Microsoft will run a pilot test for its new paid search ad formats, which features logos and favicons embedded in listings, Media Post reported. The formats are intended to make ads pop in search results, to attract more paid search campaign budgets to Bing from advertisers and media buyers.

The icons expand on the traditional two simple text lines and link.

According to James Colborn, director at Microsoft Advertising and long-time adCenter veteran, the market is ready and even open to more creative options. "Consumers next year will start to see a richer ad experience in search results," which stray from standard text ads, he said.

Google Search was still the leading search engine in August, up 2.6 percent to 7.0 billion searches, and with 64.6 percent share. Bing, however, also grew from 9 percent share in July to 10.7 percent in August, according to Nielsen's data.

Colborn added that Microsoft has gained in query share, and an about 40 percent growth in click-through rates. Although the new site design aims to facilitate search on keywords, it's not clear if it would benefit advertisers, Media Post reported.

According to Didit cofounder Kevin Lee, Microsoft wants to make the search experience more "graphically rich." "Consumers who search a lot of engines are typically driven by visuals. It may result in some consumers moving over to Bing," he said.