was behind the 17.9% internet ad market growth rate.
Last year, Microsoft announced a big ad deal with AOL, which has seen it supplying AOL's search results, while AOL will handle Microsoft's display ad sales in its top nine markets. Ad tech company AppNexus picked up responsibility for ad sales in Microsoft's other display ad markets.